The New York herald., 1879-08-09
RUSSIAN SOCIETY.
Scourges of the Crops and
the Empire.
BEETLES AND INCENDIARISTS.
Nihilist Enissaries Among the
Peasantry.

ts ST. PETERSBURG. July 60 1879.
The present state of Russia most unsatisfactory
Although we are not in the days OF terror. as the
Berlin papers have often announced. still the dsas-
tiers by which Russia is pursued this year do not
seem at all likely to be coming to an end. Apart
from the general depression of trade. which Russia
shares with most other European States. she has
had as you know. to pass through a number OF pc.
culiar difficulties. which have been hard to bear
and the results of which are grievously
affecting the country and impoverishing the people.
Scarcely have the authorities had time to get rid OF
the plague before the attention of the population of
the southern governments of the Empire has been
called to new and formidable foe-the beetle. In
some of the governments these pests has caused some
damage already but they diligently destroyed by
means of peculiar machine invented for their bene-
At. The beetles caught without doing damage to
the grain. Anticipating the development of vast
quantities of the larv@ for the coming year many
Of the landed propretors have given up the idea OF
sowing of any kind this season, and are pre-
pairing now their cultivation of potatoes
hax and other productions which do not tempt the
beetle Others. again. having observed where the
larva appeared have had hemp sown round the
affected fields, and it has been proved that the
beetle never gets beyond such borders. The crops
this year stated to be most satisfactory in the
greater part of Russia but nevertheless much anxi
ETY. prevails regarding next year, and great many
land owners much perplexed by the changes
they must introduce to avert the impending evil.
REVOLUTIONARY ELEMENT.
Notwithstanding the efforts of the authorities to
free the country from the secret societies. the
tivity OF whose members is keenly felt. the party
continues to exist and to disturb the country by
every means in its power The nihilists
have recently turned their attention to the peas
anfrv in orda 10 hrin aho oan risin Tha
Nihilists well versed in the arts of producing
popular discontent and they have had recourse to
very elective means. Some time ago they sent
emissaries about the villages to tell the peasants
that the Gear about to issue a ukase ordering
equal division of the lands to the peasants and
the landed proprietors OF course the peasants
were ready to believe anything good coming from
the Czar. and they waited very patiently for the
ukase to be issued. But none came. Then
the peasants began to suspect that the
large land owners. to whom they formerly
belonged, had conformity with the authorities
purposely concealed the ukaso from them. III order
to derive profit little longer from the land. Grave
disorders ensued in many villages. and finally a
ukase had to be issued But it not what the
peasants expected; for the Czar pronounced all the
rumors of division Of land to be void OF any
foundation. and enjoined the peasants to guard
against the insnuations OF evil people, who have
only their own ends In view and are bent sowing
the seeds Of discomfort among the rural population
This ukase ordered to be read in every village of the
Empire, and there IS doubt but that it will put an
end to the rumors about any changes being made in
the distribution Of private property. But forty
induced to join the Nihilists. The leaders Of the
party at Kief. who belonged to different classes
of society. were arrested and. with their new
verts. brought to trial. The propagandists were
found guilty and sentenced be to disciplinary
seven months to two years and nine months. One
OF the accused was condemned to be confined in .
fortress for two months But all the peasants were
of their leaders.
THE INcENpIARIsrs.
The recent fires in tho large towns are generally
attributed to the nihilists. so long the ncend-
aries were limited to the country they did not at
tract much notice. it is usual in Russia for whole
villages to be burned down every summer. when
the peasants are occupied in the fields leaving their
tor any work. But for the last two months many
large and fourishing towns have been completely
burned out; in the large commercial centres
Of Eastern Russia and Siberia, PERM Irbit.
Orenburg. Uralsk and Irkutsk, there are only
ascore of houses left standing. Although the off,
cal organs continue to deny the possibility of these
towns having been set fire by incendiariss every
body is here that the authorities recoil from
party But the pube Know Ui we a1
enough that such terrible fires all breaking out
during high winds. which frequently occur on the
steppes. and breaking out in every in different
parts Of the town simultaneously, are the work OF
organized incendiaries. and. besides. the inhabi-
tants are always informed of the impending danger.
Most OF the above mentioned fires foretold by
anonymous letters to the inhabitants. The Nhilsts
have repeatedly declared through their secret press
that they would not recoi from any means in their
power to overthrow the existing government aud
incendiarism is doubtless of their many means.
ARE THE NIHII.IsTs POPULAR?
Notwithstanding all that has been said to the
trary the Nihists are not liked by the mass of the
people In Russia Although great discomfort prevails
In the country, account of the abuses in the gov
eminent and the restrictions put individuail b.
erty. although the cry for Constitution became loud
during the past winter, there very few serious
people who put faith in the abilities OF the Nhsts
TO produce better state of things. The chief
cause of their failure to attract the sym
pathies Of the people is the universal
vicsion that the Nihilsts do not themselves
know what they about As long as they
had no independent newspaper organ to assist then
In Russia people used to think that there
thing serious and good in Nihlsm; but now, after
having read Land and Liberty and studied the ideas
therein contained they generally turn away from it
with disappointment and disgust. The Nihilists
disclose very cleverly the existing abuses they
criticise everything in the most incisive manner,
they preach the destruction of existing
and the overthrow OF the state and modern society,"
but they are quite careful in their silence regarding
what Is to replace the present state OF affairs they
reject with scorn all ideals OF the past. but refuse
20 suggest anything new in their stead. The Nihi-
lnt declares all the existing forms of government
IN the whole world to be old fashioned they want to
leap three four centuries ali at once and without
having even attained the degree Of civilization Of the
old States OF Europe or the liberties of the New
World. they modcsty declare that they wish 70 create
something which will astonish the universe and
serve as pattern to all the states OF the world.
OPINION IN ST. PErERsBURG.
such Is the opinion prevalent in Russian society
concerning the Nhists Their theories are still
less popular among the ignorant peasants, who,
with the instincts children, recoil from artificial
kindness displayed for their attraction. They see
that the Nihiiists not friends they would have
them; they feel the egotism that turks in all the
hints thrown out by them. Gentle by nature, the
poor Russian ia decidedly to violence and
bloodshcd. There IL doubt but the peasant,
Notwithstanding his ignorance. is quite pre-
pared for rcli-goverDrnent. self-Povernnent
has boen from time memorial practiscd by him
IN all matters concerning the local OF the
villages but he has not the enthusiastic aud excit
able nature OF the Frenchman aud cannot be pushed
by loud phrases and ''cosss de satye prepared be-
forehapd The result of all the disorders ana abuses
IN the administration the side and exertions
OF the nhsts the other is that the people abhor
a much the the other. The greatest part of
the Russian people still cling TO the Car. and
sincerely convinced that ho would have granted a
Constitution to his people the impulse of his
own good scnas and hts undeniablc Kindness and
care for the vell-boing of his subjects but
thst he has been prevented from doing by the
interference of the woud-bc rcdccmers Of the coun-
trv-fle yfhists What coureo will no alonte nv