The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-20
women in all the activities Of tho prOpasandas

autocracy in Russia. THE Nihilist women" |
she said. owed much OF their earnestncss in |
the work OF reformation to the convictions inn |
PLANTED in their minds by tho arguments OF
their brothers and friends. who. recognizing
e yn 9hS social s&9SsS & Ky o,
Nihilistic principles is OF equal Importance to
both soxes.
Q.-Does there not seem TO be an exceptional
amount OF nudacity among women who are
Nihilists. as demonstrated. for instance. by tho
act OF Vera Sassulitch2
A-There are many women. replied tho lady.
o. equal courage and spirit with Vera Sassu.
litch-women who defend themselves against
exampicd outside &c Of Russia. WIN "'' '''l' ~
GIT is reported that persons spoken of rs
have been imprisoned for being implicated in
the Nihiist movemont3
Alt Is true. Women OF noble birth and OF
wealthy surroundings leave their parents and
their homes. attire themselves in the Carb OF
peasants. and become missionaries Of Nihilism.
OF course some are detected and arrested
Here the Nihilist gentleman interposed
Women have many opportunities OF discover
tho Government Intends to do in regard to tho
Nihilists and to elicit valuable state secrets.
The mission imposed on NihilIst ladies' ha,
is going on. what the policy Of the State is in
certain exigencies. how accused persons are to
possession Of the ladies' husbands. relatives, or
friends. The, Nhilists have, counter-police.
md the Nihilist counter police has learned to
become very much more expert than the Govern
ment police. ns Is shown by the failure TO detect
ne Nhilists @ who have peEpetrnted daring deeds d.
tersSt ,6cr chnStioHs May Mil isi ladies'
unsuspected by those with whom they are In
daily and intimate ASSOCIATION.
Q.-As to the recent kilings by Nihilists-I see
IL stated that those Killings are called Judg-
ments2
means Judgments" The principal object Of
| those judgment. as we call them In Russia, is
to show to the people that 1t Is easy to get rid OF
| want to teach the people. Their objet NJ the
| same time Is to keep away from nigh offices
tsieet3a % ability. & might do injury to TO- the popu-
| lar cause, and 70 have those offices filed by
mcdioerities., Men of intellect and and ability; see,
Ronors R,rs' Of OiieS; the Xihiists viii not have to
| Of such men. and the Government will become
weaker and weaker. At the snmo time, these
| Judgments are sometimes executed in rctribu-
| tion for outrage and wrong An epitaph on the
| grave OF n Bashi- -Bazouk reads; Passer;hy
| don't regret my death. II ! lived you would bo
| dea1l' SO ii is with the tyrants sacrificed by
Q-Grethe judgments executed in accordance
| with orders?
Q--Huw many such judgments have beon ex-
ecuted in Russia within the past twelve months
A.%More than ihat. Officers Of high rank
IRE executed in tho streets only when
| but many others Of less consequence are
disposed Of IN ways less dangerous 70 the oNe-
cutioners. The Government carefully sup
presses all facts in relation 10 such Judgments
| and, OF course. the Nihilsts don't sock 10 give
publicity 70 their deeds. 50 that the world knows
| ments are carried out in Russia.
| Q-How are the Nihi.ists organzed7
There is no central power. Nihilists are not
| grouped around one point. Everywhere in the
Of hqSSa SGrs exist s Or
| and the groups are like q chain. one group hav-
ing direct connection only with another group.
| and not even knowing the name OF any member
| OF third group. A. group has no officers ex-
cept a secretary and treasurer. Aiming. as
the Nihilists DO. to destroy Capitalization Of
government. thoy do not practise it among
| Q.-Have tho Nhilists OF Russia any recog-
nized leadersf A.-No.. sir; they have no sys-
| tenn OF directorship. IL would be- danger 1us
to even attemptto be leader. No individual
| man and no executive or central body OF men.
| issue orders to the Nihilists OF Russia. There
is no central executive body-not shade OF IL.
facts concerning Nihists are transmitted in
| the most rapid way 10 all the groups but each
ernment tried TO establish that certain persons
| were leaders that those few persons directed
and animated the movement and that as soon
ment would collapse; but the Government
found itself TO be mistaken.
Q.-To what extent does Nihilism oxist In the
| army and Ia tho church. and among the civil
| officers OF the Governments
| A.-There are many officers In the army who
donned n uniform with the object OF propagat-
ing NIhiism: and the armies OF the Car are
permeated with Nihiistic doctrines. There
nre Generals in command OF provinces who
are Nhilists; there are men in the IMPERIAL
Guards whoare Nihilisis; and IN the Winter
who are members Of Nihist groups. The
Nihilists have paid particular attention to the
Imperial body guard IRON which r,ay leey expect
Q.-Is the Nihilist movement in tho army sui
flclenty strong to imperi the loyalty oil the
forces in case OF a Nihilist disturbances
Ln'hai ia the -h'a.' ~ fhA Nihilists. II Is
mn easy matter to achieve court revoi"u1n
but the NH lists do not want that. In regard 10
revolution. II may be well to mention an impor-
tant fact. The people called Cossacks have
been a strong arm OF the Cars military power
but the Cossacks arc far from being IN con-
tented condition. The Ural Cossacks have en-
joyed many, ancient privileges and the Govern
mont has deprived them OF those PRIVILEGES
thus causing much lssatsfaclion: Two years
ago there was m outbreak OF the Ural Cossacks
which was suppressed only by armed force
The Cossacks Of the Don do not like the land
| reforms introduced by tho present Gar. In
case OF revolution the Cossacks would DO un-
" As to Nihilism among the clergy, there arc
are two ranks Of cleTTGypeen men, the bishops and
many OF the popes are young and among the
popes are many Nihilists. The. clergy was
until very recently an exclusive caste.
Besides the universities there are colleges in
the provinces ecclesiastical colleges. military
colleges, and colleges not for any special class
and these colleges as we'll as the universities
are under the Influence OF Nihiism for younG
people, men and women. must be taught In the
schools the true principles OF Nihilism Almost
all the graduates Of universities and high
schools are under police survoi lance. The fact
that they are graduates makes them suspected
and brutal policemen. anxious to please theiI
superors are only too ready to matreat and
arrest tho college youth. .,- c. !,
| Q-Des patches say that the Government is
going TO adopt more rigorous measures OF sup
'A-The present measures are OF DraconiC
severity, but the Russian Government can &c
further. 1t can arouse the ignorant and rut'
fiaEly mobs OF large cities against the edu'
Gated classes. and can incite lis police
TO persecute even more vindictlyely the
unfortunate students who, in order that
they may be the more easily identified
are compelled 70 wear unitormsn More
educated men and delicate women Will be con
signed 10 Siberia, and the prisons VIII be
thronged even more than at present with ar
rested Nihliss. Imprisonment means death
Two hundred OF five hundred who were I'M
prisOned recently perished with in few days
four who were in Jail with me became insane
and committed suicide.
Q.-What do you think will be the probable
result OF Teprcsslye mtasuresf =,
A-The Nhilists will not be extirpated. Foi
half a century the autocracy has been sending
Nihilists to Siberia, and infarceratnl
and otherwise Furnishing them. anu tnt
Car Alexander has revived tho death
pennlty in order to be able 10 punish md re
press Them with the greater severity. The iu-