Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-05-06

To Truth About Russia.
To Americans the most interesting Ques-
ton connected with the assassination of the
late Gar of Russia WAS why he, the most
benefcent ruler the country had apparent
ly had for generations, should have been
singled out AS the victim OF a popular out
rising. He had liberated the serfs. he had
introduced trial by jury, he had done much
for popular education, he had instituted num-
berless other reforms, and the general spirit
| OF his reign seemed TO be in the direction
OF progress and advancement. The
answer to our question is found first
in tho gross despotism Of the last years
Of the late Cars life, and second in the
fact that his reforms were only halfway
measures. A gentleman for several years
connected with the Russian civil service
throws some interesting light on the subject
! in IL recent interview given in Il New York
paper. When the serfs were freed the Gar
proclaimed that the peasants should be given
i"uu Sn""sn ''i 'he'i o"n ouPP''' i"A P-J
ing the government taxes ana lof securing
lhe redemption oi 'heif aiiothient' hu' nc
cordins to our authority, the peasants were
given but small patches of laud-about ten
acres per male adult and nearly all sterile.
This is the exI lanation of the fact that on
the PRONUNCIATION of the emancipation ukase
there were numerous riots, not among the
sefi-hoiuers Dut among the ifeeu sefis' WHO
feiuseu 10 take anu Pay lor the "oi'ii'ess
'onu u'''sneu W 'nei'' ih'"' ny ""N' "
'hc .Laf' 'he soiuiers "eic coiiiPe'eu W en
saSe III seou'g'hs ''o iiaieon'en'' '"'o"s"
ou' i'uSS.i' B" 'i''i' 'He '''o't was .''e'
,o'' u'e" 'o ''"'" ID III iooi' anu '""a ~, ="
'i'e o"e"' vi 'ne h'"iS ''ei1'eu ''''' '
'.'u'' was ''''' "i'''''' w fa' '"'
.''u' '"Ae'' Mey ''Sa. W give "P '"' ','N
iof'ed upon 'neiii' anu tne'c WAS IL" 'A'u''
Vi the peasants, VINO heu east"aru u '"c
'hhiy iypopuia'cd PROVINCES anu thc so'eih-
'hen' was a'haAeu at Seeing en'ne ''"ai''
suuue"'y ue'ei'eu- -'o" iunS i' i'' ''"'
vi 'he i'e'u sefis nave ho ia''" Ut an
As l" 'iia' ny jury "heh 'ne N'i 'n'i'-
uueeu IT, hc Pio'n'seu sieeuy anu just ''a''
but Tile accused were Sill heiu IN PRISON ior
years peiore Hiai' anu size pY siuc
Win lhe pubilc courts, or fuihef ABOVE theih,
The Czar heid The omnipoteht administrative
ORDER lhe result was tliat persons acquitted
by the courts were often seized ON the very
threshold oi justice and imprisoned Trans
ported or oiherwise pnnish'd ac'oruips 10
the secret DEGREES of The police As'o s'ne
criminals, OF political offenders the Gar es-
tablished at first special tribunals, and then
military courts. In fact there are no laws OF
protection 10 the liberties, the life or the
possessions Of Russian subjects.
The official statistics for 1879 show that
there were III Russia 7OS prisons which
could accommodate 81, 900 prisoners, though
they actually held over "A 900. lu the IA
prisons for hard labor there were $4,000
prisoners, though there was place for but
10, 900 But the persons who, without any
trial, were under surveillance, transported or
eAilcd, constitute the MAN body OF the limo
cent victims of the Cars dcspotism, aud in
1879 the number reached tho amazing mass
of 100. coo! As to the economical condition
Of Russia under Alexander the deficits
increased every year, 81 much 50 that accord
ing 10 the appropriation bill for the current
year tho deficit is estimated at fifty million
roubles, Russia is suffering under u triple
Il a
The peasants being put on sterile land, could
neither support themselves nor pay the gov
ernment and other taxes. The arrcar taxes
have been rapidly increasing but even this
did not prevent the Gar from undertaking
needless wars and incurring other extra eX-
penses. His tax collectors hog the peasants
nm ,bev ,iv. nut their l.s, conack Their
cn''ie afo soiu' theit HOUSES unrooieu a''u
their seeds confiscated. The result has been
famine. followed by epidemics. For the war
;,,, ,,' r,.,,, a., ,..;,,,.,
VIM '"o " -. "A' VI. A'
Tor Inc army anu navy The vast sum ol @o4'-
| 900 900 roubles or more than one onr third
of tho general STATE income ard for his own
|
''ui' "' 'A -'"e ,'''''
There are now about ooo peflodicals aii
| told in Russia. Some of those of St Peters
,,,,, o,,, u,so,,,, ,,, .,ro.r ,;,hou, sr.c;,l
'1's a"N N"" "fp :.
permit Oh the censor Dut aii Oh thehi are I'M
| BILE TO prosecution, fine or suppression at the
leas, hint of the censor As there is no def
,,,;,
n''e press Id" ny ""''" e'''''' may w "'u
cd. they are always ID danger. About sixty
! OF them are subjected To punishment every
y..r hv ,h. ,,,v.r,m,rt p,r;,o III. re,gp
n -,
vi hieNan"er H. 'Heie was no' sung"
prominent writer who was not arrested, I'M
prisoued. heavily fined. or eailed
r,. in,.rviev who's. ,.,j;,o p,;,,s ~.
nave peinS s''ch' ci"seu us i"iio"s'
Il am moi sure that hnve given proper
idea Of Russia under the late Car. Take an