The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-08-13
WHAT NIHILIsTs WANT.

& New York reporter has inter
viewed Hartmann, the nihilist Wit
lately arrived in this country from
Russia. The fellow has long com
plant to make against the govern
nent In general and the late and
present Cars. Undoubtedly much
shat be alleges is true. The Russian
government must become liberslized
It is opp9sad Ia sentiment and sd
ADMINISTRATION to the enlightened ideas
Of the age. It was good enou. "a for
she fourteenth century, wnen men
had different notions OF themselves
and of governments to those enter
asined nowadays. In the highly
sivilizsd and better educated couu-
tries the people understand TIA. In
them and their loyalty lies the
strength of the nation, and not in the
sfsmiuate princes and court crew
As this knowledge has come to the
people governments have grown lib
srsl. Personal power has been sur
rendered by the rulers and grasped by
the masses. The light is beginning
TO dawn upon Russia, where the PEG.
pie are acquiring some idea and
knowledge of their rights as
human beings, as we'll as citizens and
subjects. Especially is this knowl-
edge coming to the nihilists, Sho are
The best educated class oil the com
mon people. Their learning causes
Them to assert themselves In protesta-
lions agsingt the unnatural order OF
ihings that prevails. They are earn
est advocates of education, bending
oil their energies in the direction of
acquiring information and inducing
their scquainsances and associates to
learn. Education not only tells
them of personal rights that are being
denied them, but tells them that
knowledge is power. According to
hartmann, the demands OF the zihi-
lists would not be regarded "a extra
ordinary or out of the way in any
really enlightened country. They
ask nothing more than the people Of
other governments have enjoyed for
many years, and which, il denied IN
America, would Immediately create a
revolution and hang to the nearest
telegraph poles. without the prelimi-
nary trouble of a trial, every official
Of an administration that made the
denial. Hartmann lays down the
creed of himself and associates as
follows, saying if the Gar aud nihi-
lists were to meet face to face to set.
tie a treaty of peace, it would be or
this basis:
IA constitution framed by repre-
sentatives of all classes of the people.
This Is not sn extraordinary demand, as
It has been claimed and granted 10 the
highly civilized nations of the world.
2-The control OF national affairs by q
national parliament.
3-A provincial autonomy for pro-
. Tineial affairs with right granted each
province to nominate, or st least to pre-
sent for confirmation, local officers.
4-The division of public unused lands
among those impoverished peasants who
are landless.
ga reform in industrial aud agricu.-
tural laws, to enable poor workmen to
realize tsirer returns for The product OF
farm or trade.
6-Religious freedom.
THE right of orderly public assem-
blages to discuss public and industrial In
terests
s-Freedom Of the press within ordi.
nary limits.
9-Electoral conventions uninfuenced
by military force.
10-A system of public education by
which, under national direction, the peo-
pie would be educated, tina. they might
rule themselves more wisely and with q
more intelligent knowledge of the rest of
the world, thus making good and en-
Iightened citizens of the poorer and more
ignorant classes.
1.-THE reduction Of the expensive
army Of 750.0O0 men to 8 force adequate
merely to insure peace with Europe aud
Asia.
12-The guarantee of personal liberty
to law-sbiding citizens.
ia general, detailed census, that the
real distribution of inhabitants msy be
known and proper representation may be
had, and includ ng statement Of the