Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-23
STUDENTS RIOT IN RUSSIA.
The Way in Which Recruits are Fur
nished for the Forces of the Nihilista

hisheu lor the orces OF the Nihilists.
4 correspondent writing from St. Peters
burg says: We are having just now an
epidemic Of students riots. The bellige-
rent youths are arrested by hundreds and
transported far away from the university
cities. Their mothers are bitterly CRYING
and their fathers are cursing the universi-
" authorities. "HerOd's determination
OF the children as the people call the
students troubles, occurs in this cOun-
try over and over again.
In Russia there are nine universities all
told, and half dozen special high schools.
as the school of mines. that of agriculture.
that of technology, and so on. These in
sututions furnish the Cars Government
with college teachers, surgeons. lawyers,
civil and mining engineers, learned agri-
culturists. and civil officers Of all depart
ments. 1t seems the government ought
10 treat with kindness the students of the
imperial universities, whom it intends to
prepare for his own service. But in fact
the Cars Ministers regard the students
as obstinate foes of their master, and treat
them accordingly. For the Russian po-
lice student is a cOnspiratOr.
Russian Students on being graduated
from university, are granted many i'm
pOrtant rights and privileges. They cOnsti-
tute kind of mandarin caste like China's.
Even the peasant boys are then addressed
all the best pupils of the gymnasiums the
literary colleges look upon the university
diplomas as the highest prize they can
reach in life. But it is not an easy task
10 pass through university course. In
the first place, it is necessary to muster
the long programme of the gymna-
sium, where, for eight years, they study
Greek, Latin, French, German. Slavonian
ana RuSslan; the history of the world
the history Of Russia, the history of the
Russian Church, the history of universal
| literature and that of Russian literature.
| the natural sciences, mathematics, phvs-
les and geography. The Russian gymna-
SUM Is purgatory for the pupils. Hard
[ ~ ten per cent. of them can successfully
pass its examinations and thus reach the
sanctuary of the university.
Since the abolition of serfdOm there are
few noble families left which can be called
rich. The others, who give their children
the highest education, clergymen and
civil officers, are, as a rule, poor. There
fore the education of child in the gymna-
sium and university is usually accom-
nlished only with great sacrifice on the
part of the parents. Once the diploma is
and bread and butter guaranteed for
I life. But If a student is dismissed
from the university from any cause
he Is lost forever, and all the
sacrifices of his parents must 90 for
| naught. The eN-student is the unhappiest
person in Russia. All the doors of ad-
vancement are shut against him. He has
| only one door left Open-that leading to the
"subterranean republic" The statistics
| of the Nihilists show that fully ninety per
cent. of them are eX-students. In view
Of this fact, IL seems an objectionable
folly on the part of the government to
treat the university boys harshly. A Nj
hilist leader is reported TO have said, on
the occasion of the recent student
troubles:
Thanks to the Car. now we are
stronger by hundreds Of men. and he
weaker"
The recent troubles began at the Kazan
| University. The new Governor of the
kazan province, Gen. TcherkassOff. is
I sued an order strictly forbidding all un-
! authorized meetings. The students. how
| ever, could not help meeting. They have
/ a library of their own, and some funds
for assisting the most needy of their COM
/ rades: and they had to meet in order to
conduct this business. The people arrested
! several students who met together. Then,
as usual, all the students rose to demand an
explanation and satisfaction. The news
of the riot" was telegraphed to st. Pc
/ tersburg. Count TolstOi. Minister of the
/ Interior. areputed ''student eater" briefly
answered. NO quarter" The university
| was closed, and a great majority of the
I students were sent away from the city of
| kaZan. The students Of the university of
this city wanted to express their sympa-
/ thy with their comrades of the kazan
University. Mr. Dmitrief, the curator Of
the university. instead of using mild
measures. requested the gendarmes and
police 10 occupy the university buildings.
4 fight took place between the students
| and the policemen. The university was
closed. and hundreds of students, many
I on the very eve Of being graduated, have
/ lost the chance of getting a diploma.
In view of these troubles the authorities
I Of the other universities have issued
/ stringent orders, which have only led to
/ disorders The University of Warsaw
l and that Of CharkOn are already closed,
and many students of the Moscow Uni
/ versity. of the Odessa University and of
/ the DemidOtf Lyceum of Yaroslavi have
/ been arrested and sent home. ! saw a
/ student of the law department of the uni
versity of this city, who in a few months
would have been graduated, but who, on
/ account of the recent troubles. has been
| expelled from the university, and he
I showed me his ''wOlt's pass" as they call
| the certificate of an expelled student.
IF | were punished so severely" he
said. '.fOr some fault or crime of mine, l
would bear my lot patiently. But | have
/ done nothing wrong except in coming to
/ the university earlier than some others,
I when it was full Of gendarmes. feel now
/ like one thrown from vessel in the middle
! of the ocean. If l am not recalled to the
university / shall have only one task in
my life-reyenge."