The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-30
WHY THE ozAR WAS NOT KILLED
He Is Allowed Time to Fulfill His Promises
of Reform.

of Reform.
Interview with Herr Werner, of Philadelphia
Herr Werner, the editor of the Tageblatt,
one of the leading socialistic-labor papers in
the country, and himself an advanced Mill
ist' man having the confidence of that con-
fraternity and understanding their plans, said
last night to a reporter: THE Nihilists did
not want to kill the Gar"
"Why?'
Because of several promises of reform
which he has recently made"
Did they make no preparations to kill
him?"
They did not They abstained from any
attempt upon his life"
"Is it not true that one reason why the
Nihilists did not kill, or try to assassinate
the Gar, lay in the fact of the presence of 80
many foreign royal representatives at the
coronationp'
II do not think,that they cared a fig for the
royal foreign representatives. Besides, if they
had wanted to kill him, it could have been
easily arranged so that no other person of po-
1itical consequence would have been in
jured."
What are these reforms which the Car
had promised?'
upon the peasants. In Russia, as you know,
the poorer classes are taxed so much per
head on cattle and live stock. There are also
other taxes of this nature. The burden thus
imposed has been, and is, unjustly heavy,
out of all proportion. am not Just certain
what relation the amount of these taxes
bears to the total earnings of the peasant but
while it is certainly not so much as 25 per
cent, it is over 10 per cent, so that you can
see how unbearable is the burden. Now not
long ago the Gar promised to re NIT the
major part of these taxes for from two to
three years"
And it was to give him chance to do
this that his life was spared?'
"Yes"
Are the Nihilists reasonably certain that
this will be done?'
mo, they are not"
"Then were they not taking big risks in
allowing such favorable opportunity to slip
by?'
well, there was yet another reason. The
Nihlists of Russia, as a party, are composed
of students and educated men. They stand
aloof from the peasantry, and are not of the
same class. They are middle step between
the paupers and the mobiles. There are, |
may say, practically no peasants. as class
VINO are Nihilsts. They have been promised
these reforms of which have been speaking
Now, had the students, or Nihilsts, killed
the Gar, they would have reused against
them and their movements the peasants.
This was the greatest danger into which they
could have run. So they very wisely put off
the coup d. etat,"
You say no preparations were made to
assassinate the Gar. Is it not true that large
numbers of internal machines were sent into
Russia2"
"Who told you sop
"The statement has been made by one of
the manufacturers of the machines
"Bahl do not believe it, II the Nihilists
had wanted explosive machines and COM
pounds, they could have made them right
at home without coming for them to this
country"
"And is it true that no mines were dug,
nor any like preparations nader
mo mines were dug, and no attempt made
to thus approach the chapel where the,corona-
ton took place"
How long do the Nihilists propose to
allow the Car in which to fulfill his promises
six months or yearY'
"Ah, how can l tell? You ask me too
much" replied Werner, suggestively shrug-
ging his shoulders. They will give him
plenty of time-not too much, but pie nty.'