The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-03

1878 Konalsky of Odessa was shot. The list
Of hspgiDgs 10 longer: In 1856. Ksrsoosoff;
in 1879 Dubrovin Osinsky. Bndner, Anto-
doroff, Chubarof, Lisoeol, Davidenks, Wit.
tenberg, Logovenko. Malinka. Drabraggin.
Nvydansky and Drobragein. In 1880, Molo-
delsky. Roeovsky and Priesnacoff. These
martyrs fell under Alexander III. Under
Alexander III. the persons implicated in the
assassination Of the Gar were executed,
and subsequently for other acts of disloy-
atty, Cbaiwin, Gelwscoff and Lechky. TIE
duel has been . bloody one, but il is not over
yet.
The influence of the Commune was
speedily felt everywhere, and especially in
the colleges. A spirit was aroused OF the
most seli-sacrihcing enthusiasm. 1t was de-
termined TO form propaganda among the
peasants. To instruct them in the gospel of
Socislism. Among the peasants nominally
free, but still really oppressed, plllaged by
corrupt officials, but tenacious TO the ancient
Russian communal idea that the land belongs
to all the people. Here the young propa-
gsnda thought that they would find thank
ful soil for the sowing OF the seeds of Social
ism, fraternity and equality. They deter
mined 10 give mp all the Injuries of life and
go into the people in the disguise of common
laborers, shoemakers, doctors, nurses and
mldwives. But they thought ii would be
necessary TO educate themselves first, and
therefore they formed circles to educate
themselves-morally by kindly criticism,
practically by learning trades, and intellect
ualy by mutual instruction in science,
history and the doctrines of Socialis Al.
Youths of sristocratic lineage were trained
as blat ksmiths or as nurses. Most OF these
Observation-Disclosures our enemies called rs
were well-to do middle lass families. In
1873 the best elements OF the students left
their colleges and became members OF .htss
secret socislistlc circles. Among these co.
thntissts who entered their company IN 1876
was Hartman. 1t is estimated that there
were ten thousand of these theoretical
Nihilists or guides who thus prepared
themselves to instruct the people: Others,
who did not 60 into the people, aided those
who were suspected and had to fly, by
furnishing them with money and false pass-
ports.
these young enthusiasts thus worked
from 1872 till 1878. No blood was shed by
them.
The emancipation OF the Russian serfs
was merely sham. 1t was forced on the
Gar by the unanimous opinion o. the eda-
Gated classes. The Crimean War showed US
that Western Europe was made up of men.
Russia q slaves and sloths. They saw that
the intellect of Russia was stagnant owing to
serfdom and CARBON They believed that
Russia would advance as fast as any other
all classes saw-the official class, slso-thst
from military point OF view we must sbol.
ish serfdom in order TO hold our own against
foreign nations. SeTfdom in fact was aool-
ished as q military need. But the Gar al
though he abolished serfdom had, so to say
DO good will IN il. he did it reluctantly.
The price OF the lands which the serfs were
to live on was fixed by the governments
that ie, by the land owners, for they were
u ade up of the old land owners and serf.
owners, and these bodies put the price so
high that the annual instsllments constitute
so great tax that the MOTHS are in no way
etter OH, econ omically, than they were be-
fore. They live la the utmost indulgence.
They are whipped when they fail to pay
their installments. To escape this tax large
numbers eek work in the towns. Many OF
them would prefer to give their land away.
They are still in real slavery.
"As 10 education, not FIVE per cent. OF the
peasants can write an address, Their teach
els are uneducated. Thousands of schools
took TO teaching The government acts as If
1t had grudge against the schools.
40 raise upa c,ass so degraded was soon
seen 10 be impracticable. 1t became Ques-
ton of arithmetic. We converted one Mo.
jik-but five of us were banished to Siberia
IN doing ii. Our punishments were murder
Gus. By 1873 experience had taught US that
our policy must be changed. We either
cease TO propagate our opinions or We
must return blow for blow; and syenge the
wrongs of our comrades and of the Mojiks
by retaliating terror for terror"
A convention was called in 1876. Two
parties with different politics were developed
IN it-cherno peredieiizy and the norodo-
volizy." Here the policy of terrorism tri-
umphed. 1t was soon put into operation.
In the propaganda movement the enthusiasts
had edured the greatest privations and had
been seizsd by hundreds aud sent to Siberia.
To the help of the spirit OF seif-sacri6ce,
which they had shown was now evoked, the
spirit of retribution and despair. The same
contemp. Of luxury, ease, honors, hardshi ps
and death. which had been shown in secret,
in prosecuting the work of these apostles OF
the socialistic creed, was now to be exhibited
in pubic by the zsalois OF the red terror.
The pnblic trials of the propsgandists in 1873,
like the trials o. John Brown and his msl,
instead of deterriDg the people enkindled a
moral enthusiasm which spread through ev-
cry rank of Russian society. The convicts
were reveIed as holy maids, noble mar
tyrs. The splendid courage OF the con-
demned made converts by the tens of thous-
and. Blind to the result the Car hardened
his heart and filed the Siberian mines and
built new PRISONS which were soon over
crowded with the Russian propag sndists.
THE result was the sudden appearance OF
the Terrorists. Rebellion was inaugurated
Odessa where kovalsky. Russian scholar.
was ordered to be shot after trial that was
q farce. Other demonstrations were made.
They were all put down without mercy. Be-
tween an established Government with 8
million armed men and more, and the uuor-
gained forces sf the new movement, ii WAS
soon seen that no open war was possible.
Such dreams were abandoned. Mean while,
and individually, not here aud there but n
every great city, and by the scores, men aud
women were sent TO penal servitude in the
most loathsome prisons for no greater offenses
than loanipg q book, or receiving a letter
from q suspect, or expressing political opin-
ion in the strictest privacy. 80 terrible wee
the tortuTes inflicted on these political pts.
oners that it is of official record thot seventy
five com mitted suicide or went mad, and
that at Ksrkotf there were revolis among
them to secure the same treatment that was
awarded the vilest ordinary criminal
"Tbe first shot was red by q woman-Vera
Zsssulic. She witnessed the brutal h)gging
OF q political prisoner, rushed to the scene
an fred revolver at the general who was
orderir & it-Trepof. She was tried and &C.
quilted The enrsged Emperor, who bad
not intended that she should be tried. b t