New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-07
HOPELESS RUSSIA.
DIR. BANDES'S USEFUL BOOK.

DIR. BANDESS USEFUL BOOK.
IMPRESSIONS OF RUSSIA. BY DR.. George Brandes.
Translated from the Danish by samuel c. Fast
man. I2mo, PIP $685. Thomas Y. Crowcl &
DR. Brandcs has written book about Russia
of which we are thankful to have translation.
Some doubt may be suggested concerning the
depth and adequacy of his solutions and interpre-
tations regarding so difficult a subject as the
Russian peasant for example. because Of the brew
ity of his observation but it is apparent that by
reason of his rapid movement and extensive wan
derings in the country he enabled to penetrate
the intellectual situation in many social classes
and to bring away vivid impressions. At every
page there is unmistahabe proof of free and init
mate association with the representatives of mod
ern Russian thought in its most interesting and
its strangest phases, and no other book of which
we have any knowledge seems TO come so near
rational explanation of many Russian pecullarlties
and tendencies which have always puzzled foreign
ers.
The society into which DR.. Brandes introduces
us and which he describes with so much clever
ness and appreciation is essentially abnormal from
the nature of its dominant conditions. There is
in Russia no free development in any direction
The iron repressive rule of absolutism forces
everything into unnatural and often fantastic
| forms For full generation the Government has
deliberately striven to dwarf and stunt the ma
tonal intellect. Education is desperate strug-
| gle for knowledge under police supervision. All
that tends TO promote the evolution of those feel
| ings which are inseparabe from youth-love OF
independence, passion for instruction. fertility OF
IMAGINATION. active patriotism-is crushed and
stiled Systematically. The limitations and him
ORANGES put upon learning are such as TO render
| I 81 into
and the consequence is that the repressed and fet
tered energies seek and find irregular and often
mischievous avenues. History has abundantly
proved the unstatesmanlike folly well as the
objectionable inhumanity of such policy as that
| which the Russian Government pursues. Its mon
strous interference with intellectual freedom issues
in the sharp division Of society into two classes
hypocrites and revolutonists. All that is best in
the mental life of the nation is driven into revolt.
All that is basest gravitates naturally into the
ranks of the Czardom-supporting bureaucracy.
Thus there exists an office-holding class which is
| corrupt beyond all parallel, and over against it
is set class of strong and pure ntelgences which
are hindered of their normal development and
forced to seek an outlet in all manner of iuegt-
innate and dangerous ways
| Dr. Brandes states that there are no longer
Nihlists in Russia There are indeed Terrorists,
|
mem" but he says that perhaps, as is thought
in Russia. there are 500 in all who busy them
selves. even if reluctantly, with thoughts of re-
| sorting to bombs and murderous weapons to in
SHIRE terror" But, he adds, it is not exactly
this group that is meant when we speak of that
| Nihilis,Ic force in society which extends every
where. into all circles, and finds support and
stronghold at widely spread points 1t is indeed
not very different from what elsewhere in Europe
is REGARDED as culture advanced culture; the pro-
found scepticism in regard to existing institu-
tjons in their present form, what we call royal
prerogative church, marriage property" Today
the discontinued youth call themselves Nyele-
galnin-that is outlaws. THESE young people,
oirls ms we'll as men, devote themselves to going
ont among the people" They get work in fac
tories or Oh farms; anywhere so that they are
brought into contact with the masses. whom they
seel, 70 rouse with their revolutionary doctrines.
To this work the outlaws" devote themselves
with heroism. but as rule all they obtain is
martvrdom Eventually they arc sure to be dis
covered and then the scaffod or Siberia ends their
proselytizing work promptly. 1t is hopeless
ENTERPRISE apparently, for the common people are
too STEPPED in ignorance and the Asiatc spirit OF
submission TO prove good revolutionary material.
They are Indifferent and apathetc. They are
certainly not more ignorant than were the French
peasantry before the Revolution, Dut they nave
not the French latent ferooity. They will cheer
fully give up their lives for the Car and for
Russia. but SO far it does not seem possible that
they can be spurred 10 revolt against the Gov
ernmcnt.
The intelligentia' the revolutionary ele-
mont is STYLED, is too far beyond the peasants in
mental development to be capable of impressing
the mouiizs, who only consider the missionaries
perverse and foolish for risking life and liberty
nv disobeying the laws. When the young " out
laws are arrested punished those for whose sake
they suffer look on stoidly shrug their shoulders,
exhibit neither sympathy nor regret, and go about
their business unmpressed and careless ever.
There is something pathetic in the persistence of
the futile and ill-directed patriotic enthusiasm
which leads hundreds of bright Russian girls and
youths 10 sacrifice all that makes life worth
living in this way and what adds to the sadness
of the spectacle is the unavoidable conviction that
all this devotion is wasted, that from the blood
of all these martyrs nothing springs. L. is a
curious fact that the man responsible for the re.
action which has descended like a black cloud
upon modern Russia is not the Czar-this or a
predecess0r-but a commoner; no other than the
Katkof who died.the other day-the most deserved.