The morning call., 1890-04-09
RUSSIA'S CURSE.
Acts for Which Children Are Pro-
nOunced Political Criminals.
Tme. Tshebrikova's Letter That Played So
Prominent a Part in the Recent
University Disturbances.

sent to the Gar and each member of the
Ministry. The author, who enjoyed high
reputation in literary circles, is about 90
years Of age, and for a score of years has
been known extensively on account of her
articles on educational subjects and ques-
tions concerning women. The brilliant po-
sition she occupied has been sacrificed by
this one letter. As she had no relations
with the revolutionary party her action is
all the more remarkable. She composed her
letter in Paris, and then boldly took it back
to Russia. caused it to be delivered and
awaited the result. She was, of course, ar
rested and thrown into prison. The most
important sections of this now historical
missiye are as follows:
Your Majesty: The laws of my country punish
free speech. All that Is honorable In Russia IS
condemned TO see thought prosecuted by an arb
Irary administration. We witness the moral and
physical massacre of youth, the spoliation and
hagellatOn of people condemned 10 remain
speeches.. But liberty, sire, Is The primOdlai
necessity of people aud sooner or later the
hour Will come when the citizens, having, under
this tulelage, exhausted thelr patience, will raise
their voices, and then your authority VIII have
TO yield.
% There is also in tile lives of individuals mo-
mentS when they are ashamed of their silence
and then they dare 10 risk all that Is dear TO
them, so as o say 10 The person who holds IN his
hands all the power and all The strength, The
person who could nut an eud TO so much EVIL and
so much shame: Look at what you allow 10
take place. look at what you are DONG either
consciously or not"
PERTINENT QUESTIONS.
The Russian Emperors Obliged to see and
10 hear only what their iunctlOuarles, the Iehi-
noVnikl, allow Them TO see. The latter form a
thick wall between the Gar and The Russian
Zemstro-that Is, The millions OF inhabitants who
are not in tile employ of the Cove ument. The
terrible death of Alexander II has thrown
luRubrous SHADOW on your accession 10 the
throne. You were told that this death was the
result Of the ideas IN favor oil freedom which had
been developed IN consequence OF The reforms
ialroduct during the previous reign, aud you
were Inspired 10 take measures by which II was
desired 10 make Russia go bacE TO the somber
ruoch of Nicholas |. They frightened you by
agitatug the specter OF revolution which would
suppress monarchyi yet this IS at the present
tine, and in such country as yours, pure
illusion. After the Catastrophe OF The LIST OF
March, The IegcideS themselves did not hope TO
see tie conYocatUu OF Constituent Assembly.
The enemies OF the Gar have been eXecu ed;
every one obeys biudy the Will Of the monarch.
Then by what fatal misunderstanding does the
Government suppress ali traces of those reforms
irojecIed during the best years of Alexander
IFS IelGu2 II was not lie reforms enacted dur
ing the previous reign that brought our terrorist
iutO existence; no, II was the lack of such re-
.ormS. II was their insutiic ency
II the policy Of Nicholas Is dictated TO you 1t
S because II faYOfs the autOcracy OF your Minis
JeTS and functonares; because they desire 10
rave Under them a people Without rights anu
without The power OF speech. Power lntoXlcateS
men, and If for persons such as the late Count
EOStOi power was an Instrument 10 break and
nUJilate Russia, and mold her according TO their
-aise aud anIedaIed theories this same power
was for the crowd OF mediocre fuDctonares
means OF securing vile and low pleasures. These
pleasures consist OF placing themselves over ana
above The country and lis laws, OF governing ac-
cOtding 10 thelr own Will and CAPRICE. Power in
lie hands OF these wretehes becomes means OF
advancing their own dubious affairs aud inter
esjs. Authority, which like a fire, may be sub
divided INTO uames, becoming smaller and smaller
rs we go down the scale OF functlOnarIes, de-
scendng from the Gar 10 The people simply con-
IeIS arbitrary rights exercised with impunity.
a.
ton and excuses committed by people ID power.
Each Cove nor is an autOcrat IN his province;
each lSpraVDlE Is an autOcrat IN his district;
each StanOvoi Is an autocrat in his Canton and
each ouriadnik IS au aulocrat In bis village.
STARTLING TRUTH.
What I say 10 you is no fable, as your lackeys
and Ministers would have you believe; II Is the
tfutB. Tolstoi himself did not wish 10 suppress
The village Justices OF tie Peace; and 10 your
own Initiative IS attributed the abolition OF his
last remaining guarantee the peasants possessed.
What, were you, able Sire, 10 burden your con-
science with such measuTe-you VINO kn ew not
what life the people led 2 Do you imagine that
because you are al anointed sovereign you are a
divinity, possessing knowledge OF all things ? II
you could. Size like the sovereign In the fable,
luYislbly over Tie towns aud villages, so as
20 know what life the Russian peopie live We I
would see how tile Governors bring up your soi-
uers TO shoot down the peasants ana the work.
men. You would see that order, maintained by
lies, by an army OF spies, that order IN the name
Of which every word OF protestation is sup
pressed, mat khlS order Is not order at all,
state OF administrative anarchy.
The poorer sections OF tile nobility, together
With Tie other classes OF Russian society, are IT.
rtated against the most recent measures adopted
By the Minister OF Public Instruction, by which
lie doors Of the high schools and universities are
closed against young men who have no fortunes
All the measures taken by This Minister lend to
suttocate education tn Russia The students are
obliged To remain in their own districts and have
not The right OF choosing the universities where
The best professors may be found. The Spartans
used 10 pull out The eyes Of their slaves TO pre-
vent them from amusing themselves when they
thiheu lOuud me grinding mlus. But IN the
nineteenth century, and Just on the eve OF the
twentieth century, such measures VIII not help
To consolidate Order The circular of the Minis
lei OF Pubic Inst uctiOn, which closes tile doors
OF tue universities to students who poor, only
laceS new arm In the hands OF The terrorists.
What Is the Use Of the lessons given TO child 10
a school? he VIII see at the very first step the
contradiction that exists between the acts OF the
Government aud the doctrines taught in Script
uie. Al school lie Is taught 10 betray. There
are spies In the gymnssuns. Such a corruption
OF social customs did not exist even IN the reign
Of Nicholas.
All the measures taken against education
IN the schools are then enumerated by Nine.
IshebrlkoYa, who next alludes to the GEN.
sure and persecution OF the press:
Your Majesty aud your Maiesty's family them
>eiv-s nearly became victims OF this persecution
ul the press. Long ago The press denounced the
construction OF tie railways aud the concession
iiehed themselves, II was the late Count TolstO
WHO, complying with request OF the Minister in
charge OF tile means OF communication, Posi-
eth, gave orders 10 destroy the pamphlet which
exposed the exact truth and the criminal facts.
The Government appreciated the force OF The
press, and THIS Is why IL pays large subsidies TO
us press, a press which 1t patroniZes through the
lspravuks. The Government also employs pro-
vocatiug agents IN this revolutionary press; it
accepts Will op-u arms those VINO have betrayed
the revolutionary, but II Is an error 10 estimating
tneir force. The word OF a traitor cannot have
any Influence over sincere conviction.
BITTER EXPERIENCE.
La pf fa-T atc ,,,,A
experience must have demonstrated To your
Mai sly that The policy OF persecution does not
attain lis object. The day will come wnen the
persecution OF the right Of thought will seem as
the memory of a bad dream; but fear that the
advent Of such day VIII be accompanied with
names ana floods OF blood. The s hole of your
system pushes those who are dissatisfied into the
camp OF The reyOutiOnsts, even those who feel
s,iOng aud natural repulsion for ali ideas OF
blood OF violence. For Que imprudent word, fof
revolutionary print, often taken out OF mere
curiosity, young man, mere child, Is declared
10 be political criminal. We have political
criminals who are only IA years old who are
consigned TO cellular confinement. The Gov
erument that rules 100 600, 900 people srembles
before chllufen. In our country people are sent
1Oi twelve years TO Eastern Siberia for
oiienses which in Austria would be pun
i-ned by two weeks simple imprisonment.
Tie youth OF the country thus trampled
nDOn b. come red reYOutionists. l have horror
ui blOcdshed, no matter who may be the Victim;
hut when, for The spllling Of blood. we find that
on one side decorations are distributed, and on
lie other there IS The rope and gibDet, IL is easy
10 uHuei slduu tHe syllpdLIlcs OF young eutiusl-
aStic aud heroic youths. By the side OF the dra-
cuuian punishments Inflicted by the tribunals we
nave also the punishments by administrative
order BY these latter The Government gets rid
- lis enemies against whom there j. insufficient
ROOT man Is Killed, not because there are
established proofs against him, but because pO-
- ice iuhe ionaTies are inwardly convinced oil his
guilI, and such conviction is based on the re-
ports VI spies. compared by the higher Junction
aries ihemselves 10 " a source of troubled
waters" This Is the way orders of deportation
ace drawn up. Though there are no proofs on
which 10 condemn - -, still lie is exed TO
-" These warrants VIII be transmitted 10
I,osierty and it is said your MajesIy's signature
l. fixed 10 such orders.
the political prisoners are the victims OF arbl-
nary conduct, which al times assumes abso-
ely savage character. Tie MInlsIer TOlsto
himself alarmed by tile extent of the spola-
Tons aBd massacres Every prison talier, every
eIape officer, may without Danger to himself rot
~. 80