New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-09
RUSSIAN STUDENTS And NIHILTSM.

y
Under ordinary circumstances any attempt
10 Obstruct education and enlightenment
would constitute an act OF almost sense
less barbariSm Without accepting, 1t may
he useful 20 recount the arguments Official
" put forward in Russia a the present time in
defence Of the rctrOgrade policy Of the Imperial
Administration The Object which the latter
proposes to attain by restricting access to the
universities and high schools Is to diminish
the vast number Of college graduates, who,
being unable TO obtain employment which
they consider worthy Of their scholastic at
,ainmcnts. become Discontinued with their lot,
cmbittelcd against both Government and so
cietv. and form the kernel and backbone Of the
Nihili-i movement
Among the sudden and advanced reforms
inaugulatnd lv the late Gar after his accoS-
sion 10 the throne in $50 was one which prac-
ticay rendered education even in the highest
branches Of science almost entirely free. rs
the expense was merely nominal, liberated
scrfs, petty tradcsmcn and poor artisans made
il a point 10 send their sons 10 the college
and university with the conviction that sue
cessful studies would necessarily involve
lucrative and influential appointments
in the service Of the Government. Tn
fortunately. the Government service was, and
has continued to be- crowded with the sons
of the Weather and more aliStocratic classes.
II was entirely closed to Jews and utterly
unable TO meet the multitudlnous demands
Of the candidates for employment. EusSa Is
as yet 50 poorly developed as regards TRADE
and neutrality-suspicious. constituting the
principal national induStry-that the students
could find no career open TO them. The abb
sencc Of any technical training at the 'iniVcr-
sity rendered their services unavailable III con-
ncctiOn with the progress of Russian industry,
and they were too proud OF their classical ana
scientific accomplishments TO condcsccnd TO
follow the humble pursuits Of their fathers.
Without profession, without regular means OF
existence, and dangerous on account OF their I'M
employed learning and knowledge they became
the nucleus Of the Nihilst party, with the object
of obtaining through an overthrow Of the cX-
listing order, both Of government and OF so
ciety, the means OF livelihood which are now
denied to them AT least 80 per cent OF the
Nihlists brought TO trial during the last fifteen
wears have belonged 10 the student or college
graduate class, and in almost every case they
have been the sons of either some peasant or
petty tradcsman.
The late Count Tolsto was the first to realize
the peril to the monarchy which was constituted
by this vast body of highly educated men with
out employment or means OF existence, and
held that it was unreasonable for the Govern
mcnt to afford gratuious instruction and train
ing to the very persons who were destined to be
come its most dangerous enemies. During the
reign of the late Gar he attempted in vain to
restrict the educational system, so far as the
higher branches Of science were concerned. II
was not until two years ago that he was able
TO enforce his ideas, and to issue an Imperial
decree declaring the masses from access to the
universities. II was projected at the time to
organize for the lower classes a system
of technical and trade schools for instruc-
ton in the various forms of manual labor.
But these have not yet been established.
Since Count Tostois death last year his policy
has been continued with undimnished vigor