The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-03-18
BUSINESS IN RUSSIA.


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OF tho Prnsnntry.
81. Petersburg Litter IN The Eep York EY.uh1 Pos,
ono thing Is clear, the finar cial pros
perity OF Russia is myth, nrd even Il
the financial condition should be such
rs the Minister'S report would make It &c
be, it would not prove tho economi,
prosperity OF the people. It is conceded
by all Russian officials ani by tho Rus.
sian press that the economic state nj
Russia is very bad indeed. Tho peas.
antfy, which constitutes three.ouartcrs
OF tue whole population, is practically
pauperized. The direct taxes have in.
creased, tho solvcncy OF the peasants
has decreased, and the DELINQUENT tnxes
are grown TO Il frightfui uum. which con.
tinues 10 DO enlarged in spite OF string.
ent measured undertaken by the Gov.
eminent to exact tho due money from
The poor peasantry. The right hand of
the Gar, Mr.. PobeGonoszcr himself
could not but admit in an article OF bis
of which | informed you in n former
letter. the terrible state Of tho peasantry,
aud advise means to keep them in order
TO save the country from utter ruin and
desola,ion. The Government has in.
deed done something for the peasants
viz, it has Reconstructed corporal punish.
ment tor the treatment and cure of de-
!lnquent taxpayers, but this measure
will hardly be OF use, as YOU cannot
take the taxes from the peasants backs,
The nobility is in no better condition
than the peasantry. Seven-eigh,s OF
their property is heavily mortgaged, and
most OF the noble proprietors arc prac-
tlcally bankrupt; nor will the new in.
ternal mobility" loan assist them to
any great degree; and it is rather poor
policy to take money out of the pockets
OF the producing and trading middle
classes and give it to tho spendthriit
mobiles, most of whom, instead of i'm.
proving their property with tho money.
will spend it perhaps abroad. Thus the
policy OF the Russian Government in
proposing TO cure peasant poverty with
the birch and noble poverty with few
millions OF rubles ia not likely to ad-
vance the economic prosperity OF either
class.
Butin the worst plight are the middle
c!asses-mercnants, manufacturers, trad
ere, etc. There is probably no country
where industry is SO oppressed, trade SO
retarded, manufactures 80 limited, enter.
prise so bailled, energy 80 subdued, and
80 many obstacles put in tho way OF
trade and commerce as in Russia. What
with the numerous licenses to be got, the
countless rules to be followed, the laws
to be feared, the officials to be bribed,
the life OF tue trader, from the small
owner OF petty grocery to the million.
airc exporter, is made q burden indeed.
A rich merchant told Inc that 20 per cen.
OF the gross income OF his business he
must expend on the fixing" OF the law
and the law administrators. He said
that he must pay for the right to belong
to the trading class, for the right to trade,
for the right to have clerks, for each
clerks right, for the place where he
trades, for each additional store, for the
inspector, Tor the Government auditing
BOOKS, percentage OF the gross trade,
percentage of his net income, You
see, each right has TO be paid for, but even
after having paid for all, tho merchant
has not many rights, and each petty oili.
cal has right or might, which are in
RUSSIA synonymous terms, 10 blackmail
the unfortunate trader. 4 fac. l read
not long ago in Russian newspaper may
illustrate my position. A Russian tri.
bunal condemned the lessee and mana.
ger Of a city theatre to fourteen DAYS
imprisonment for insulting n qorodo,oi,
or common policeman. The policeman
was placed to forbid anybody from going
behind the scenes, and when the mana.
ger wanted to 20 behind the curtain to
give some commands, the qoroaoroi
sruiiiy told him to 20 back, although he
well knew thai it was the proprietor and
tntrtpreneur himself. OF course the ire
OF the latter was aroused, and he angrily
told the Watchdog that he had no right
to forbid tho master 10 70 where he
pleased. For this insult he was con-
demned to the fourteen days imprison-
ment.
1t is no wonder, then, that trade is
dormant, manufacture slumbers, COM
merce il in apathy in Russia; there is no
freedom, which is the most essential
condition OF industry and commerce. In
tho course OF conversation l had with
Il United States consul on the economic
condition OF Russia, he remarked: ~ do
not think 1t il advisable for Americans
to invest capital in this country. There
ia no security for property here, especi.
ally for foreign property, and it seems to
me that the Russians do not want any
fDrpiru canitalista To lo hrc;poeu Lara
They think they are able to take care OF
themselves. l have told all this to some
gentlemen who asked me Of my opinion
as to the ACCESSIBILITY Of American CAPT.
tal being invested in certain land, ETC.,
in Russia. This opinion expressed by
the consul is undoubtedly true, as the
American life insurance companies,
which have met in Russia with great
difficulties and had to pay large sums,
with results not yet very ilaitering,
might testify. This, then, is the trae
economic and financial state OF affairs in