The sun., 1891-02-21

OF It's Senators In Congress. but Mr.. KYLE
Is lucky all the same
The Racking Of the Russian Peasantry.
There Is one very remarkable thing about
the mysterious persons who. under the com.
mon pen name Of E. B. LAS1N. have Of late
been making startling revelations about
Russia in the F6rtnightiu RerieW. For all
their statements they give evidence. which
seems, at least, indisputable, In the shape OF
quotations from Russian newspapers AMI
periodicals published under the rigorous re-
vision Of the official censorship. 1t Is this
production Of authorities which lends weight
to the indictment brought against the auto
cratic system in recent article describing
the oppression OF the Russian peasantry.
1t s generally assumed that, since the
abolition OF serfdom by ALEXANDER H., the
lot OF the Russian moujik has been rela-
lively happy. As matter Of fact, IL we can
trust the testimony adduced by E. B. LAN1N,
his position Is deplorable. or the two classes
Of agriculturists by whom the soil of Russia
is titled. the mobiles and the peasants, both,
we are told, are hopelessly ruined The
mobiles have to cope with the difficulty Of
hired labor. This, 1t seems, in Russia Is
such an insurmountable obstacle to sue
cess that it has become an economical
axiom that the soil. to yield profit. must be
owned by those who till 1t. and titled by
those who own it. But the mobiles can gen.
orally manage to lead n parasitic life when
an independent existence Is no longer pos
sble. The peasants are far worse of. They
possess much too little land to support life,
wherever the soil Is fertile, and far too much
to pay general and local taxes in the dis
tricts where the soil is barren. To obtain
the money needed to satisfy the tax COL
lector. the moujik has to mortgage his crops
in advance. Incredible as it may seem the
Messenger of Europe is quoted to prove that
the rate Of interest charged for such loans
is often 800 and sometimes 800 per cent We
learn on the same authority that the peas
ants regard as a benefactor an orthodox
usurer named LEBEDEFF in the government
OF Pskoff, because he Is content, when he
lends money, to receive 100 per cont. interest.
Indeed, the worst Jewish usurer, accord
ing to f. B. LANIN, is as ANTONIO to SHY
LOCK compared with the Russian money
lender OF the Orthodox Church. The latter
is allowed to purchase not only the future
produce Of PEASANTS farm but a peasants
future labor In order to repay small loan,
which by monstrous rate Of interest has
been swollen into a large sum, many
moujik is forced to toll for years In the
service OF his so-called benefactor. 1t Is
again the Messenger of Europe which in
forms us that "in many districts new
right Of possessing serfs has come to be
established. The slave owners are no longer
the landlords; they are now the owners OF
public houses, usurers. coarse. half civilized
grabbers, who relentlessly ruin the people,"
We learn from still another authority that
this new social phenomenon is plainly dis
cernble In all parts OF Russia. In one district
alone-thcre are seven hundred districts In
European Russin-the actually registered
debts OF the peasants amount to two mil.
lions and a half OF roubles, OF which over one
and half are owing to money lenders. The
irightful pressure OF this burden may be
inferred from the fact that the interest paid
on this debt Is equal to three times the sum
OF the imperial taxes, enormous as these are.
These debtors are compelled to work for
their creditors and they are deprived OF the
right to sell to any but them. The Messe1-
ger of Europe further says that the lenders
profit by tho fact that, as rule, the peas
ants can neither read nor write. They do
not return to them their prOmissory notes,
and frequently suo them several times for
the same sum on the same note Of hand.
To what extent can the Russian Govern
ment be held responsible for this rackng Of
the peasantry? 1t can hardly be abso!ved
from large share In the wrongdoing, ac-
cording to the writer In the Fortnightly, be-
cause 1t dare not meddle with the liquor
sellers. who constitute the great majority OF
the usurers. More than third Of the ordi-
nary imperial revenue is derived from excise
duties upon alcohol. and the Government
cannot and will not allow any falling of In
the consumption OF distilled liquors. The
Government cannot. even from q fiscal point
OF view, afford to educate the peasants, for
IN educated peasantry, like the Finnish. Is
observed to adopt temperate habits. thus
seriously Gripping the imperial budget.
The charges made by E. b. LANIN seem,
as we have said, very serious. on account OF
the proofs by which they purport to be sus-
tained. II the evidence Is garbled, the Rus
sian Government should take measures to
demonstrate tho fact, for the feeling OF graf
itude and friendship toward the House OF
RoMANoPF. which has hitherto existed In
this country, may not long survive the loss
of esteem.
100 Much Pedagogy Already.
At the Congregational Club the other