The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-01-07

A Great Revol ution 10 Imminent There
He Says, and the Cars Life Is In Dan
gcr-Sergius Stepnisk Is an Assume
Name.
New Y oRK, Jan. 5.-Sergius STEP
MAX, the famous Russian revolution
ist, exile and writer, arrived ID New
York Tuesday on the Umbria and j
occupying apartments at the Everett
House. Mrs. Stepniak accompanie
him. He has come to this country t
deliver fifty or more lectures, and, il
view of the great interest which Ameri
cans feel in Russian affairs, and th
particular interest which they mus
necessarily take in a man who has beer
a co-Worker with the most noted lead
ers of the popular movement agains
the Gar, it seems probable that he vii
address large audiences.
1t was mlld-mannered Nihilist who
sat in a room at the Everett House al
4 o'clock and answered gu estions from
newspaper men. Anybody, taking
good look at him, would say: There:
man overfloWing with good nature
warm-hearted, sympathetic fellow
He cannot be Nihilist." But that i:
the very sort of man to make :; goot
Nihilist, according to the definition
whick Stepniak himself gives, for, a:
ne puts it, the Nihilist is a man who
touched by the sufferings of his people
feels impelled to espouse their cause
and TO make a martyr of himself, il
needs be, to right their wrongs. He
may do very bad things, but be does
them because he is very good man.
Stepniak must measure feet II in
height and weigh 1S0 pounds. The
losely- fitting tweed suit which be
wears makes him look an even heavier
man. He is well proportioned, with
erect body, full chest, magnificent
shoulders, and a well-balanced head
He has full, black whlskers and bushy
black hair. His eyes are black, and are
full of life and intelligence. and his
face is altogether pleasing one, show
ing great animation as he talks and ex.
pressive of dignity and character in
repose.
The Nihilist as a party" said he
"believe that certain things should be
given to the people of Russia. They
want a National Parliament. universal
suffrage, local autonomy, and nation
alization of land. They do not believe
in State Church, but in absolute free
dom in religious matters. For the
present they are fighting for but one
thing, and that is for the substitution
Of a free government in the place of
autocracy. They ask no more than
this, willing to leave the rest to be set
tied afterWard, and willing to take
their chances with other parties in the
determination of what institutions are
best suited to a free people. They do
not ask for a republic. although they
are individually Republicans. They
would be willing that the reigning
Csar should be the President for life.
But they do insist that autocratic pow
er shall be done away with"
"What are you here for, to make some
money!" Was the next question.
"Oh, no." answered Stepniak to this
rather abrupt inquiry. 81 come as the
of the paper which is
published in England-Free RUSSIA
paper which has for its object the
a awakening in the civilized nations of
the world of sentiment of disapproval
of the course of the Russian govern
ment toward the people of Russia. We
have no popular sentiment to which
we may appeal in our own land in the
hope that it may lead to modification
of the rigorous treatment of his sub
jects administered by the Car. But
we realize that foreign opinion of our
country has tremendous influence.
In the sentiments of other people than
our own we have fonnd lever which
we may use to great advantage in our
work.
For example, we realize thai what
has come from the work of George
Kennan has made an epoch in Russian
history. l do not mean that the senti-
ment which he has aroused has had its
greatest effect direct upon the CZsr, it
has operated perhaps more strongly
upon others, upon the great hody of
officials surrounding the Car, and it
has certainly produced great lmpreS-
sion upon the entire body of Russian
liberals. The paper of which l speak
was founded by some of the leading
men of England, and our committee of
is composed of noted men
of both parties. I wish to create in
this country an interest in our cause
similar to that which is felt in England.
That is what am here for, and if / do
it shall consider that have made
very successful journey"
do you indorse the practices of the
Russian terrorists?" was the next in
terrogatory which was submitted.
10 this question Stepniak responded
with the counter question, "If any one
of you should have your sister 1logged:
what would be your feelingS-what
step would you stop at to overturn the
that authorized such
punishment?" Then he went on to
describe the relations prevailing in
huSsis 5et people and sovereign.
The conditions were SO severe he SAID,
that they could not be tolerated.
I'VE tried the propaganda first" he
continued. "but we got nothing from it
except the most cruel and barbarous
treatment of all who took part in it.
There is no other way than by the use
of force to get what we want and must
have, and l belieye that in the end it
will be better for humanity if force
shall be used than it would be if ne
should continue to endure.
81 had my first trouble with the gov
ernment," said Stepniak. lin 1878, when
was making propaganda among the
peasants. I was ordered into exile.
But ! didn't leave the country. I
changed my name and residence some
what and still kept on with my work.
was probably the first of what are
known as the illegal people, That
phrase covers persons who, having
been ordered to leave the country, stay
in it under assumed names, liable, il
apprehended, to undergo severe punish
ment. | went to Switzerland in 1875,
and there wrote for leatlet publlca-
tion which was circulated in Russia.
Later I returned to Russia, still an
'illegal person, and published paper
called Land and Liberty
"What would they do with YOU if