The record-union., 1891-12-31
THE BURDEN OF RUSSIA.

Nicolay Grevstad, in a recent essay,
with sententious wisdom says: "Indi-
vidual action cannot thrive where the
spirit of patarnalism predominates. 1t
dies, and with it the political liberty and
progress" That, he reasons, is what has
been and is the burden of Russia-pa-
ternalism. Because of it "the Russian
people, though having vast and rich es-
tates, an immense supply of fertile land,
a system of land tenure intended TO make
every man landowner, ample measure
Of local self-government, and remark
able capacity for united effort in under
takings of an industrial character, are
on the verge of general ruin.''
He holds that it explains nothing-and
in this he is undeniably correct-to say
that their political and economic wretched-
ness is due to despotism of the central
government, for ''Czarism is what the
people have permitted it to be-" The
true reason for the incapability of the
Russian people to politically create, to
manifest political genius, is that they are
an extremely paternal community, from
the family to the mir and from the mir to
the Gar.
Grevstad pursues the subject in this
manner:
The head of the family is the father of its
members; the mir, in spite of its democratic
organization, is the father of the residents of
village and the Gar is the father of all. 1t
Is superstitious belief in paternalism. espe-
cially as represented by the head of the State
which has stitied liberty and married political
progress, and which, as it has been aptly ex-
pressed, constitutes the tragedy of Russian
history. But the forces of disintegration are
at work, and there are signs of a general col
lapse OF the whole system. The tooth of de-
suCeuon is gnaWlng at the roots of the tree
ana IN time the effects will reach the top. The
patrlarchal family is brt aking down under
Inc weight OF its own excessive authority
The thrifty brothers are beginning to get tired
OF being compelled to do the work of the lazy
ones, and the young men manifest q growing
disposition TO leave father and mother and
stay WITH their wives. The mfrs authority is
being undermined from without by the cor
ruptlng influence and usurpations of the num-
erous petty officials of the Central Govern
ment, and from within by its own inherent
weakness. The peasants have begun to see
that the triennial redistribution of land re-
iaras Improvement and progress, and favor
longer terms OF undisturbed possession. II is
the principle of individual ownership which
gradually asserts itself in this way.
Making due allowance for the essayists
radicalism and ardor, it is true as he
asserts that there are now signs of the
awakening of the progressive and indi-
vidual spirit in Russia. The influence of
democratic institutions cannot be wholly
excluded, despite the diligence and activ-
ity Of the police arm of the Government
The ideas that dominate the age are
creeping into the bosom of Russia, and
are gradually finding place in the thought
of the people, who are more and more
doing their own thinking. The march of
ideas is very slow, of course; it may take
the span of a generation to even give mo-
mentum to them sufficient for thought OF
a superstructure built upon them to be
entertained with reasonable assurance OF
it being realized. Nevertheless, it will
come about. Russia must take into the
constitution of her society some degree OF
the spirit of the advanced civilizations,
for which the era is distinguished, and
these must bear fruit, even in so paternal
a Government as that of the Gar