The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1892-01-02
THE RUSSIANS MISERIES
DISHONESTY AND CRUELTY
ADD TO OTHER HORRORS.
Corruption the Rule Rather Than the
Exception Among the OmcIaIs of the
Cars DOmain-Wretched Apollo
giles for Food Sent the Starving.

LONDON, Dec. 23.-Reports of the merci-
less repression of ouulawry in the Russian
famine district are continually being re-
ceived a. st. Peters burg, according to the
Telegraph. The civil authorities do not
depend upon themselves alone to put down
~brigandage and other lawless acts, but
upon the merest pretext they call upon
the military with the intention of over
awning the people.
Three men were convicted of robbery at
Simbersk, capital of the government of
that name, and condemned to the knout.
So well did the official ply his dreadful
weapon that the poor wretches who had
probably stolen only to keep life died un-
der the lash. A man who was detected
stealing a few turnips was sentenced to
penal servitude for life.
The officers of many regiments have
foregone their usual regimental banuuets
in order to devote the money to relief and
the members of the order of st. George
upon the occasion of that saints day did
the same, while other large sums have
been turned over to the relief committee
but the distress has not touched the hearts
OF the rich merchants of st. Petersburg
and they refuse to subscribe anything for
relief. The collection boxes about the
corn exchange were found when removed
to be filed with bits of tin and pieces of
paper.
In numerous cases dealers after receiv-
ing exhorbitant prices for their grain sent
to the famine stricken provinces bags, the
contents OF which were mostly grass, sane
and bran. A limited quantity of maize
was placed in each after 1t had been thor
oughly soaked in water to increase its
hnIk Hhaun hnro nnYnRht A-a L,,,
spontaneous combustion while enroute to
their destination and most of them were
destroyed. Enough were left, however,
to reveal the swindle the dealers intended
to perpetrate on the buyers of the grain.
The correspondent says that corruption
Is widespread among the officials and that
they are little affected by the sights of
distress, sickness and death which are
visible on every hand. Many town Off
Gals, he says, refuse to enroll the starving
peasants on the relief list unless they first
pay u bride to them at the rate of ten
copecks for every pood of rye given.
Petitions to the provincial assemblies
and the government asking that the dram
shops be closed and that the sale of vodka,
the national drink, be forbidden, have
availed nothing. During the fiscal year
of 1891 the taxes on spirits in Russia
amounted to $50, $50, 500 roubles. A great
portion of this revenue was derived from
vodka, enormous quantities of which are
drunk throughout the country, and the
granting Of the petition above mentioned
was refused on the ground that by closing
the dramshops and forbidding the sale of
vodka the revenue accruing from this
source would be reduced to q too great ex-
tent.
There has been an enormou falling off
in h government revenues from the
famine stricken provinces. In the prov
ince Of VerOneh alone the deficit for Sep
tember was $40, 0o0 roubles, for October it
was 800, 600 roubles and for November it
was 600, 900 roubles. 1t is calculated that
by the end of December the arrears will
reach i, 600, 600 roubles. Similar conditions
prevail in the other provinces affected and
the prospects are just as gloomy. The
passport, labor and other restricting laws
have been removed so as to enable the
peasants to migrate.