Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1892-07-07

He Is the Old Man of the Sea upon the
back of long enduring, fleeced and OPP
pressed nation.
Russian Ways.
The condition to which public admin
istration has been reduced is strikingly
illustrated in the following account of
two very recent occurrences in st.
Petersburg: Within the past three
weeks a baker was brought before the
courts charged with adulterating his
bread by the adrnixture of sand With
appalling effrontery he admitted that he
did use sand in making bread adding
that it was downright beneficial to the
consumer Justice of the Peace Boro-
din, who tried the case, handed down
decision practically to the effect that no
doubt the accused was an unappreciated
discoverer of scientific truths; that
doubtless he had "scooped" his contem-
poraries in the baking trade in this in
stance, and that henceforth sand would
be recognized as valuable addition in
the composition of breadstuffs. The
accused, in short, was a benefactor of
the race! In the second example JUS
tice of the Peace Busoff looms up as an
equally perfect survival of the classic
Dogberry Before his august tribunal
was arraigned a Hebrew grain dealer
accused of giving false weight. With
pompous and ponderous elaboration
Justice Busoff delivered his mastery
exposition of the law
THE defendant" he declared, "in Civ
ing light weight was merely engaged in
u purely commercial transaction, and
hence did not come within the scope of
the criminal CODE"
In startling contrast to these eXtraor-
binary proceedings is the report of an
other trial. Here the accused was a
rich merchant, charged with the adulter-
alton of oleomargarine. The fine irony
of this indictment will be apparent to
us who have ruled oleomargarine out of
our markets altogether. Judge Pal
gunoff, who presided, holding the offense
proven, sentenced the offender to thirty
days Imprisonment saying that the in
Fiction of fine would not satisfy JUS
tice in case of such enormity. Lo and
behold, large portion of the press at
once launched forth denunciations
against this terrible judge, holding him
up to popular execration as yeritable
Russian Jeffreys-a man whose severity
was tempered with no trace of elem
encyl
Such is Russian administration of to-
day, and such, unfortunately, is Russian
public opinion, as expressed through
many newspapers of the country. View
ing these developments from distance,
as we do, their ludicrous and incongru-
Gus side is, first Of all, apparent. But
we must not lose sight while indulging
our sense of amusement of the somber
and portentous aspect of the general
social condition which is capable of pro-
ducing them. What can be expected of
an autocracy which, centralizing in
itself the direction of the necessary-the
indispensable-office of government, is,
therefore, directly responsible for the
action of all its official subordinates?
When famine-stricken people turn
with despairing eyes toward paternal
government, which through centuries
has forced them into the position of be-
ing dependent on it's aid, the outside
world can easily comprehend, in the
light of such fact as are above recorded,
its failure to adequately respond. His
tory is more convincing than theory,
and however sincere and we'll disposed
the Gear may be, as he unquestionably
is, to promote the relief and well-being
of his subjects, the difficulties besettlng
him in the accomplishment OF his be-
nevolent intentions are evident when
his will and its ukase must filter down
through the impeded channels of worse
than useless bureaucracy and judiciary,
caring and working solely in their own
interests and behalf.
In the Famine District.
But it is time that should touch up
on the actual features and phases of the
afflicted districts and their unhappy
population under the darkening shadow
of want. For months warfare has