New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-11
THE MISERY IN RUSSIA.
SUFFERINGS OF THE PEOPLE DESCRIBED
BY COUNT TOLSTOI.

revolt and insist that the Government make pro-
vision against the famine which seems 10 be in
| prospect this winter the outside world would not
be surprised. Everything points to show that
they are deserving of assistance. 1t is case of
| extreme poverty but not of pauperism. In other
words, 1T is q situation, and not condition."
Without dwelling upon the philosophic subtleties
which would show the lair-fine distinction between
the two, the fact remains that the distress due to
scarcity is so widely prevailing that it is the most
urgent matter confronting the Russian GOVERNMENT
| to-day.
Count TOlst0i has been busy, not only in collect.
ing funds for temporary assistance, but in striking
blow at the causes OF distress His second report
giving detailed lists Of expenditures, and setting
forth, in the authors forcible style, the condition
Of the peasantry, not addressed to the lassez-
aireists, and tie subject has in way been treated
as problem that furnishes its solution or as
matter that would satisfactorily regulate itself in tho
course Of evolution Count Tolsto reports having
received from the Government, and from foreign
countries, between the middle Of April and the
first Of August, l,453 besides great quantities
of provisions from America During these months
| the preparations for winter have been going on.
RefectOres. bakeries and provision bureaus have
been established and supplies distributed through.
out the districts. After giving figures and full
particulars in regard TO the work accomplished
| by himself and his friends the philanthropist,
explains why it Is difficult clearly to define tho
economic situation. He has been too busy during
tie last year in feeding the hungry poor to diagnose
! the case. .
- have not been abe to rep'y to those who have
asked If the situation is distressing" he writesy
because we who are living with the people have
become so hardened to their suffering that we are
unable TO gauge their misery II any one from
neighboring town should venture into the intense
cold of these Districts if he were to see the people
huddled together around and under the stoves
in every house trying to keep warm, burning
the stubble and eating bread made of farna or
bran and remaining indoors for the lack Of proper
clothing, he would naturally be greatly affected.
Only one who visits us for the first tme can attach
Importance to these things, but not we. We have
become Injured to it. TO US it is no longer notice.
able
After giving further idea Of the situa-
ton, the author published several statistical
resumes. showing that in the four dis
tricts OF Bogorodsk, Epifane Yefremov and
Novossil, where the famine is worst, the
mortality for the year has exceeded the number
of births in the proportion of to 81 while in
the other districts where the distress has not
been general the natality has exceeded tine
mortality. Last June the mortality was GO per
cent greater tian IN June OF tne previous year.
At Bogodoris1 the increase has been 1l2 per cent
and at Yefrenlov fully ll6 per cent Such were
the results Of the poor harvest of last year in spite
Of the able assistance received from the Govern
ment, the Red Cross League, and from private
charity. What will it be this year in districts
where the harvest in rye is poorer than last year,
where the oats crop has failed where the years
fuel is lacking, and where physical strength has
given away under preceding suffering? The
report continues:
Then what? There will be more famine.
Famines and refectories; refectories and faminos;
but that is an old story, old and tiresone. al
this wearies you who live at Moscow or ST. Peters,
burg. And we, seeing these people morning and
night planted before our windows and upon our
doerseps; we, who are not able to the street
without hearing the same old tale. We have
had nothing to eat for two days We have eaten
our last bit Of food; what will become of usP
The end is not far Off Have we got to die?-wr2l
it must be admitted that we have become
wearied that we regard these people as our persoa-
al enemies
IL arise early. 1t is clear cold morning and
the red sun is rising. The snow creaks under
my feet / 60 down into the court thinking that
shall see no one. IOpen the gate. Already two
have taken their stand. One is an old man. large
and well built, but coatless. His features are
livid-an have livid faces it is the mark Of the
peasant to-day. The other is little waif of four
years, coatcss, wrapped In a sarau worn thread
bare and with tattered shoes attempt to pass
but they stop me. They tell the same old storyl
There is nothing for ne to do but TO retrace my
steps. They follow.
'Well@ Charity What? Charity What
do you want :? Help How much ?? Only to live'
But what do you need p We are dying of hunger;
haln M Eor. from sIaf b
II know. Il is the town where we have not
yet succeeded in establishing rcfectory. The
beggars come by dozens, and regard this man a.
beggar by profession. ] look at him in despair,
and know that his children are being corrupted.
What do you want I? You can for your
self But cannot see; we can do nothing here.
You must go away
But they do not heed me. They begin
their rectas agan-those monotOnous rectas!
We have nothing. There are eight of us. I
alone am able to be about The mother is dead.
As for me. it. does not matter, but the children
are crying for bread. They have had nothing to
eat for three days. 1t is always the same. I
listen to the end | hope TO get away, but can.
not i have not always begged But God wills
il now
Il wish to get away but I look at the child He
looks up AT me- His beautiful dark eyes are filed
with tears and expectancy. II is already thankful
this look OF the little one! ] watch his pathetic
face with its framing of blond hair and his features
drawn down with suppressed soils. The speeches
of the father familiar recitals to me, but to him
they recall terrible year and these very words
which have long since lost their power 70 move
me were | know, wrung from him only after
weeks and months of long suffering. Ii is this
that wearies NE. | cannot escape TO get a breath.
All this is SO old to me. To him it is so terribly
new. Yes these things weary me, ali, how they
weary me! But the poor must eat, they must
live. 1t is a lot they cannot escape. One must
show a little compassion. l think as | those
J. ). - LII