The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-24

the sarss e1rorsed from the peasants by
re government These taxes may be
divided into shree kinds: Oossst. pzoy5E-
cizI aud in e-iai. which correspond 10 the
county. state and a2tlonzi taxes OF the
United States The !ocal or coolest are Ter
capsta taxes that go % keep up the police.
roads. schools. graaaries. priests and
churches Besides these the local officials,
appointed from s. Petersburg. have 70 Dc
bri5ed By the peasants TIE provincial
taxes psy the salaries OF the provincial
officials, Keep up the police courts and ne
provincial schools and colleges. To
this class o. taxes must oe added
the cost OF tire revenue stamps that
are attached 70 every petition addressed
either 20 court or executive official and 70
passports. Then the csnsrsl government
collects 3 per capita ar from each peasant
Of 3 ru0a@5 : year. Or the equivalent o.
$50 These various kinds Of faxes. n
Guiding bribery. exrorEl5n az1 EsE-y, az
g-egate from % 50 - rabies year % ne
individual. or 81
Now let Is get atehe value Of r1bie 20
Russian peasant. IN the central provinces
3 peasant with horse can earn / E1ole
day, or 80 cents. bur he must find for hlI.-
SELF and animal But the average peasant
does not earn more than $50 year. 50 the
importance OF SD lax 20 him can DC ar-
preelsted 81 glance
MichalIo-E, = writer for Russian maga-
zine. has recently written OF some startling
examples or this taxing OF the peas2nFry.
He has collected statistics from eleven VII
lagos n small area n the provinces OF
Smo5ensk. that show that she uncOllected,
buE overdue taxes for Tha. territory are
zen times the actual valuation Of the prop
erEy. Since no money could be found
among t1e peasants the officials rssoTtsd
20 logging II an sEorr 20 squeeze u cut or
them Each inhaoitant was subjected 70
SO lashes wear for three years. That. az
least. vas the average number Of lashes.
and Il che man missed MS sllotmens MS
nsIghbor was required 20 take double
dose. 1t Narva. IN the province OF St. Pc
reES6u-g. this sane author estimates the
total income OF the peasants 70 De 80, go
raales year n Ehs time OF sn average
harvest, but the taxes during the same De-
Rod amount 20 $50 go ru5les-
For re past twenty years there has been
3 gradual IN poyeElSlnenE o. the Russian
peasaltry, during which time they have
been compelled 10 sell their horses and
cattle ana their small farm Improvements
have been going 20 ruin and decay. There
has been Starvation GurI1g the best years
Whatever o-eadstuE was sent 10 the gran
aries was stolen oy me officials Is Is the
emptylng Of the gra8aries that has brought
OF the famine OF ISSe.
The dLscou tent among the Russian
peasaatry began 70 grow soon after their
liberation from sersCOEu n ISS2 because
they were being deprived OF sufficient
land 70 maintain their existence and BE-
cause they were compelled 20 pay 100
times the value Of such land as Was given
them The discomfort vas the cause OF
the nihIiiStic movement The govern
nens, IN consequence. resorted 70 reaction
airy and oppressive measures, 50 that
before the Geash Of Alexander II not q
shadow Of the reforms that made that
ruler famous remained. The reaction
continues until today all honest. inreili-
gent and educated men have been driven
from the government positions. Only the
vllest and most immoral elements remain
IN power. men whom the car has % pay
well for their Loyalty. In return for this
these hirelIngs are allowed 70 devastate
Russia The car IS upheld by them and
the soldIery alone. The suppressor Of 4
local discomfort Is given carte blanche 70
ROB. burn or r2vish the discontinued terri
tory. | know Of hundreds OF sucn cases.
Is Il possible 10 trust such officials with