Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-29
Russia Grom the central government. %
lE'rom all sources. including the cen


A government which has an annual reve-
nue. of more thai $fU0,OU0.OOO ano which ap-
IroprateS annually TO- the elementary In
struction of its people less than two cents
per capita, certainly cannot regard popular
education a matter of much Importance
But the attitude of the Russian govern
ment toward education in general, and edu-
+ cation of the masses in particular, seems to
be an attitude not so much of indifference
of suspicion, apprehension and hostility.
1t appears TO be afraid that, if 1t promotes
elementary instruction among the peasants
and creates a large reading and thinking
class. il will increase the feeling of popular
discomfort, add greatly to the difficulty of
maintaining an effective censorship render
the PEOPLE more impatient of the wise and
prudent guardianship" which is so ''neces-
sary" for them and open far wider and
more dangerous field of activity to the revo-
lutioniSts and liberals who are striving to
overcome the paralyzing inf1ue of bureau
cratic authority and encourage the peasants
to make a determined stand for their individ-
tai and social rights, IL not for their political
freedom. Only upon this superstition Is il
possible to explain the unusual and extra
ordinary restrictions which ii throws about
private enterprise in the field Of popular
education. and the apparent reluctance with
which 1t permits the establishment Of pri-
mary schools and village Libraries by the
representatives Of the people in the cantonal
and provincial assemblies.
"A Man of the Fifteenth Century,"
cases above set forth, it cannot, think, be
contended that they indicate a very ardent
desire on the part of the Russian govern
ment that its people should be educated
either at its own expense or the expense Of
others. Meanwhile the Russian peasant is
in most respects, man of the fifteenth
century. He is believer in sorcery and
witchcraft; he murders in cold blood
wretched old women whom he regards as
embodin ents of cholera and plague; he
stones or kills physicians who try to save
MN the fatal consequences of his own san
itary neglect; he buys pieces of the Savior's
cradle. and bottled Egyptian darkness from
wandering pilgrim-peddlers who pretend to
have Travelled in the Holy Land, and he has
no more conception of the achievements of
modem science, even In the field Of material
progress. than il he were an inhabitant of
Matabeleland or the Soudan He is not
stupid-he Is not mere senSeless clod. He
is, on the contrary, a man of warm feelings
vivid imagination and great innate intel
lectual capacity; but far as educa ton and
knowledge Of the world are concerned. il
may be doubted whether he is any more
advanced than his ancestors were In the
good old days" of Ivan the Terrible 1t is
unreasonable to suppose that in the storm
and stress Of the fierce struggle for exist
ence which Is now going on throughout the
world, such a man can possibly hold his
own against the sharp, Intelligent competi-
ton or the trained, enlightened, energetic
ana self-reliant worker of western Europe
or the United States. If his economic con-
dltion is Unsatisfactory to his official
guardians" 1t is simply because he is
ignorant and oppressed. He is like handi-
capped runner i'm a free-for-all race who
starts behind the last of his councillors
anu VINO must run. as best he can, with a
his eyes, GEORGE EENSAW
Baldeck, Nova Scotia.