New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-13
THE RUSSIAN WORKINGMAN.
IliG DEVELOPMENT FROM THE PEASANT
TO TIE ARTISAN.

fNrELiENcls AID OBSERVATIONS or ~; AMiE-
IcAN WHO WORRIED N a RUSSIAN FACTORY.
10 the student OF Russla's social and cconorio
development there is no more Interesting factor
involved than the Industrial workinfman. At
present he is practically at the poin: where the
English workingman three hundred years
ago, and, according 10 the way things move in
Russia, il is not at al unlikely that Il will take
him three hundred years TO develop into What
the English nottingham Is now He is in VIA;
may be called The cmlry Cnic state cf lhc IN
dls;rial laborcrs evolution and in studying
LIS class one gets acquainted in the flesh, o. il
wee, with what cur own W0Ikmen were cen
turics ago. lIo IS also Iutc,l sting on account
Of his recent attao hncnt 10 his peasant hold
ing. Eat yesterday he was simple farmland
and in many instances hc stu returns 10 the
falIl in summer. He thus affords tho student
an excellent opportunity Of observing The meta
n.orphosis Of a child Of the soil into an indus
trial specialist, and nowhere else. perhaps, can
one sec more clearly than in Russia ,he effects
G city lie on peasants.
Was fortunate IN my inquiry into those mat
tels in being able to make the personal
quaintance OF the Russian workingman.
capitalist In ST. Petersburg allowed me 20 work
tact with the other employees and for q month
toed and lived with them much as possible
like one Of their very own. Nj experience as a
hand" was similar TO what it would have
been in thread mill in this country, except
that had to work twelve hours day and
earned but ST 30 for my months work. The
main gain in the adventure was the informa-
ton got about MY companions. and this Will
doul,fiocc interest he reader
We were 1900 employees ali told, abou. seven
hundred being women and girls, and the rest
men and boys Our superintendent and head
foremen we're either English or German. These
men. l might as well state Immediately, make
very good living IN Russia, and up to date
have proved Indispensable in all wel-reeuated
factories. The Russian has no; yet shown him
scf TO be a good manager FOR large Industrial
CONCERN, and foreign talent has 10 DC called IN.
The director OF the mill ] worked in was
ecotchman, who few years before going TO
Russia had received but $50 year. In cur
mill be got $4,000 per annum. besides a large
house two servants and horse and carriage.
The employees, or rubotniki, came mainly from
the country districts IN the neiChborbood OF 81.
Petersburg and were representative mil hands.
They still looked and dressed like peasants, as
do nearly all workingmon in Russia, but they
had developed out Of the peasant class as faf
as doing farm work is concerned, although
they were politically stn attached 10 their vii
lagos Their village Mi, or Council, for in
stance. could al any moment require their pres
encc at homo il they had failed to meet any Of
the required obligations toward their parents
or the heads, whoever they might be, OF their
families and they could also b. called to ac-
count by the Mir for any neglect q their peas
art holding Of land
SERVING TWO MASTERS
IN this way they had practically two mas rs
to serve the director OF the mill and The village
authorities, and each master knew how to
threaten them with the other II It was con-
venient 20 do SO. The director Of the mil, with
the aid Of the police was prepared 10 send chem
back TO their villages If they were stubborn and
incompetent. and the Mir was prepared 20 refuse
10 receive them back and bus bring about their
trans poTtatiOn 10 Siberia as enforced co0nis.s
If it had any grudeo aGaue; them or cons d"rcd
them nc'cr- dO-Ncls. The plan Of The Govern
mept IN holding thcn. under control Of their
Village masters Is that in this way & is relieved
Of taking OF hordes OF unemployed work
men in tho towns. and So theoretically at least.
oby iating the necessity Of congosted SUM d.
,ricts such as Western cOuntri's are troubled
with As matter Of tact, s.. Petersburg and
Moscow have just as bad slums We have,
but on paper so 10 speak, and great deal %
government IN Russia Is wholly on paper, lhcs
are not supposed 70 exist. and ~ you were TO
talk with II The stercotypcd Russian Off ais