New-York tribune., 1901-04-02
THE PASSING THRONG.

Prince Kropotkin. of Russia who is inst INV
occurring IN this country lays deeply to heart the
social conditions Of the country Of
IIAtNCE the Great White Gar. For him
hf'OfOIhIN the recent disturbances at Kiev are
AALhS- frausht with deep meaning. and he
is watching the outcome with
soroins interest When seen at the Hotel Gerard
yesterday Prince Kropotkin said OF the present DO
ntcaI crisis in Russia In Russia 1t is contrary to
the law to hold meetings Of any kind. and because
Ine students of the universities at Kiev and ST.
PETERSBURG have transsressed this law is attribut-
able the present troubles Ii seems that at Kiev
one OF the students arrested and fined for the
theft Of certain valuables from music hall wench
Inc students Of the university felt that this Incl
dent cast a reflection upon them body. and
heId meeting for the purpose OF considering what
action should be taken in the matter. The meeting
passed of quietly. although no conclusion
rived at To the surprise of the students the au-
thortes arrested and confined five Of their number
ana reprimanded thirty-two others for taking part
never before been meted out to a student at KieV
& UaDeTslty @ and the lads. moreover. felt that they
morals. The natural result followed. The students
make two demands On the authorfties of the uni
Yersity-frst. that the punishment should be abol-
lshed. and second, that the students who had
preferred expulsion to incarceration should be
lnsfated. l:s The rector refused to grant them an
main waiting in body in the hall until such time
O'Clock that eVenn Cassack Jls and armed Soldiers
appeared and later still General Novitsky the head
90 R % of & proSnd the Sead o s police Of
the town and numerous other 9fGials Aogeiner
gathered in and about the buildings. After some
the students request and brought the before
them. The demands were presented to the rector
when he appeared, and were refused The stu,
dents, after threatening general strike dispersed
quietly but not until their names had been taken.
These are the possible crimes for which two hun
dred intelligent young men have been sent TO the
their education. The victims have been sentenced
not by any regular court. but by special com
Ministers Of Education, Internal Affairs Justice
and War. and such a condemnation by such a COM
mission is absolutely Illegal
This pitiful abuse Of power is the origin Of the
present troubles. and fragrant abuse do we
feel 1t to be that number OF Rus
SUFFERING SLAMS including myself. have pub
OF THE lished signed appeal to the con-
STUDENTS. science of the whole civilized
world and invoked it's condemna-
ton upon the Cars government. A letter from
a high in society in ST. Petersburg ha,
come into my possession. Excerpts from 1t will
show you how in Russia this action of the govern
ment is regarded. Formerly this measure (con-
demning the students to military servicel was ap-
piled by serf owners when they wanted TO punish
the serf who happened to displease them, whereas
now it will be applied 70 the best educated men in
Russia Since March g. my correspondent
writes. thirty students of the ST Petersburg Uni
versity have been brought before the court Twen-
ty-two were condemned TO military service. some
for three years and others for two. The Public
Prosecutor himself is incensed at 1t, but he could
do nothing to the students They have been
ous. and have not been allowed 10 take leave OF
their parents. / seldom cry. but | shed tears OF
rage at my helplessness to add don't dare 20
think of the future. God knows what is in store
for US Under another date she says: You who
live in civilized countries hardly imagine the
suffertngs which are the lot of parents in such
half barbarouS country The parents here
are terrorzed- They are put in an impossible posi-
tion either to deprive their sons of a higher edu-
cation to deliver them into the hands of Min
lister of Public Instruction and his subordinates
who simply cruel toward the youths. At Kiev
1S3 students have been sent to the soldiers.
And all this has come concluded Prince Kro-
pOtkn. soemnly, because the body Of the
dents at Kiev did not wish OF their number to
besmirch the fair name Of the university without
protest from them