The Washington times., 1901-11-03

| classes among whom Liberal political
| views are known or suspected TO be held.
| No doubt we shall soon hear of another
great police raid in ST. Petersburg. when
a number OF members of so-called Sc
yr,t' societies will suddenly disappear
| In order to understand why il is that
Russian people appear ia form so many
secret societies it is necessary TO glance
at the general social position of the diff
fereut classes Of the Cars subjects
German author. some ten years ago,
! speaking of Russia. said that the mass of
| the discontentcd who expect salvation
| from disastrous events is constantly in
creaslng- Not to speak of the distrust
| with which Russian Natioualists meet
every stranger, the spread and ramfioa-
tions Of secret political agents and inform
ers, inside well as outside st. Peters
| burg. has increased 50 enormously that
political discussions are avoided with az
anxiety which is foreign to the habits Of
Russian life and character. People are
mole cautious than they We're in the DAYS
| of Alexander II. The educated classes,
who take serious interest in politics.
/ confine their exchange Of views to iuti-
| mate circles Freedom Of discussion is to
be observed only whore it is a question
of abusing foreign countries. and the press
can display courage only when eriticising
| the English Cabinet on the conduct of
| South African affairs. Where misunder-
! standing and distrust are spread over a
! country, where every thing is out of joint
and discomfort is universal. what more
natural than that & few friends of similar
tastes should agree to meet at each
( others house. where conversation on any
! subject can be unfettsred2 ] have spent
many an enjoyable evening among charm
: ing people OF good education. where at
intervals the best music was Interpreted
on the piano, violin. ard other inStTjI-
ments, while singing and occasionally a
dance would be started. The elder ladies
ana gentlemen would discuss politics over
cigarettes and game of cards The
| piano, the cards, and the dancing are al
ways necessary. for The average policeman
IN Russia would not understand the mean
ing OF meeting OF a dozen or twenty
people II il Were not for music or gam
bling, and no house is safe from a domi-
ciliary visit al any time.
From among the various circles Just in
dic2ted, the more ardent and serious men,
the workers who wish to procure free
dom and justice for their feilow-men-
these meet similar spirits. and form in
ner circles, where arrangements are made
and members appointed 10 spread the doc
trines of socialism over the country. Nee
essarily these reformers must meet in Sc
cret, hence they are members of secrt
societies.
In England our reformers have the press
and the public platform. and those who
wish can make public their particular
views without being dragged OFF to pris
on as political convicts. In Russia man
dare not speak word in favor of form
of government different from the present
autOcracy. The result Is that he is oblig-
ed to take refuge in secrecy and secret
methods.
l know of rich landowner who--has
Travelled all over Europe. He i'm
pressed with what he saw, especially In
England. and on settling down in Russia
he tried to introduce reforms. He was
thwarted by the authorities in every way.
and at length he was driven TO join a
secret society. He was deputeG TO travel
the country. Disguised peasant. he
went about distributing so-cailed revolu-
tionary literature He was caught and
thrown into prison. This was over ten
years ago. Nothing more has been heard
of him.
Ladies Of good birth. who have been ed
ucated abroad. are likewise Forced to join
secret circles Of friends. The police have
no respect for women. and when they
break in upon a meeting of girls they
seize all the literature In the place, and
if there happens to be a publication of a
socialisttc or revolutionary kind, tbs girls
are packed off to the house of detention.
No wonder that under such Circum-
stances many are driven to desperation,
and join the Nihilist Inner circle" where
an oath Of secrecy is Imposed, and the
members promise to do all they can TO an
nihilate the present form Of government.
There is not much method In the working
of this inner circle, beyond the fact that
there is small committee with head
quarters in several Of the chief cities or
the Empire. There Is system of signs.
by which members know one another. and
a correspondence is kept up with expatri-
atcd members, who foregather in Switz-
erland and London.
OF late we have heard little of the Nihi-
lists, because they are working quietly
among the people. educating them, and
spreading their doctrines. There have
been 10 attempts on the Emperors life.
no dramatic exploding OF bombs, and no
digging of underground passages for the
purpose of blowing up palaces. Perhaps
the Tsar's evident dislike OF the methods
Of his ministers and his attempts 10
ameliOrate the conditions OF life among |
his poorer <ubjects have softened the
hearts of the irreconciiables OF the inner
circles of nihilism- At any rate their ef- |
forts are now directed principally against |
the Procurator of the Synod and the more |
brutal of the Governors of provinces |
where convict prisons are established.
The name of BLACK Hand as tee- |
graphed to London, is new. II may mean |
that one particular committee of the in |
ner circle has. for the purpose OF its |
letter. threatening the Procurator. as |
sumed this dramatic title. just as the pi- !
rates of old used the skull and -crossbones |
on a black flag TO strike terror into the |
hearts of honest people. ! was, however. |
under the impression that this sort of |
playing to the gallery had been given up. /
IL was common enough twenty years ago. |
and 1 remember well the thrill that pass |
ed through St. Petersburg society some |
thirty years ago, when a Nihilist note was |
discovered on the Emperor's dressing ta- |
BILE stuck through with dagger. Ten |
years later the activity OF the inner cir |
Gle eliminated in the assassination of AL |
exander IL
In Russia n string Of ncgations is ;
enough to convict a man. Nothing posi-
tive Is required An honest and ntelec- |
tuaI man may be berayed into expressing |
an opinion in a cafe or hotel on the in
justice or harshnesS OF some new Gov
ernment regulation. He IS overheard by |
member Of the police, or by some off,
Ger. and he is doomed man. He becomes /
political exile. and is treated more
harshy than the common criminals. His /
friends. naturally indignant at the out
rage. become active enemies Of the Gov
whore formerly they were peace
fully iuclined citizens.-London Leader.