Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-04-04
STUDENTS or RUSSIA.
Facts About Their Grievances
and College Life.
GENERAL UPRISING APPREHENDED

AutOcFat1c Government of Russian
Empire Rejected In the Institu-
tICns of Leaning stuaents All
Population.
The recent disturbances at the uni
versities of Kiev, Odessa, St Peters
burg and Moscow are q convincing
proof Of the deeply rooted discomfort
among Russian students. whose prin-
ctpal grievance Is that the government
has dissolved all existing undergradu-
ate societies and associations. writes
the St Petersburg correspondent, OF
the New York Times.
In June, 1900, q general congress OF
Russian students was convened at
Odessa The initiative Of this con-
gress was attributed by the govern
ment to certain student secret societies.
At one Of the meetings Of the congress
the delegates were arrested by the po-
lice, and all documents found upon
them were conhscated. According to
the government, the congress Of stu
dents had been convened for a criminal
purpose-the unihcation Of all student
clubs into one central organization.
The arrest Of the students and the
conhscation Of their documents did
not, however, put a stop to the revolu-
tionary movement among the under
graduates. Noisy protests were made
against the action Of the cars gov
eminent, and riots even took place on
several occasions.
The principal disturbances have been
at the st. Vladimir university at Kiev.
In December last the students of the
university decided to suspend their
studies after the winter holidays II
their demands were not complied with.
A professor at the university had been
removed by the government owing to
his sympathy for the student cause
and replaced by professor who was
persona non grata to the students.
Seven hundred undergraduates then
openly rebelled against the rector
(president), whereupon they were ar
rested and punished by the admins
tratdve authorities. The principal lead
ers were sentenced to from two to
Eve days Imprisonment each, and the
others were deprived Of their univer-
sity privileges for a year. A general
meeting Of the students was held to
demand that these sentences be an
o1 t%r onthnpifiao
having then declared themselves pow
erless to re-establish order, the gov
ernor general of Kiev sent a detach-
ment Of gendarmes to quell the dis
turbances.
The minister Of public education
then appointed a committee Of 10 to
investigate the nature of the troubles
nc the University of Kiev. AS a result
OF this inquiry two students were SEN
fenced to three years compulsory mill
tary service, FIVE students to two years
service and 176 students to one years
service. AS a consequence of these
harsh sentences renewed disturbances
have taken place at Kiev, and a gen
eral uprising Of university students
throughout the empire Is to be appre-
hended. 1t "a therefore more than ever
evident that a radical reform in the
existing system Of university govern
ment in Russia is necessary. 1t Is well
known that the czar himself is strong
ly In favor Of such a reform.
The present system Of university
government In Russia dates from 1884.
The rector Of every university Is ap-
pointed directly by the emperor and the
dean by the minister of public educa-
ton. AS in Germany, every student
must pay q fee for each course Of
study he elects to take. This fee goes
to the professor. Besides their fees,
the professors receive salaries from
the government ranging from 1900 to
1900 rubles year.
To form q correct idea Of the exist
ing Russian university system all pre-
conceived ideas derived from the Amer
lean system-and, indeed. the British
OF the German system-must be put
aside. The Russian autocratic form Of
government is reflected to an extreme
degree in the code Of discipline pre-
vaillng at the state universities. An
inspector is appointed by the govern
ment to keep a close watch over every
university. This inspector is assisted
by q small army Of assistants, whose
duty II is to act as spies over the stu
dents, to note their daily manner Of life
and to ascertain their political opin-
IONS No less sum than 100000 ru-
bles a year is spent by the government
to defray the expenses Of these in
spectors and Of their assistants.
Russian university students are not
compelled to be present at lectures.
They are simply obliged to follow the
courses Of study they choose by one
means or another. They are not al
lowed to form clubs or associations of
any kind or to hold public meetings.
The students are all drawn from the
poorer classes Of the population, and
this explains why these higher insti-
tutions Of learning have always been
more or less centers OF nihilism. Lat
tcrly the government mas peen suIvlng
to remedy this evil by encouraging the
sons Of bourgeois families to enter the
universities and also by improving the
material condition of the poorer stu
dents. 1t was time, indeed, that the
government came to the rescue of the
latter. many Of whom live In the most
abJect poverty on 4 or kopecks day,
or about l cent Of American money. Is
II surprising under such circumstances
that nihilism should flourish among
the Russian educated classes?
Chicago Is WilIin.
Chicago dOpa not ask charity hl1t she