New-York tribune., 1901-07-07
AFFAIRS IN RUSSIA.
STUDENT RIOTING+TRADE WITH THE
UNITED STATES.

st. Petersburg, June % (speciaD.-on the
ing OF June IS the people Of ST. Petersburg listened
with almost breathless interest to the gun which
doomed out from the fortress Of st. Peter and ST.
Paul, across the Neva. When the sound ceased
after the one hundred and first discharge the feel
Ing of disappointment intense. for the longed
for heir had not been granted the Russian people,
the cannon announced that the Czar had another
daughter, the Russian another archduchess-Ana-
stasie Nicoaievna.
Among the intelligent classes in Russia the dis
appointment is keenest. especially among the aris
tocracy. Had the child been a boy Russians would
have felt justified in becoming drunk for a week
but instead they Loyalty hung out their flags so
that the whole city festooned in spite of
drizzling rain and in the evening colored lanterns
were stretched along the streets. and the initials
of the Emperor and Empress in electric lights were
placed upon the house fronts.
Had Czarowitch been born to Nicholas II il is
probable that thousands of criminals would have
been pardoned throughout the empire. AS it was
the Gar seized the opportunity to put a practical
end-for the present-to the student troubles. an
imperial ukase of June 10 his majesty remtted the
obligation of military service to a number of the
students and shortened the term of the to a
month from the time that it was entered upon.
In the eyes of people this ends the whole
affair. but in reality it only closes chapter of
something which Is continually going The
cent disturbances in Russia have only been a visible
symptom of certain forces at work beneath the ex-
terror of Russian life. In Quelling the riots, and
finally in pardonng the participators the Czar has
done nothing to remove the primary causes of the
disturbances. However these may be analysed by
people in Russia, they still exist. This will be
proved sooner later by the appearance of more
symptoms, perhaps of violent a more
carefully organized character
WHAT UNDERLIES THE RIOTS
Taking the riots of the students indication
of something uterior and far potent, their
character is serious; taken in themselves, the
troubles exaggerated
eign press: when they have not been exaggerated
they have produced wrong impression in the
minds of readers who do not understand the
ditions OF Russian life Suppose. for example, that
all the news cabled from the United States to the
foreign press confined to the strikes, ynchngs
and other disorders of which the American people
have their share, abnormal impression would
be created in the minds of Europeans the life
in America The disturbances in Russia were badly
organized foolishly carried out by a lot of hot
headed youths, of short duration and confined to
small parts OF the Russian Empire; elsewhere the
life of the people perfectly normal. Yet from
the dispatches II seemed if the whole Russian
Empire in a turmoil. and some travellers in
Europe who had planned to visit Russia afraid
to come here
AT the time OF writing there is nothing in ST.
Petersburg which indicates the existence OF any
sort of trouble. Even March II. when the riot
ing at its height and the conflict between peo-
pie. Cossacks and police took place. there
sort of danger except to those who chose to re-
main IN the crowd
INDUSTRIAL UNREST
Just now the most serious problems here are the
Industrial ones the problems Of the army Of the
employed and OF the strikers AT the government
ship works here IN st. Petersburg a number
of employees are on strike. and the demands the
same as elsewhere-more wages and shorter hours.
The daily papers never contain OF this sort
of thing, Except for the official announcements OF
the movements and doings Of great persons there
is absolute lack OF that personal interest which
is strong element OF uncensored press.
The Russian morning paper presents great a
contrast could be imagined to the press OF Amer
ica; it shows individuality, frank expression
of opinion, reports OF crimes trials and local
affairs in which all interested. There
large number OF kilograms containing foreign news
and the is stilted recital OF whatever may be
allowed by the
Though 1t is impossible to approve the principle
OF censorship Il must in justice be said that tho
lack of sensational journalism is not without ad-
vantage to the Russian people: at the time
there may be the most tremendous revolutions and