Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-08
REVOLT OF PEASANTS
Condition OF Affairs in Southern
Russia Described as De.
plorable.
Famine Stricken Peasants Are
Raiding the Estates OF the
Rich.
They Demand Division Of the
Land Now Owned by the
Nobility.

| London, May S.-The st. Petersburg
correspondent of the Associated Press,
after a personal investigation OF the
situation in southern Russia, writes
from Moscow, under date OF May 8,
as follows:
"Comparative order has been re-
stored in the governments Of Poltava
and Kharkoff, but the peasants are
only outwardly quiescent, believing
| the grant of division of the lands OF
noblemen will be effected during the
coming autumn, leaving hardy land
owners only twenty acres and a yoke
of oxen each.
Authentic particulars of the distress
prevailing during the last three weeks
show they are largely due to extreme
| suffering from famine, which was ut1l-
Iized by agitators to foment rising
The peasants were not only believers
| in the issue of the imperial ukase per-
mitting division of the property OF the
mobility, but the charitable distribution
| of potatoes by the steward OF DUKE
Mecklenburg estate, at hharioilka
tended to confirm this belief The peo-
| pie Of the whole countryside, often
lied by village magnates, Streameu TO
Kharloff and other estates, demanded
the keys Of the pantries, merchants
and barns and carried off their con-
tents, Rich Cossacks suffered equalS
lily with the noblemen. When the lano
owners refused to deliver up Keys the
peasants broke down the doors ana
quietly seized the foodstuffs and re-
turned home. When unopposed, the
peasants contented themselves with
supplying immediate needs, but When
balked they burned and destroyed anc
carried off the live stock and desoiated
the estates. Most Of the difficulties oc-
Cured where the inhabitants or the
villages were already on strained
footing with the neighborlng land
owners. Violence is reported in twelve
to fifteen villages, while three estates
have been devastated in the hharkoft
lroyernment and forty-three IN tho
Poltaya government. To add to the
general CONSERVATION, two hunareo
Cossacks arrived at Poltaya after the
regular military forces had restored
order. The troops fired on the people
in two or three cases, and In one
instance peasants attacked troops with
stones whereupon the latter fired, Kill
ing several persons and woundlng
score, among whom We're women ana
children. Corporal punishment was
administered right and left without
over-scrupulous inquiry into the guilt
of the people fogged. Some estimates
place the number of turbulent peas
ants as high as $4,000.
"rhere was a similar occurrence at
Kharkoff. whose governor general,
Prince opolensky, was particularly Sc
we're.
general Eugene Miehalovich- -Douk-
hovsky was among the sufferers. HIS
estate at Mechek was ruined and he
himself was seized and beaten. He
is still i'll from the effects of the treat
ment.
Gas an example Of the extent to
which the ranks of the famine-strick-
en- villagers are swollen by the re-
turn of unemployed factory workers.
it is pointed out one iron works, which
heretofore employed 10000 to 10000
people, is now employing only 5000
for three days a week"