The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-31
LOOKING FOR EDEN
The Dukhobors Demand Conditions
Which Are Not to Be Found,
Says Father Anatoli.
He Believes They Are Trying to
Force the Government to
Deport Them.

Father Anatoli, archimandrit of the
Russian Greek church in Minneapolis and
head of the Russian school at Firth
street and Seventeenth avenue NE, I'M
springly arraigns Coun Lo Tolstoy,
Prince Youkoff Of Russia. and the immi-
grafton commissioner Of Canada for hav-
ing induced thousands Of Dukhobors to
immigrate to western Canada. Count Toll
stoy and the Russian prince. he says, may
have believed they were acting in the best
interests of the Dukhobors. They failed
to take into consideration the fact that
the religious fanaticism of that sect would
probably foment dissatisfaction In q coun-
try whose climatic characteristics. at
least, are much like those of the rich
plains Of southeastern Russia, whence
most Of them came.
while there may be no better farming
land on the western continent than that
Of Manitoba and Assinboia,'' said Father
Anatoli, "the Dukhobors could not be ex-
pected to prosper there on a par with the
native Canadian and American farmers.
1T must be ememberedalso-andt this
Is where the trouble begins-that the Duk-
hobors, like the Israelites, are looking for
a veritable garden of Eden. Like the
chosen people Of old, and they fancy them
selves such by divine appoin tnent. they
are still in search Of the promised land,
wherein they are to find the truth Their
fanaticism leads them to believe that a
divine revelation awaits them when they
enter the favored country of which they
ever dream.
Now. when Count Tolstoy and other in
t1uential men promoted this movement to
western America the Dukhobors be-
l1eved they could see the hand Of God
pointing in that direction. Their old
men or chiefs encouraged this belief and
were largely responsible for the migra-
ton. Not finding conditions so vastly Diff
ferent as they expected they are discon-
tented. 1t stands to reason that such a
people can never be satisfied. They are
idealists who might seek the wide earth
over and not find what they in search
Of.
1T Is not religious fanaticism alone that
has prompted this march on Yorkton and
Winnipeg. Their leader, Simeon Tcher-
noff. wants to see the premier at Wlnn1-
peg and induce him to allow the Dukho-
bors to settle in British Columbia or else
return to southern Caucasia and the island
Of Crete, from whence they came. This
demonstrate ton has been seized upon as
the most effective method Of forcing upon
the Canadian officials the necessity Of
some such action.
THE Dukhobors are like the Quakers
in this country only in this one respect,
that they believe In accomplishing every
thing by peaceful measures. They are
opposed to war. Their resistance to the
Canadian government In its disposition
to force them to remain In Assinaboia
will be purely passive. I am satisfied
they will not resort to violence. Up to
four years ago I lived in Volga, Russia.
and it is from that district that many Of
them have come. I know them we'll
"Altogether I suppose there are about
10 900 Dukhobors in Canada. I don't
know what will be the outcome Of this
trouble, but the Canadian government
must do something to calm them. The
only remedy seems to be to afford them
means Of leaving the country.