The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-16

C'chy o8VhNs VI POI w" 'eDh
In their misery the Spirit Wrestlers ap-
pealed al last 20 the pity Of the Emperor
| and begged him to settle them in some UNI
inhabited place where they might be true
| to their faith without exciting the hostilt y
| of the orthodox. He needed their petit
| tition and sent them south. nearly to the
northern shores Of the Sea OF Azov, where
| in a large unoccupied region thousands
| Of the devotees Of this s,rangs .a..a .Ia4,
new homes for themselves
In this isolated region things went from
| bad To worse For years practically no
| restraint was placed upon the iIoukhobors
| and the men who controlled them gave
reign 10 every evil impulse.
In the course Of a few years there was not
a woman in the settlements who was not
liable to every abuse from the leaders and
| their satellites. The doctrine was preached
| that the leaders could do no wrong even
when they invaded the sanctty OF family
| life or sent parties Of marauders over the
| country to steal whatever they could carry
| away.
Any one who protested against these
| crimes would suddenly disappear. For
years every person who denounced the
leaders for their wickedness was killed
! The bodies Of the victims buried on the
river banks were often washed away and
Hoa,ed down To the Sea Of Azov. A reign
Of terror prevailed.
The Government al last sen, a commits
sion 10 report upon the condition OF the
sect and the serious charges against II
The result Of their report WAS that the
Doukhobors were removed about sixty
eight years ago 10 what was then the wilder
ness Of TransCaucasia. II took four years
| to get them all 10 their new homes.
Here they have lived ever since, scattered
| among numerous hamets, raising cattle
! and filling the soil, having scarcely any
relations with the people around them
except in a business way. They have sold
produce to the neighborng populace and
carried much freight for them in their OK
wagons. bu, no social relations have been
! cultivated and the attitude of their neigh
bors has never been particularly friendly.
In the past half century. however. the
condi, ion OF tile D)ukhobors has wonder
fully improved If they have still con-
tinued to follow implicitly the views and
| iniunctio ions of the leaders of their acct
the Government a, least has shielded them
| from such terrible abuses as those under
which they had suffered a the hands of
the brutal and wicked men who had won
an ascendency over them.
Nevertheless the Doukhobprs have not
been very happy in their new home They
have complained OF the petty but end
less prosecutions of the minor officials
! placed among them. They have asserted
| that they were the victims of needless
annoyance in many ways and that the
taxes imposed upon them were too great
They have repeatedly sent petitions to
! ST. Petersburg for the redress OF their
grievances. but these prayers have not
been needed To add TO their discomfort
and misfortune the scot became divided
into two factions in 1887 by the pretentions
| of rival candidates for the leadership left
vacant bv the death without an heir of the
| head Of he sect
Intense bitterness and even bloodshed
marked he strife between the factions
II was under this accumulation of trouble
that many, tired Of fighting the world and
| their own bret hren. decided 10 seek peace
in another land: and 50 II happened that
| 700 roukh 1bors went to Manit oba, the
! first party, 2UO in number. having crossed
| the sea in charge of a son Of Count Tolstoy.
The first impression that the Doukhobors
made upon the Canadians was most favor
| able One of the local newspapers said q
year after their arrival
! 1T il noteworthy fact that the schools
which were started bv our Government
| for the coloni-ts a. soon as they began &c
arrive were filed with eager students
Young and old. and that the new settlers ar
leaning with remarkable facility TO speal
| and ,,-rita Ia. Epulisb language
The Canadian authorities believed thal
would make good citizens and helped tn
thousands that had come 20 start in Mani
toba under favorable auspices. Ferti'
lands were allotted 10 them. and TO man,
Of the poorer families seed, ploughs an'
other facilities were supplied for maxim.
their first crop.
| This assistance was in he form OF loan
and a most favorable impression OF th
honesty and spirit Of the newcomers va
| created 10y tho fact that about three-iourth
Of the debt thus incurred 10y those wh'
arrived in time to put In crops in 500 wa
| paid the next year out Of III" proceeds o
the harvest of 1900.
The news that the Doukhobors had tune,
all their cattle loose and that gangs Of then
were hauling ploughs through til" 'urrow
came like a bolt from the blue. In al
respects they had been doing "a we'll a
anv coonists, IN their state of culture
had ever done. They were laborious
frugal, cheerful. peaceful and ob"dient It
law
Suddenly they seemed to have gon'
stark mad iust a. the Canadians were be
coming convinced that they were exact
the right sort Of material TO tuin the vii
derness into fine farms. and to help built
w q sane. vrtuous, and prosperous com
mnnity. If they come out of the will
dreams that have held them a. in q spel
for about two years they may he able T.
retrieve their fortunes; but the unfortunat
people. wholly swayed by fanatical impulse
have been wasting their substance, and eS
posnQ themselves To the intensest suffer
ings Of poverty.
They have lost the confidence Of thos
who have welcomed them as neighbors
! II is a sad "a we'll az a remarkable stor,
and the pity Of il Is that nearly all the poo
people are utterly blameless but must sui
fer all the same because they are merel
reeds. blown or broken by every breez'
that their leaders in their crazed fame
may happen to set moving.
|
rrl, HnDSEntCk RInERS