The colored American., 1903-04-18

sian
total number of the empire were set
free. These serfs were at the time
of their emancipation in a condition
of virtual slavery, and were bound TO
the land They received their houses
and orchards, and allOtmentS or arabic
land of about three ares per male.
But to-day Russia is threatened with
a rural proletariat. In 1871, the pro-
Ietarian numbered five per cent. OF the
population; in 1881 fifteen per cent.
In 1885, 30.000,000 people in European
Russia were living from hand TO
mouth The state peasants in thirty
seven provinces pay in taxes 92.75 OF
the average net produce of their
lands. OF 9,O79,924 peasants house
holders 2,437, ,555 households, represen-
ting a population of $4,000, 600, and
twenty seven per cent. of the agr1cul-
tural classes not one owned horse
The social and material condition
of the Russian peasants has been one
of constant decline-a down grade
toward poverty One-fifth of the peas
ants have left their homes. One-half
of the males wander about in search
of work, or beg. One-third of the
former independent peasants are in a
state of homeless down-trodden beg
gary. In thirteen provinces the popu-
lation is literally starved out at the
rate of 1900 per year. 1t is estima-
ted that in fifteen years the number
may be doubled The estimated num-
Der of prOletarians is twenty (20) mil
lions. Forty millions more keep their
lands by paying practically all their
produce to the taX-gatherer. Where
the peasants fail TO pay their taxes
hey are fogged. In 1878, 613 heads
of families were f1ogged for non-pay-
1877 heads of families were fiogged out
Of about 1900. In 1884, 17S deIin-
luent taxpayers out of about Ala were
logged, on nOn-payment of the land
taxes, or dues for their redemption the
peasants are sold up and cast adrift
20 beg or starve. In II governments
there are 100000 beggars, of which
$4,000 are peasant proprietors.
In respect TO education the Russian
peasants are in very backward
state, due to the lack of schools and
means TO procure an education.
Prince Kropotkin, in speaking of
the condition of the Russian peasants
says: No West European is capable
Of fathoming the poverty of the Rus
sian peasant
Henry Norman, the distinguished
English writer and statesman, in his
recent book on Russia, says:
"nlIe the people have rapidly in
creased in number and the amount of
and commonly owned and titled by
them has remained constant since the
liberation of the serfs, with the result
that the outcome per family has grown
steadily less and therefore the stan
dard of we'll being has. slowly de-
clined''
Poverty and iIliteracy naturally go
hand IN hand. In no other country of
the world is poverty monotonOus. re-
signed poverty to so great an extent
the national characteristic of the peo-
pie. 1t has been recently stated in
a reputable magazine that the Russian
peasants have burned the school build
ings TO show their contempt for edu-
cation.
Observe the striking contrast be-
tween this picture of the Russian serfs
and the American Negroes in respect
TO material progress
1t is said and the assertion appears
% be founded in fact, that the colored
laborer does four-ffths of the agricul-
tural labor of the late slave holding
states, and about all of the unskiIIed
labor. therein. His share therefore in
the production Of the cotton crop of
lO,OO0, 600 bales, would be 900. 600
bales, and this is at the Mckinley and
ROOS6VPif nTiPQC of