New-York tribune., 1903-04-13
THE RUSSIAN REFORMS.
Central Governments Interference
in Local Proposals.

&
the public had adopted waiting attitude toward
the Enperor's reform manifesto. This feeling is
mingled with perplexity in regard 10 one point.
The Emperor 10 intend TO refer the reform
schemes when they drafted by the ministers
TO special committees representing the rural inter
ssts and the public unable reconcile this with
the treatment that has been the reward of The
tocsl committees lately investigating the aGricuit-
tral depression These committees interpreted their
Instructions literally. and made numerous recon-
elendatons for governmental reforms. Their rec
concentrations embrace. among others some Of the
points that the Emperor has adopted. and yet the
Ministry OF the Interior is eXerting its utmost ef-
forts in order to prevent these recommendations
from reaching the Emperor. The provincial gov
ernors have under strict Instructions from Minister
Plehve. prevented the provincial committees from
even discussing reform proposals offered by the
district committees have procured their rejection
IN the provincial committees in nearly every in
stance. Il should be explained that the local COM
rnittees selected by the marshals OF nobility.
who often OF advanced views. The pro
Tnc1a1 committees were selected by the governors.
who gave most Of the representation to officials
and conservative landowners. The action of
rhe governors Of Tambov and Tver resulted in the
withdrawal Of oil the Liberal elements from the
provincial committees Of these provinces; in fact,
Of almost every one except officials. The example
has been followed by the Liberals Of the prov
.noe Of Moscow.
In letter to the ''Vedomostl," publication OF
which n other newspapers Immediately for
bidden by the censorship. D. N Shipov. the leader
OF the Moscow conference last year that drafted
the liberal programme for all the local commit
seez. states that seventeen members had withdrawn
from the Moscow provincial committee
count OF the predorlinance OF officials representing
the central government.
For some reason the liberal programme met
more favorable reception in the provincial COM
sn;ttee for the Province OF Mini Novgorod al
though II also included large number officials.
Their programme would certainly have been
Rdopted in many other provinces If expression had
been allowed TO local opinion and since il is
similar TO the resolutions adopted by large
her Of local committees through European Russia
The Liberals Say thst IT is moderate expression
iot the sentiment Of the rural population Of the
empire Extracts from the resolutions adopted
follow:
Popular education must be free and accessible TO
Primary PopuisI school. must be under the 1uris-
and the zenstvos should participate in the control
OF the course ot study. as well SIS in the financial
the present tendency OF the government 10 favor
LIBERAL support OF primary education by the CEN
a @ Is Such s,S Schools eare we
ends except secular education.
Resolutions tavoring the extension of popular
libraries and intermediate and higher educational
institutions. particularly agricultural colleges were
slso adopted:
Concerning the peasantry, the following recon-
ynendscons were made:
Abolish corporal punishment and communal re-
.posb for peasant tasaton and1 sac the
i've courts according to the decree OF 1864: estab
1sh universal representation in the zemsvos with
renstvo taxation and abolish all forced labor
weighing especially upon the peasantry
Regarding the financial system OF the country.
the resolutions recommend lighter customs and ex-
else duties. and the introduction Of the progressive
income tax; q variety Of measures tending TO di-
Irinish Of exporting agricultural products
and diminish the consumption of vodka. and the
restoration the educational funds Of the zenstvos
OF the income they formerly enjoyed from licenses
These resolutions are not expressed as radically
g those Of many local committees and those
the Voronezh provincial committee, which
plainly demanded constitution. but they tend IN
direction. II has been stated that banish-
rnent to Archaneel was the punishment OF the
author of the Voronezh resolutions This fate has
befaIlen NJ. A Kurchnsky. secretary of a sec
tIon Of the ST Petersburg Society Of Economists.
for reading the voronezh resolutions at meeting
OF that body.
The struggles IN the local committees have re-
ceired local interest in Zernstvo work. which had
long been declining account OF the unraVoraole
attitude OF the central government. In many prov
inces the Liberal elements are better organized
and stronger than has been the case for many
years and rather sharp tits have occurred between
the Zemstvos and some OF the governors In Har-
lov Prince Obolensky who was fired upon not long
ago for having some riotous peasants hogged, ao-
dressed the provincial Zemstvo in what the dele
gates regarded insulting terms. committee
of twenty formed TO report on his ADDRESS
Sixteen members signed report recommending a
protest the Senate the highest court Of the
country, and it was almost unanimously adopted.
Prince oboiensky tried get this vote reversed.
and II is stated. packed the meeting room with
police. but the delegates were not to be ntmidated
and maintained their decision
Commenting upon the Emperor's manifesto, yuri
Nilutin. whose relative, y. Milutin, the prin-
<ipel Liberal adviser OF the Emperor Alexander IL
during the ema ncipaton epoch. undertakes to show
the Petersburg ''vedomosti'' the extent to
which the religious privileges Of the population
guaranteed by the fundamental laws in prac-
tice disregarded- The law is quoted follows:
All subjects OF the Russian Empire who
belong the ruling church whether natives
those who have assumed Russian citizenship
foreigners IN Russian service temporarily resid
ing IL the country enjoy the exercise Of their
faith and its rites and ceremonies Religious free
dom is permitted not only to Christians of foreign
heather. Let al peoples living in Russia praise AL
mighty God in various tongues according to the
the reign Of the Russian monarchs and praying the
Universal Creator To increase and strengthen the
Russian Empire.
The intent Of the law is pronounced plain beyond
dispute Nevertheless q loophoe has been found
the words according the law and the confession
of their forefathers. which. contrary to sense,
SAYS Mr. Nilutin. were construed TO mean that
those Of other than orthodox faith could change
their religious profession without special permit
from the ministers An exception was made in
favor Of orthodoxy, and desertion OF the orthodox
faith FOR any other. whether Christian not.
forbidden. This construction OF the Law charac-
dom 70 the sphere of religion The only solution OF
the existing difficulties. the author says.
the Fundamental Law by substituting for the words
according TO the law and the confession their
forefathers," the phrase. according their own
faith and the dictates Of their consciences''
FRICTION In THE CAROLINES.