Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1903-11-26
REMARKABLE SECT
Russians in Manitoba Who Are Pos
sessed of Strange Craze.
Refuse to Use Lower Animals for Any
Purpose and Place All the bur
dens OF Labor Upon Their
Men and WOmen.


session of religious sects, but the
strangest of all is probably the dis
tressing mania that has enthralled
5000 Russian Doukhoborsti, who have
located in western Manitoba, says a
special to the New York Times from
Yorktown, Manitoba. In the Swan
river district the government is appre-
hensive for the remarkable craze that
has taken possession of those colon
lists. A visit to the community showed
that the sights, scenes.and the horror
depicted were almost beyond concep-
ton.
1t is well known that the Doukhobor-
sti are adverse to shedding blood. This
is the reason why they emigrated
from Russia, and it is also the reason
why the Canadian government exempt
ed them from military duty as induce
ment for their location on the prairie
lands of the west. AS to what they
should eat, this was purely personal
matter, but, as it appears, it was one
of the features that was overlooked by
the government that will cause i'm
mense trouble.
In this country man may eat what
he chooses, and if his religion dictates
that he shall conform to vegetable
diet, such beliefs are respected. All
might have been well had this state
of affairs been confined to vegetarian
ism, but the Doukhoborsti religion
does not appear t. be finished prod
uct. 1t has been constantly undergo
ing changes From the belief that it
was sin to eat meat it seems a long
jump to reach the conclusion that it is
wrong to eat animal products, but
these people have now given up drink
ing milk, eating butter cheese, eggs,
etc, and the cows. oxen. goats and fowl
are increasing and multiplying, and
waxing fat, while the people are on
the verge Of starvation.
Having reached this absurd posi-
tlon, 1t was but a step to another and
more ridiculous one. If it were wrong
to eat the flesh of animals the same
line Of reasoning made it compare tive
ly easy to condemn the use of leather
harness made from the hides of Gods !
creatures, and then followed the con |
demnatOn Of wooden clothing. because
wool grown on the bodies of sheep. |
which also belonged to the Lord The |
next step was still more sweeping in
its effect on their economic condition. |
1t was TO make servants Of any Of
the lower animals, to use them for
beasts of burden or for any other pur-
pose.
They had the courage of their con-
victlons, and at once turned out their
horses, cattle and sheep, driving them
to "GOd'S Hill" to forage for them
selves, placing all the burdens Of farm
ife on their own shoulders. For all
irawing purposes, such as hauling
leavy loads on wagons, men take the
place Of horses and oxen. Twelve or
4 men hitched to a plow suffice for
his purpose. and it is the only method
employed by them in the cultivat ion o
he soil. Women, even. are employed
n this manner. though when coming
ntO town men only are seen hauling
he wagons and huoges. Every day
n the streets Of Yorktown dozens of
nen may be seen drawing wagons.
auling what little produce they may
ave for sale, and carrying back t."
heir farms flour and other neces-
tiles.
The Doukhoborsti are clad exclu-
ively in cotton clothes and wear ~rh- Z
er boots or shoes knit or woven with
inder twinP which they buy for the
urpOse. Their food consists of bread {
nd water. and such ve~cta bles s they J
row. and wild berries and herbs which J
lev gather. Their farms re neglect
and their stock. of which they have =
uch, is running wild in the hills,
here il will all die during the winter.
r be appropriated by those who are
OF of their religious faith, and who
i'll a least give the stock shelter.
With the advent of cold weather r
arvatiOn and disease must certainly L
llow, and they appear TO know this,
T they have been in correspondent
it'll authorities in southern Cali
rnia. Nevada. Arizona and Australia.
th view to emigrati to warmer
innate where the conditions would
able them to subsiSt on the soil
thout trespassing on the possessions
the animal kingdom. 1t is needless
sav that no one wants them. as they =
e still in Manitoba. an elephant on
e hands of the government that
ought them from Russia a few years ct
D to develop the prairie land of the -
st.
Feminine Ignorance.