Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-12-02
The Russian Liberal Manifesto.


Whatever may be the fate Of the
particular liberal movement in Russia
which led to the meeting Of the zemstvo
presidents at st. Petersburg, 1t is plain
that in scope and character 1t Is a |
repetition Of the French awakening Of |
1899. Russia's progress toward hui
man liberty has undoubtedly been
jeopardiZed in recent years by over
Jealous agitators. Nihilism stabbed
itself to death The men In the Zemst
vo movement are not rebels, but liber
ators; not mischief making malcon-
tents. but level headed reformers.
Tie Russian zemstvos are elective
bodies, having local powers In lesisla
tive and administrative affairs, the
members being chosen for three years
by three classes Of voters, and the
abolition of class distinction so as to
virtually enfranchise the mass Of peas
antry is the main object of the present
liberal movement. The voting class
now includes landed proprietors, burgh-
ers and mechanics and peasants over
twenty-five years Of age who possess
certain amount Of property or who
are engaged in business Of certain
Importance.
The duties of the zemstvos are the
construction Of public works, regula-
ton of public health, education, roads
and the like. They have little indie
pendent authority, especially since the
reactionary period began in 1890. Each
district in Russia has a zemstvo, and
there is one for each province, making
several hundred In ALL The nobility
class possesses about one-third Of the
votes. The institution was founded
forty years ago by Alexander III. as q
step toward the liberalization Of Rus
STA and is really an evolution from the
primitive commune and municipal cor
poration.
Naturally the zemstvos come into
close contact with the people, and at
various times, notably in 1902, the gov
eminent has circumscribed the func-
lions of the zemstvos, with the result
Of impairing their influence. For in
stance, in 1902 Russian agriculture was
made the subject Of inquiry by gov
eminent commission, but the zemstvos
We're excluded from the inquiry and
the commission made up solely of land
ed gentry.
In effect the zemstvos are the friends
of the peasantry, not as demagogues,
but as patriotic citizens seeking the
greatest good Of the greatest number
and the Strengthening Of Russian ma
tionality. In a practical way they ar,
instructors of the peasantry, who are
but just emerging from serfdom. In
1890 the zemstvos asked the govern
ment to give the peasantry equality
before the law, to teach them agricul-
ture, tighten their tax burdens and in
crease their allotments of land. The
pleas were rejected.
In the years Of repression following
1890 the members of the zemstvos have
been patiently working at the prob
lens before them and now declare, in
the face of the throne, their needs and
their grievances. They ASK substan-
TALLY, closer union between the peo-
pie and the crown, the right Of initia-
tive to rest with the people conformity
with the crown; the abolition of the
bureaucracy, which, as in the days of
Louis XVI, stands between the car
and his people; to grant the peasantry
full political and civil rights, and that
increased powers be given to the
zemstvos, making them absolutely In
dependent political units
The programme of the Zemstvo presi
dents is most radical one TO be press
ed in the present national crisis. Blu
Russia has already been confronted
with the evils due to her neglect OF thu
warnings of the zemstvos In the past
The peasantry have not now, nor have
they ever had, a vital interest I'm thu
national life. They object to fighting
for government which rcpresses, 1
1t does not Cypress, them. Therefor
the liberal manifesto Is well timed
The hands Of the government may b