Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-02-27
WORK FOR FREE RUSSIA
Prominent Russian Writer Re
views Present Situation For
the Associated Press
zEMsTov AND INDEPENDENCE
Something About the Organization
Which Has Made Long and Futile
Fight for Freedom of the Russian
states-The Fight to be Continued
Russian Conditions.
Correspondence of the Associated

ton in Russia is contributed to the
Associated Press by a prominent Rus.
sian writer, Alexander Stolypin, who
has made a special study of ques-
tons of local self government and has
himself taken conspicuous part in the
work of the zemstvo. Mr.. Stolypin was
formerly editor of Prince Ouktomskyfs
paper, the Petersburg Viedomosti, and
is now political editor of the Novoe
Vremya. Mr.. Stolypin attaches the
greatest Importance to sthe part play
ed by the zemstvo in the political de-
velopment of Russia" under which
heading he writes as follows:
"In discussing the political develop
ment of Russia with especial refer
ence to elf-government, propose to
devote myself exclusively to the GEMS
two Gland counciD since the political
significance of the douma Clown coun-
ciD is with rare exceptions, practi
cally nil. and it is only lately that the
town councils of certain large cit
les have Joined in the general move
ment and have even assumed prom
inent part. Such, for instance was
the recent decision of the Moscow dou-
ma, demanding political rights for the
whole country and declaring that in
the absence OF such rights the inter-
ests of such a large municipal center
as Moscow must suffer But even if
the political Importance of Russian
cities should at any time develop, we
shall witness only it's beginning, while
the significance of the provincial in
situations or zemstvos as factors of
great political Importance is proven by
forty years of struggle for predom-
lance which the state has never been
willing to grant. AS matter of fact
the establishment of the Zemstvo on
January 1 G3th), 1864, brought the
germ of conflict in the vagueness of
the organic legislation, which, fearing
unrealizable expectations and liberal
tendencies among the various classes,
limited the Zemstvo to an agricultural
sphere of activity, but, at the same
time, yielding to the spirit of the time
allowed the zemstvo almost unlimited
independence in this sphere. Such
liberty, placed in artificial frames, such
complete competency to a certain
limit where began complete negation
of rights, such an attitude towards the
people, now treating them as grown-up
men, now as children, all this bore the
stamp of unprecedented disregard of
practical considerations.
''The inevitable consequence was
that the administration and free Zem-
styo, placed side by side began to tres
pass on each others ground. Tt was not
to be expected that the administration
would voluntarily surrender a part of
its political rights to the zemstvo and
thereby extend this latter's powers,
and it was equally difficult to expect
that the zemstvo would allow this adj
ministration a free hand in the mat
tiers which had been placed within it's
full control. And the event justified
these apprehensions: no sooner had
the zemstyo begun it's work than ac-
cusations came from all sides that it
was arrogating to itself political
character; ON the other hand the zem-
-tvo retorted with sincerity and justice
that it's work was being interfered
with.
The most striking example of this
was given in connection with it's efforts
for national education. The zemstvo
had been empowered to deal with this
question, but under the foggy, bureau
cratic proviso, within the limits de-
fined by law Now, the law, not hay
ing been drafted with prophetic provi-
sion of the newly created institution,
was mute on the subject of limits
But when the zemstvos began to build
schools and seminaries, organize Ii
blaries, etc, the satisfaction which the
ministry of public instruction should
have felt on seeing a great share of it's
work assumed by other shoulders,
quickly gave place to dread, lest the
ministerial progress of education might
be disregarded. and chiefly lest such
a powerful weapon for political evolu-
ton as the education of the Younger
generation might fall into other hands.
Restrictions followed. With the aid of
legislative measures and circulars.
public and secret, the ministry of pub
lie instruction brought matters to such
a pass that the zemstvos after voting
the money and building the schools,
We're forced to surrender them to the
ministry. AS a slight concession, they
were, however, permitted to conduct
primary schools, including not more
than two classes, (standards); pro-
viding the teachers adhered strictly TO
the government program, using only
school books authorized by the minis
try and under the stringent control of
the government, all of which involved
enormous expenditure of energy and
money.
School Evolution in Russia.
"It is of interest to follow the col.se
of school evolution IN Russia. which IS