The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1905-02-17

SFeefSu HeG0rmS-xemsEN0s May He
Regarded as the Forerunners OF q
Parliament.
The present revolt against the au-
tocracy in Russia says Professor Mi
chael Michailoviteh in the New York
American, has raised the question, Is
the Russian nation able to govern it
self? / have met both here and In
other countries men of high position
and more than average knowledge of
Russia who did not think that the peo-
pie there at present deserve any other
form Of government than the one they
have.
Intelligent Russians think different
Even M. Witte, once more the right
hand of the ear, in his latest work,
Autonomy and Zcmstvo" admits that
lie has not the slightest doubt of the
ability OF the Russian people to govern
themselves, though he is opposed to the
sudden granting of a complete consti-
tuition
The Russian zemstvos are by no
means composed of the lower classes.
The majority Of their members are of
ficials who belong to the lower nobility,
many of whom hold government
positions. The zemstvos may indeed
well be considered the forerunners of d
Russian parliament.
There are also many who confound
the Russian "tschlnowniks" with the
Russian bureaucracy.
The fact is that 1t Is far from that.
Everybody who can claim a ''tschin"
holds any office under the government
Claim to F'tschin" rank) has everybody
who has graduated from higher edu-
cational institution. Every graduate
from a high school, every officer who
leaves the army to go into civil service,
Is, according to Russian law, given q
''tschln," and In this way "tschin"
stands rather for Il certain amount of
education than for what may be de-
fined as rank. A person of noble birth
has the privilege of obtaining
'tschin' easier and more quickly than
person of lower birth, so that noble
man needs only have served a very
short time in government office to be
come ''tschinownlk
Every clerk who has passed an ex-
animation becomes ''tschinownik"
and is thereby to certain extent safe
from arrest without special warrant
All the members of the zemstvos are
without exception ''tschinowniks, and
many Of them may even lay claim to
the title Of "excellency."
Those who consider the great Rus
Sian people an uneducated horde, with
out culture and education, apt to COM
NIT oil kinds OF excesses on the slight
est provocation, are also very much
lt Is true that the Russian moujik
has been trampled upon and treated
like cattle and that there are many
who would still like to treat him In this
but 1t is also true that he has
now strong longing for education and |
strives to obtain 1t with all the stub |
born energy which is part OF his ma
lure.
Everywhere where he is not oppress- |
ed and robbed he shows an unusual de- |
gree OF tact, intelligence and pride and |
4 glowing desire for freedom and indie |
Dendence DO not more than 100000 |
Russian subjects belonging to sects out
side OF the Orthodox church struggle |
for religious freedom?
DO not pamphlets, proclamations and |
)apers find their way to even the re-
hottest village of the empire?
Is 1t not fact that many small
communities In Siberia which have
,een forgotten by the imperial govern
ncnt govern their own affairs I'm the
most praiseworthy manner, absolutely
any control by czar, popes, po-
ice or tschinowniks?
We who know the Russian people
,now it to be entirely different from
he general ideas about It, We remem-
'er how the Russian peasants behaved
When they were suddenly relieved from
erfdom.
During the last few years which pre-
eded the ukase which set the serfs
rec there were violent peasant upris-
ngs all over, property was destroyed
nd chateaus burned and pillaged.
During the reign of Katherine not
ingle year passed that troops did not
ave to suppress peasant riots. Thir-
cen governments We're In open revolt
{ one time, and peasants We're shot
own by the hundreds by regular
rmies before peace was restored.
When 1t became known that the czar
Intended to abolish serfdom all the
lrge landowners raised the cry that
he proclamation would be followed by
narchy all over the country; that the
easants liberated from their fetters
Tould kill every landed aristocrat and
ct fire to every chateau In the coun-
ry. The greatest precautions were
AIKEN to prevent this, and ON Feb. 10,
SCI, whole armies were held in readi-
ess to suppress the expected disturb
noes. But what happened?
The people greeted the reforms not
nth violence, but with blessings and
rayers. With expressions of the most
,uching gratitude they accepted their
ersonal liberty as something sacred