Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-13

Result Of Autocratic and Des-
potic Government.
Special CabIegram to The Star.

which In some respects is regarded as be-
ing nearer the center of things than st.
Petersburg itself, It is quite generally ad-
mitted that the regions Of the Caucasus
have probably suffered more from the auto
cratic and despotic government than even
Poland itself, or any other section Of the
empire for that matter. The discomfort
and lawlessness which have spread to al
most the whole Of that region are due to
the repressive measures enforced against
the people of the Caucasus by the repre-
sentatives of the central government The
exceptional outbreaks of racial animosity
which recently turned Baku, and to less
er extent Erivan. into a shambles are at
tributed by the Armenians largely to the
campaign which for many years has been
carried on against them by the government
press. The strikes OF railway employees,
factory hands, and even of clerks and
tradesmen, which have taken place in the
towns arise from the same causes that
have produced similar demonstrations in
all parts of European Russia, and are I'M
doubtedly fOmented and encouraged by the
socialist and revolutionary organizations
The agrarfan movement, which has result
ed in serious outrages committed against
the landlords and the police throughout the
governments Of Kutais and Tifiis, the ter
ritOry Of Batun and the district Of Suk-
ians and Georgians, and probably original
ed at the time of the confscation of the
property of the Armenian Church., follow
ing on the decree of June %, 1903. 1t is
no longer denied by the Armenians that
their loyalty to Russia, to whom they have
looked as their protector and champion
ever since the days Of Peter the Great. was
seriously shaken by this act of open spolia-
ton.
On the other hand the appointment of
Count Vorontsoff-Dashkon as vfceroy Of
the Caucasus was received with great ia
vor The Armenians have no desire what
ever to cease to be Russian subjects; they
are fully aware that they have no altSrna-
tive. Accordingly. when Count Vorontsoff-
Dashkoff passed through Nakhitchevan on
the Don he was waited upon by a deputa-
ton which thanked him for his expression
of confidence in the weII-disposed majority
Of the inhabitants Of the Caucasus and as
sured him that so far as the Armenans
were concerned he could rely upon their
cordial cooperation. IL only he would re-
gard as lawful their natural desire to re-
main Armenians. to confess their ancient
faith and to preserve their ancient tongue,
and would do away with exceptional and
repressive laws, which, while lowering the
dignity Of the Armenians human beings.
do nothing to enhance the glory Of the Rus
sian empire"
The discomfort of the Mohammedan resi-
dents of the same region Is scarcely less
marked than that of the Armenians In
petition recently addressed to the commit
tee of ministers they point out that the
unhappy social. political and economic con-
ditions in which millions of Mohammedans
in the Caucasus find themselves demon
strates clearly that during the last CEN
fury the fertile soil OF the Caucasus has
not been utilized to the full. but that, on
the contrary, every effort has been made
to retard. by artificial means the prosper
ity of the region and to prevent the mental
development and meterial welfare of its in
habitants."
Like the Armenfans. the Mohammedans
complain of their exclusion from the organs
OF local self-government. OF the persecution
to which their religion is subjected. Of the
total absence of any organs of public opin-
ion-the only Russian Tartar newspaper be-
ing the Perevodchik. which is published in
Bakhcisaral and censored in Sinferopol-
and of the determined efforts made to de-
prive them of their land and to give 1t to
Russian immigrants Both Mohammedans
and Armenians are in favor OF the introduce
ton of local self-government and the con-
cession Of political rights. Neither the Mo-
hammedan petition referred to nor in q
similar petition which was drawn up within
the last few weeks at Tiflis by elected rep
resentatives of the Armenian population for
submission to the viceroy and the council
of ministers Is there any allusion whatever
to feuds with the other native populations
Of the Caucasus. These outbreaks In fact.
are explained as being due partly to the
direct instigation Of agents provocateurs,"
partly to the impossibility of obtaining ade-
quate redress for private wrongs from the
judicial and administrative authorities; In
consequence of which the aggrieved parties
either appoint arbiters or, when the dispute
Is between Christian and Mohammedan
take the law into their own hands.
The organization of riots against the
promoters of the reform agitation. and
pecially against the Jews, is being actively
pushed forward by the inferior provincial
officials with the connivance of the
higher authorities, not only throughout the