The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-27
IMPORTANCE OF
ZEMSkY S0BOR
Review of Situation in Russia BY
Alexander StOlypin.
LAND PARLIAMENT OF 1864
WHY 1T WAS FoREoooMED TO
FAILURE.

correspondence Associated Press)
| st Petersburg. Feb. Another re-
view Of the present political situation
IN Russia is contributed to the Asso-
! Grated Press by a prominent Russian
writer Alexander StoIypin. who has
Iidue special study of questions of
| lccaI government and has bir,ealf
taken conspicuous part in the ,,-o,,l-
Oi tne ZeTnstvo- Mr.. StoIypin was for
hiefiy editor of Prince Ouktouslv,s
paper the Petersburg iedomosti. and
! - nov polltical editor of the Novoe
greatest Importance to che mart
prayed by the Zemstvo In the political
SueNeiopnent of Russia. under which
heading he writes as follows:
Self-GoVernment in Russia.
In discussing the political develop
Iheht or Russia with especial reference
70 sen government propose TO devote
User exclusively TO the Zemstvo
tidhd counciD. since the political sig
hincance of the Douma (town conn
CID Is with rare exceptions practically
MI, ana IT is only lately that the town
councils OF certain large cities have
JJoIleo IN the general movement and
Gats even assumed prominent part
ouch' Tor instance, was the recent de-
clslon of the Moscow Douma. demands
ing political rights for the whole coun-
Try ana declaring that in the absence
OF such rights the interests of such a
large municipal center as Moscow must
suueT- But even if the political inn
portance of Russian cities should at
any time develop. we shall witness
only its beginning; while the sig
hhcance of the, provincial Institutions
OF HemstVos as factors of great polit-
lcaI importance is proven by forty
years of struggle for a predominance
which the state has never been willing
10 grant As matter of fact, the
establishment of the Zemstvo on Jan
QS), 1854, brought the germ Of con-
nIct in the vagueness of the organic
legislation which, fearing 'unrealiza BILE
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 independ-
ence i'm this sphere. Such liberty, |
placed in artificial frames such COM
plete competency 20 a certain limit !
where began complete negtion 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 4
of political considerations.
Quarrel Soon Began.
The inevitable consequence was that |
the administration and the free Fem /
StVo, placed side by side began to
trespass on each others ground 1t |
was not to be expected that the ad-
would voluntarily sur
render a part of it's political rights to
the Zemstvo and thereby extend the
latter's powers, and it was equally diff
ncult TO expect that the ZemstvO
would allow this administration a free
hand in the matters which had been /
placed within its full control. And the
event justified these approximations. No |
sooner had the Zemstvo begun it's
work than accusations came from all
sides that ii WAS arrogating to itself |
a political character. On the other
hand, the Zemstv0 retoTted with sin !
;erity and justice that its work was
being interfered with.
Work Restricted.
The most striking example of this
vas given in connection with its eff
orts for national education The
zemstvo had been empowered to deal
NTH this question, but under the fog
~, bureaucratic proviso within the
limits defined by law. Now, the law,
Tot having been drafted with prophetic
of the newly created institu-
ION, was mute on the subject of linn ! ,
is. But when the Zenstvos began to
'uild schools and seminaries. organize |
libraries. ETC., the satisfaction which |
he ministry of public instruction
houid have felt on seeing a great (
hare of its work assumed by other {
houlders quickly gave place to dread
est the ministerial progress of educa-
ion might be disregarded. and chief |
y lest such a powerful wea pom for DO !
tical evolution as the education of |
he younger generation might fall into
Their hands Restrictions followed. |
With the aid of legislative measures {
nd circulars, public and secret the
ministry of public instruction brought | I
matters to such a pass that the Zem- I
tvos. after voting the money and !
the Schools were forced to
urrender them TO the ministry. As
light concession they were, nCweV or, ,
eTmitted to conduct primary schools.
not more than two classes
Standards), providing the teaching
dhered strictly to the government pro- {
Tamme, using only school books au-
horized by the ministry and under the z
lost stringent control of the govern {
rent, all of which involved enormous a
Expenditure Of energy and money.
School Evolution. ,
1T is OF interest to follow the course !
I school evolution in Russia, which is :
such special importance for this ] l
ountry since it IS the lack of education ! |
nat keeps Russia "a laggard among I
ne European nations. Every peasant
istinctively feels the necessity of edu- ,
atlon- Neither veXatious restrictions !
q