Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-20

| cidently across questions of social
| character. thanks to reading books of
| political economy and universal his
tory.
l was we'll versed in general com.
| merce, taking part in the business
| of my parents even while at school.
| That is why 1 know by what means
| riches are created. I can regard con-
scientiouslY all questions which are
supposed TO be social signs. AS / de-
| veloped and my opinions took concrete
form my ideas became idealistic and
| liberal. in humanitarian more than
a political sense. l did not read any
| more with faith in the "Svet" and
'I'idomosti.' Preaching of corporal
punishment and hate of mankind re-
VOTED me. The second year of life at
the University passed very we'll with
me. l did not take part in the meet
ines and did not know where they had
| their clubs. About the question and
existence of labor problems in Russia
was ignorant. Illegal literature |
had never seen. l was so naive that
| the acquaintance OF Il Moscow work =
| man was not of any use to me. This
| workman wanted to learn from me
| poetry and arithmetic. l met him
| openly and did not know that such
kind of acquaintance could be called
suspicious and could lead to disagree
able consequences for both of us.
| taught this man arithemtic, but | do
| not remember ever having mentioned
| politics to him.
My revolutionary life began i'm the
| beginning of 1901 when took part con-
sclentiously in the Students movements
"hlch began from the time the Kietf
| ana St Petersburg students were sem
10 serve in the army. AT this time I
was neither socialist or reyoiutionist
| AZ most was simply II liberal TIL,
| iiIst lilcGal literature which came to
| NY notice was the students procla,ra .
| IONS. My comrades know well with
! WHAT ulInculty l was brought to take
part in the protest against the break
| ing OF laws and the military service
when was forced ON the other student:
l already knew that il &c cided to PRO
| test ! would go to the end and for this
| would be compelled to serve in tn .
army. At that time there was runo;.
that several students had been shot
would not obey orders. The Russian
| press was forbidden to write about the
students. Only the Moscow Nicdomosti
ctaslonally wrote something. 1t seem
| cd 10 me as if sheet had fallen over
Russia and through this sheet could b.
| seen various things which l could not
understand. ] plunged into the demon
strati"n Notwithstanding the prayers %:
| f.at I,k,,.
| was fatal to me as well as to many
others. When the first shot in Khroff
WAS heard l got afraid. l had the idea
| that perhaps l also was in some way to
blame, but the next occurrence. as ir
on purpose. reversed my ideas. I saw
| how the police were meddling in the
affairs and were playing spy. had tht.
| pleasure of being summoned before the
local court where they tried to give mo
the idea that the Government could not
stop TO the students and would not do
so. | was in the Moscow manage where
was sent with many other students
| There We sat three days guarded bv
Cossacks and soldiers. There | hear!
how outside the workmen and other
people tried to break the doors in order
| to release us, but we saw that agains.
| our dcliverance there was a row OF
| soldiers ready to shoot cur rescuerS
| down. After that we We're sent TO Butit>-
snoe prison and l became q convict. In
this prison l for the first time became
acquainted with books on revolution.
| For the first time 1 heard the brave
| word revolution" At this time in
| Moscow there happened IL demonstra-
| ton of the workmen who were helping
the students on the great battle field
of political reform. At this time the
| Holy Synod communicated the cele-
brateu writer Tolstoy. I knew Tolstoy
| only as balladist and did not know
| his religious opinions and now learned
| that this favored writer was cursed for
| sins which were not known to ne.
When the priests cursed 1olstoy openly
| I learned that there is no freedom of
| speech in Russia.
At this time St. Petersburg students
were beaten numerically with whips a,
| The time of demonstration on KaZan
Square. So after being involved in these
| affairs | came out L man with revolu-
| tinnary imclinations. Ny destiny was
decided. My coming to the way Of
| thinking of active r"Nolutionists was
| only IA matter of time. OEly a month
or two had passed when | was arrested
again. in April of 1901. I was accused
Of being in possession of Illegal litera-
ture. Yes after my exclusion from the
| University l gradually began reading
| the books of socalistic nature. and read
illegal editions. becoming more ac-
quainted with the tasks of the revolu-
| tonists. with their ways of agitating
and began TO feel myself in sympathy
with them. Bat when they arrested me
| 50 soor after my punishment from
| MOSCOW | had no time, in spite OF my
good wishes and convictions. to show
any activity. I was arrested first for
my convictions. for my ideas and on
account Of this I could rot take an ac
| tive part in the movement. After ban
shment on account of my convictions
| could not help being = revolutionIst.
THE government made me revolu-
ZIONIST. 1t declared me to be outside the
law. 1t forced me to The revolutionists
ranks. The government was not the
cause of my becoming a socialist. l be-
came socialist by learning of the evils
in society. and by iesrning the means
of he aling them. I became socialist
after | had been a :evolGtionist. ana