The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-30
RUSSIA WORSE TEAM ISLAM.
PERIL CONFRONTING PEASANTS.
IN TIE CAUCASUS.
COssaeks Gathering whore Once Msham-
medan ArmIes were Withstood Pres
ent Prosecutions OF The Georgians-A
peasant Electisa for the Next Duma.

medan Armies were Wtthst0Od -Pres-
ent Persecatisns sf the Geergisns-A
Peasant Election for tho Next Duma.
ALAZAN VALLEY, in thetCaucasus, Nov. rs.
1t is Sunday, and the villagers Of the
Caucasus ave spent the morning In electing
the first grade for next years Duma.
As you know, the representatives Of
Russian peasants are like cousins three
times removed. They have aoquaint ance
with only Q very small psrt'or their con-
s~tituenrs.
The peasants choose a large number
OF their own people as b tirst grade.
These combine with other villages TO sp-
point a smaller board out OF their Owl
number, and these in turn finally select
the one member for the Duma.
Like the whole method Of Russian
suffrage Il is a cumbersome and undemo-
cratic system. but it has its advantages.
especially for the member himself. He
need neither address public meetings
which are forbidden-nor canvass from
door TO door. nor kiss the baby. II q
British Member OF Parliament were elected
like hat he would be relieved Of many
burdens, even, l think, Of his subscription
TO the cricket club.
For many reasons IL Ia better not to,
give the eIact name OF the place where 4
am. The authorities only desire an ex-I
cuse for persecution, n already they
act on the himsiest suspicion.
Men disappear from the villages and
are no more heard OF. l know organizers
Of cooperative societies exied as disturbeu
OF the peace, apparently because they were,
making the peasants too prosperous.
Equally Characteristic is the case otta
man who was commanded to leave Russia
at once, and meekly went to Batoum to
take ship for France. There the police
seized him for not having q foreign pass
port TO cross the frontier.
But the Government has already ordered
me across the frontier he pleaded.
That made no Inference. He wasI sent
back TO Tiiis under guard. In the train
the soldiers robbed him Of all he had. even
Of his clothes, and nov he lies in thetTidis
Jail. expecting Siberia.
For the cause any Russian or Georgian
would suffer these things without COM
plant, but this man, unhsppily. had taken
no part in the movement, and felt.no par
ticuiar interest in politics.
So for the sake Of the villa gers and my
other friends l will only say that 1 am In
SAC - NhO aH0 ZIG AS"AD Aob
hang like eagles nests high over the broad
valley OF the Alazan. and look across it
northward to the unbroken barrier Of the
central Caucasus.
Behind that snowy rampant lies Daghes-
tan, with its wild population Of ancient
Mohammedan tribes, famous even in the
Caucasus for their skill in metal WORK But
both sides OF the valley are occupied by
n----. -, -, fUr4saA1 S1xvn. Itka ,hSa
withstood for centuries the onsets OF Per-
SLAMS and other hosts of Islam.
On fighting days they still wear coats
OF mai like Crusaders. But an enemy al
most as terrible as Islam and more trescher-
Gus now stands in their midst.
In every town and many villages COM
panies OF Cossacks n other Russian troops
are stationed. Their barracks glare red,
new and hideous among the picturesque
old streets.
Flat faced soldiers, with the innocent but
stupid hook Of Central Russian peasants,
move about, like men forbid, among a race
that have the features and bearing Of Wild
falcons. You come upon them drilling
in little black lines, like the Irish constabu-
larry in that country's worst days, and the
Government seems TO be only waiting its
opportunity TO loose them upon this fertile
valley, as il loosed them at the beginning
Of this year upon the province further west.
Their orders were TO kill and destroy.
Going down early this morning from the
height Of this ~ wn into a largish village upon
the edge Of the valley l found the whole
male population gathered on a kind Of viii
lage green in front Of the church. The
villa re shop was there, and IN the centre
stood an i~mmemorial tree. surrounded with
bits OF carcasses that were to be cooked later
on for Sundays dinner.
There stood the communal school, built
by subscriptions Of the villagers them
selves, " now closed because the Govern
ment will not allow teaching in Georgian,
the only language that the children under
stand. and rather than give up their ancient
tongue the people nave rightly determined
to do without a school. There, too, stood
the shed called the town hall-the outward
symbol OF the Russian power. Nettles
grew around IL, the walks were falling in,
the roof gaped and not a villager could
be found to stick on another tile.
The peasants themselves were gathered
IN an eager and excited grouping. Wild
eyed men, shaggy in hairy caps and sheep
skin coats. At the girdle OF each hung the
two foot dagger in the sheath OF leather
and silver work. The Government has
forbidden its use. Let the Government
come and take il thenl
The meeting was excited. Seventeen
representatives had 10 be chosen from this
village alone as members Of the first grade.
| am not sure whether the candidates made
speeches on their " behalf, but certainly
all their friends spoke for them and all spoke
at once.
This 10 not in accordance with English
custom, but il has great advantage in saw
ing time. Al our election meetings,
for instance, every one present is almost
always agreed upon the choice of candi-
date, and II all the speakers on the platform
spoke together the meetings would DO
shorter and the result the same.
In Georgia there is the further difficulty
added that in each case the voting must
be unanimous or no one can be elected.
Yet they manage it somehow.
After all, IL is only like an English club,
where one blackball excludes. and before
the sun was high all the seventeen had
somehow been selected without a dis