Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-26

CARS MOTHER IN DANGER
Terrorists Said to Have Sentenced Her
to Death-Views Of
Crisis.
By WILLIAM n CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record-Herald.
ST PETERSBURG, July 81. 1905
Everybody seems to agree that there must
be universal suffrage in Russia, notwith-
standing the fact that II, 100000 out OF a
population Of 14O.OOO,O0O cannot read or
write, and there Is a strong sentiment in all
the political parties in favor OF comforting
the franchise upon women also. Imagine I'M
iversal suffrage in the United States with
only one in five Of the voters able to spell
the names upon their ballots: yet that is
proposed for the Russian empire, where
so per cent or perhaps two-thirds of the
people never read newspaper and do not
own book and could not name the CONT
nents.
You will remember that universal suf-
frage, including women, was one Of the
items in the list of demands presented by
the late duma to the car at the beginning
of the session, and it is included in tho
programs of the constitutional democrats,
the social democrats. the social revolution
lists, the labor party and other political Or
ganiZations while the octoberists, the con-
sentative element are also considering uni
verSal suffrage and woman suffrage, al
though they have not yet formally adopted
either in their program. At least it may
be said that nearly all of the members Of
the late duma, except the peasants and the
Mohammedans are in favor of woman suf-
frage. The Tartars. who number 25O0O. 900
in the empire, will resist on religious
grounds. Like other Moslems, they keep
their women secluded.
There were a number of women advocates
OF the suffrage cause about the Tauride
Palace every day during the sessions of the
late duma, laboring personally with the
peasants and others who are opposed to
them and circulating literature.
Fair Sex Free.
Russian women already have as much
as much as the English. and much more
than those of any other continental country
except the Swiss and Scandinavians. They
owe their emancipation to Peter the Great
and Catherine II. who gave them all the
rights that men enjoy In business In prop
erty and in the professions Prof Milu-
koff declares that Russian women are even
more Independent than American women
SO far as property Is concerned, for when
they are married they have entire control
Of their estates; their husbands cannot in
terfere with them, and have not even the
right OF inheritance. They can dispose Of
their fortunes as they choose. Many wo-
men are found In business in Russia, and
they practice medicine extensively, but I
cannot learn that there are any lawyers Of
that sex. AS I have already told you in
previous letters, the official stenographers
In both houses of parliament are women,
and there are several women in the report
ers' galleries. representing the st. Peters,
burg newspapers and corresponding for
those In other cities.
Women have practically the same chance
In education as men, and all but the mill
tary, naval and several OF the technical
schools are open to them. They are adj
mitted to the universities on the same basis
as men, and there are nine colleges in st.
Petersburg alone exclusively for women.
Men and women students stand on an
equality In the class rooms and outside.
They are crowded together in lodgings and
boarding houses, and in the political DEM
onstrations made by the students from time
to time they take an active part. In all OF
the revolutionary groups women share the
responsibilities and dangers and are very
effective missionaries for liberty. Women
and girls live alone. go to the theater. walk
the streets and travel alone, and are quite
as free in this respect as their sisters in
the United States.
Widows May Vote.
In the commune system which prevails
throughout rural Russia, widows who have
families have the same political rights and
vote like men. They often take an active
part in the business affairs Of the COM
mune. Nevertheless, as a rule, the peasant
members Of the late duma were opposed to
woman suffrage. They will not consent to
confer the civil rights and privileges upon
their wives and daughters which they ex-
pect themselves to enjoy. They explain that
1t would destroy the peace of the home"
The peasant women have made no claims
to suffrage, and I presume that very few II
any, of them are aware Of the crusade that
Is now going on In their interest. It is to
be presumed also that the epeasant mem
bers of the duma fairly represent the opin-
ions Of their class. AS rule the peasant
women are well treated and, as in other
countries of Europe, they exercise a great
influence in the family, but one of the
I'VE do not want to give them too much
to be proud Of The proper work for wom-
en- is to take care of the house and the
children. We will give them some rights
later. 1t Is too soon to talk about women
voting"
When I asked another Of the peasant
members whether he was in favor Of Civ
ing the vote to women, he replied that he
did not care who voted, as long as his peo-
pie got more land, and that, undoubtedly
would have been the answer OF most Of
them, because their minds are so dull that
they cannot think Of more than one subject
at time. and their own problem requires
all Of their attention
Another, who seemed to have q sense Of
humor, replied to my question:
IF women were allowed to vote, they
and the priests would rule the empire"
When asked another II he was In favor
Of women voting. he answered:
mot the cars mother" referring to her
well-known reactionary tendencies. 1t Is
rfoA hot hn hou va
her to death because of her alleged inter-
ference with the duma and her participa-
ton, with Gen. Trepon, Pobiedonostseff and
Gen. Ignatieff, in the councils Of the "star
chamber" 1t is asserted that an attempt
was made to assassinate her not long ago.
Regarding its failure, q boastfui terrorist
said in my hearing:
I'VE will get her yeti''
Is Suffrage Imperativef
Georges Milutine, one Of the leaders Of
the Octoberist or conservative party. said
the other day that universal suffrage Is