The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-07-13
NOW STARVING
AND DESPERATE
Russian Peasants Like Wild, Hungry
Animals.
SEVERE BATTLES WITH COSSACKS.
Many Are Killed and Wounded 10 Fierce At
tacks Upon the Military Patrols In Famine
stricken Provinces-Armed With Spades
aud Pitchiorks, Body Of Peasants Resist
aSquadron of Dragoons.

st. Petersburg (By Cable).-The first
paragraph of the proposed agrarian law,
viz, the augmentation of the lands OF
the peasants by the appropriation of all
state and crown domains and church and
monastery lands, has been accepted by
the commission of the lower house with
practical unanimity. The commissioners
have now locked horns over the mode
of appropriation and the method of
disposal of private estates, and the end
is not yet in sight.
The determination to appropriate
church lands, which, in distinction to
the great estates owned by the monas-
teries, lie scattered like the lands of the
common schools in America, in small
tracts throughout the country, and sup
port the local clergy, will cause compll-
cations. Such action would deprive the
parish priests of the principal part of
their scanty emoluments and necessitate
an equivalent from some other source.
A correspondent has just completed
tour of the Provinces of Sanara and
Saratov. He reports that the drotth is
finally broken, but the rains have come
too late to save the crop and help the
peasants, who are in pitiable condition.
Their cattle have either been sold or are
starving in the fields.
The government relief granaries were
completely emptied during last years
famine. The present agrarian disorders,
which can be expected to grow worse,
are due largely to the necessity of the
peasants selling food and forage to pre-
cerve their lives and save from starva-
ton the remainder of their cattle. These
disorders have reached the highest pitch
in the Province of Voronezh, where the
troops and Cossacks, although in consid-
cradle force, are practically helpless and
on the defensive. Many peasants have
been killed or wounded in desperate at
tacks on the military patrols and the
rural guards.
According to telegram received here
from Tambov peasants on the estate of
Princess Bariatinsky attacked a commits
sary and posse of rural police. A COM
missary and four policemen were wound
ed. In another section of the Province
of Tambov body of peasants, armed
with pitchforks and spades, resisted
squadron of dragons. Because of this
resistance troops fired, killing three
peasants and wounding many others. AT
Kedabey, southeast of Tifis, hand-to-
hand fight has occurred between Cos
sacks and an armed band of peasants,
with the result that several men were
killed On both sides.
There has been fatal encounter at
Krassnopolsk, in the Province of Podo-
liza, between rich peasants and poor peas
ants. The poor men were incensed be-
cause the rich men had sent a telegram
to the lower house protesting against the
proposed distribution of land. In the
fighting one of the wealthy peasants
killed four and seriously wounded sever
al of the poorer men.
In St. Petersburg thousand workmen
have met and passed resolution oppos-
ing the agrarian program of the Group
of Toll in the lower house. They de-
clare that fearful consequences would en-
sue if this program became effective, and
urge the members of the group to recog-
nize their error and cooperate with the
Social Democrats and the Laborites.