Durango semi-weekly herald. (Durango, Colo.) 1899-1907, 1906-08-09

| month"; Many OF them VIII be lynn
on the roadside where they have fal
lem others Will be staggering an,
shouting. The police do not inter
fere with them unless they becom,
violent. When they are found dea,
drunk on the ground they are pu
into droskies and sent home Tn,
family has to pay for the drosky.
II the peasants are well treate,
they are docile and obodient. but Il
they feel sense OF injury OF II the,
imagine that they have been deceived
or been imposed upon they are un
controllable.
These characteristics make what Is
called the agrarian problem more
important and vital to the peace OF
Russia than any other OF the many
questions that now agitate the en-
pire. The mobs In cities. the labor
organizations. the revolutionary as
sociations, the radical press and 9th
err agencies antagonistic to the gov
eminent can be handled with com.
paratively little trouble, but nothing
can suppress an uprising OF the peas.
| ants. There are not enough soldiers
in the army to check the passions OF
| 10000. 900 of ferocious and irresponsl.
BILE creatures. Therefore the great
est menace to Russia today comes
from that source. AZ the same time
II seems impossible to satisfy their
demands, although the leaders of the
douma. realizing the gravity of the
situation. are giving them the first
consideration and are now studying
the question with great diligence.
They may conclude their labors and
report bill before this letter IL pub.
lished.
The peasants have already looted
and burned hundreds of estates. some
of them having been the finest In
Russia. One chateau in central Rus.
STA which was utterly destroyed con.
tanned famous library and collec-
ton of pictures. but net single ar
ticle of value was saved. Every day
the newspapers contain dispatches
from various sections giving accounts
OF more devastation. which shows
that the agitators are active and that
the peasants are not accepting the
advice of their representatives In the
douma to remain quiet until an OPP
portunity has been given to meet
their demands. After the harvest.
which is now going on. and the ad.
journment OF the douma. In case moth.
Ing final shall be determined, there
may be general uprising. The con
sequences will be appalling. What
mikes the peasants the more danger
Gus Is that they have very little rea-
soDing power and no knowledge OF
government, and centuries of expert
ence have taught them that an auto
crat can and will do what ne pleases,
with or without justice
Mr.. AnnikIn. one of the sensible
and experienced Of the peasant lead
ers in the douma. who is genuine
farmer with horny hands. and not
vodka agitator like Aladdin. made
speech the other day In which he de-
scribed the sentiments Of his class in
very few words He said
I'VE were elected to secure land
and liberty for the people We find
that this cannot be done without con
fscating private property and prop
erty which belongs to the church.
The .nds OF the crown and the state
are not sufficient to go around. The
government will be compelled to take
what Is necessary from private indi-
x,tA 10, ho .
do so Immediately. The government
must not delay. or II will soon be too
late, and the people will take what
they want in their own way
That is Annakin's idea OF solving
the problem. and 1t is shared by all
of the peasant members with whom |
have talked. The other day at
tempted to interview shaggy mujik
In the hall OF the douma--a member
from the province of Sarltoff-who
was described to me as being one of
the most Intelligent OF the farmer
about anything but the land question.
He frankly admitted that he did not
know or care about other questions
before toe douma. When | asked his
views concerning woman suffrage he
replied that ibddnt make any differ
ence whether women voted or not, so
long as they got the land.
asked another peasant member
about the causes OF the massacres of
the Jews and the reasons for the uni
versal persecution OF that race In