Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-07
That Made Milwaukee Far

sands of copies of bogus proclamations
signed by the car and bearing has SEAL
printed in the same type and in the same
form as the usual imperial maniIeseoes'
These proclamatlons set lorth ina. d ne
car, having failed to persuade the noples
and other landlords to divide ther laha
with the peasants, commands MS oeioTeu
children to avenge him and TO punish MS
enemies.
The officers who have been sent down
with military forces to suppress these up
risings almost invariably attribute the oAs-
turbances to such receptions and report
that the peasants never attempt TO DENY
their completely in the work OF destruc,
ton, but usually boast OF 1t with pride ana
satisfaction. They beg the officers TO lei.
the car that they have obeyed MIN ana
have destroyed the property OF his enemies
in accordance with his request.
One of the peasant members of the douna
who has just returned from tour through
the lower Volga provinces says that the
finest estates In that part of RUSSIA nave
already been destroyed under circumstances
similar to those l have Described he az
tributes the ease with which the peasants
have been deluded in large measure 10
the careless ambiguity In the manifesto OF
November 49, 1905, which was especially
addressed to the peasantry, promising tnat
their interests should be speedily attenoeu
to and that their land should De ncreaseo'
This manifesto was published and circu-
lated In every parish in Russia and Is IA
miliar to almost every peasant 1t was
read in all the churches. 1t was posted on
the doors Of every church ana every pupEe
Office The bogus proclamations are osten-
sfbly based upon 1t and are printed m the
same forms and the same type.
The Peasants Union.
This work OF destruction must not be
ascribed to the influence OF the peasants
union, an orderly and conservative organiza-
ton, which was started in July, 1905, and
has been trying to enlighten the people of
the rural districts concerning their political
rights Wherever the peasants union has
been working such disorders as have de-
scribed have seldom occurred. The union
has been carrying on Its work through the
most intelligent members OF the communl-
ties especially school teachers, doctors and
the AGRICULTURAL instructors employed by the
zemstyoe.
The central bureau of the union was sup
pressed and It's officers were arrested In
months more than 81 GOO of Its members
were arrested. Since the opening of the
douma the union has resumed active work.
and Is holding meetings among the peasants
In many places These meetings usually
pass resolutions asking for freedom and
more land, which are forwarded to mem
bers of the douma.
Tatghty-six of the peasant members of the
douma who belong to the union have re-
fused to join the labor group. and are TAX
ing a very conservative stand. They adhere
to the peasant manner OF dress, tney i've
In q very modest way, and are thus able to
save great part of the IS a day which Is
the compensation of the members of the
Russian parliament. They look with dis
trust upon the socialists and other mem
bers Of the labor group. They go too far"
Is the reason they give. we want land
and freedom" they say. but freedom win
be of no use to US unless we have more
land And we must be taught how TO use
the land and how to use the freedom when
we get them.
Attitude Of the Peasants
That is the way they talk. Mr.. Mayer
enko one of the peasant members. ex-
pressed this idea very succinctly in CONVEX
sation the other day. but would not discuss
any of the other subjects before the dou-
ma He seemed to be conscious OF his lack
Of information concerning them. and was
shrewd enough not to give himself away"
He showed me copies of resolutions passed
at peasant union meetings In hie district,
and told me that they expressed the senti-
ments of the entire people when they M
structed him to do nothing to compromise
tied the land question. Mr.. Nazeranko Ii q
genuine farmer and still has soil on his
boots. He wears the typical peasant dress,
his hands are calioueed and show evidences
az labor but he has had considerable ex-
per1ence In legislative Affairs as member
OF local examinations and delegate to sew
erai congresses. He Is thoroughly loyal to
the GEAR and attributes the mistakes OF the
government TO the stupidity Of the uin-
istry.