Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-01

Even now the munlClpal government IL
FEEDING thirty-hve or forty thousand unem-
ployed people every day. which. Of course,
would stop the moment strike was or
dered.
the provision stores and the palaces, which
contain millions upon millions In treasure
gold. silver and precious stones. In the
Kremlin at Moscow, among the treasures
and trophies Of the Romanoffs, are gold
plate and jewels enough to support the en-
tire Russian nation for some time, but
who could turn them into bread and meat
II the doors were broken down and the
vaults were stripped of their contents? In
the vaults Of the national bank are said to
be several hundred millions Of rubles,
which might be reached IL the military
squads were corrupted. but that would not
satisfy hungry child. Thus far in the
cities the mobs of Russia have disturbed
neither public nor private property, except
In the attacks upon the Jews, but in the
country hundreds of millions Of dollars
Guiding plate. china. pictures, libraries.
Even the breeding stations belonging to
Prince Orloff on what is perhaps the most
famous breeding farm in all the world,
were hamstrung. II the mobs in the cities
should be infected by that spirit Of devas-
tation, the result would be terrible, and
footing is liable to become general In case
the strike occurs.
Peasants Want Much.
1t seems impossible to do anything to
satisfy the peasants The government can
only offer promises that they will not &C
cept. while the revolutionary parties have
agents among them stirring them up to
plumber and kill and burn on the pretext
that they are carrying out the orders Of
which the dissolution of the duma made
upon the peasantry, 1t is necessary to know
their simple conception of its Importance
and it's power and their faith in its ability
to work miracles.
1.-The car ordered US to send our best
men to parliament that would settle all
questions to the satisfaction Of the people
and give us the land we needed" is the
way they describe 1t. And, after the cleo
tons every member of the duma from the
country districts received written instruc-
tons called "nakases,' such as a commit
tee might give to an agent whom it was
sending off to represent 1t in q business
transaction. These '.nakases'' were based
upon an entirely false or exaggerated con-
ception of the powers and jurisdiction Of
the duma, and most Of them asked impos-
delegates came from the various provinces
to st. Petersburg during the sessions of
the duma to see that the peasant members
were doing their duty. These special en-
In order to get rid Of them the members
OF the duma would introduce them to the
leaders Of the various groups and obtain
from them assurances that everything was
sires and that they must have patience
until the duma was able to take action.
L am assured that no less than 10000 of
instructions such as I have described were
the brief session of the duma, and in every
case an assurance was returned that every
thing would be made right.
It will therefore be very difficult to ex-
plain to the thick-headed. stubborn, litter
ate masses why the duma was dissolved
before 1t had an opportunity to comply
with their demands, and when they learn
that the body In which they had placed so
mucn 1alth was dissolved by the car their
confidence in him is likely to be impaired
Hot Air From the Throne.
The government, realizing the serious
ness of this situation, has already begun
on land project and Is having an inven-
tory made of all available crown, state and
lands. Mr.. Stolypin furnished
the newspapers a statement for publica-
ton the other day which was intended to
quiet the wrath Of the peasants. He said:
1.-THE interests of the peasants lie near
to the cars heart. His majesty and those
who are carrying out his orders admit the
justice Of the claims put forward by the
to solve the agrarian problem in spirit
OF sympathy. generosity and equity 1 be-
iieve that the peasants will recognize this
when the details of our land proposals are
by local commissions appointed from
among those that enjoy the confidence of
the people. When the cabinet is complete
we shall come forward with program
1ects which demand immediate solution"
This statement has been circulated as
widely as possible in the hope of prevent
ing uprisings. and It may revive the faith
has had several splendid opportunities to
win the gratitude Of the peasants who
have always been loyal to him, but he has
taken such course as to ALLEVIATE them
have been drifting farther and farther
apart. When they came up with their
great cry for farms and homes of their
own. his ministers told them that it was
an nonsense-that they had all the land
they needed. and that 1t was impossible
and improper for the government to take
land away from one citizen to give it to
another. Four weeks later, at the demand
OF the panic-stricken landlords, these same
ministers sent in bill giving nearly all
the peasants had asked for, but the latter
rejected It, I'VE have a plan of our own
to adopt that we like better" they said,
and they knew the government would be
compelled to adopt 1t sooner or later, be-
cause the nobility and other landowners
were frightened into Mysteries and were
clamoring for protection
Resort to Threats.
The peasants know where to strike For
example. the villagers who live upon the
estates Of the Grand Duke Michael Alex
androvich sent in resolution complaining
Of the treatment they had received from
him and demanding that the duma give
them the land adjoining their dwellings.
which belongs to him.
IF the government will not satisfy our
Demands they said land will not do us
justice and remedy our wrongs so that we
can earn few kopecks for the mainte-
nance Of our families, we shall refuse to
suffer any longer and shall finally be
obliged to secure relief and satisfaction by
the shedding of blood"
That is a very strong argument in favor
of prompt action.
The government has already abandoned
the land scheme which 1t submitted to the
duma and proposes to adopt one that was
by Mr.. Kutter, formerly assistant
minister Of agriculture in the De Witte
cabinet.
Kutter was compelled to resign his or
flee for proposing such revolutionary
That was less than a wear
ago, but the government will be glad If
the peasants will now accept 1t. 1t is NOT
quite SO liberal as the Herzenstein hill
which would have been adopted by the
duma If that body had been allowed TO re-
main In existence few days longer, but
It provides for the distribution of ali the
lands belonging to the government the
crown and the monasteries and the pur-
chase of private estates SO far as thew are
or1d h1 IL