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

manufactures and three times as
many wage-earners. with more than
80 per cent o. them out OF employ
ment, and I might &c through the
list Of the larger places with similar
remarks. II the total were computed
the number of unemployed would
doubtless run up into the millions.
These are dangerous class. An
Idle man with grievance IL always
likely to make mischief, and the
masses OF hungry, disconnected and
ignorant men are excellent material
for the revolutionIst agitators to use
In their schemes.
The universities and other schools
have been closed for two years. and
between 10000 and 10000 students.
ions In political matters. are assisting
In the revolutionary propaganda. Pro
lessor MIlyoukov, leader OF the con
stitutional party, told me the other
day that II the government did not
open the universities this fall as usual
the douma would pass law requir-
ing that Instruction be resumed.
ST. PETERSBURG, July 15.-The
greatest OF all the calamities In Rus
sia Is the famine, which has already
continued for nearly year without
the knowledge Of the world, and now
threatens the existence Of at least IL
and possibly 20 millions OF the popu-
lation OF European Russia In "a of
the so provinces. If you will take
your map of Russia and follow the
course OF the volga river, west and
southwest OF Moscow, you will find
the area where the greatest distress
prevails. According to an official
statement made by Mr.. Stolypin, min
lister OF the Interior. to the douma the
other day. there was total failure
of crops In the provinces OF Samara.
Saratoff, Simbrisk, Kazan and Mini
Novgorod last year. a partial failure
In 20 governments" in the adjoining
provinces. and very small crops In
portions OF "a provinces of the en-
pire. The total yield of the 80 prov
inces OF Russia last year was less
than SO per cent of the normal and
this year, according to official returns,
1t will be still smaller. In the prov
inces named, and also in Astrakhan
and Kulais, the official reports show
that not more than 25 per cent of the
usual crop will be harvested. and In
215 districts (counties) where the
government distributed more than a
million and half dollars worth OF
seed last spring there will be an alb
solute failure.
At least 12.000.000 people will be
entirely without food in consequence
of the failure of crops, and will moi
only require assistance to carry them
over the winter, but the government
must furnish them seed to plant next
| spring. The extent and severity OF
the famine are greater than six years
ago, when we sent shiploads of wheat
and flour from the United States.
The cause of the famine primarily
Is drought, which has prevailed fol
two years In the valley n the volga
Not more than ~ inches of rain fel
last year In the provinces / have
named, and this year there has beer
even less. The seed that was plant
ed last month has not sprouted. II
has dried up In the ground. In 9th
er provinces the crops were destroy.
ed. damaged or neglected as results
OF political disturbances. Vast areas
OF ripened wheat. rye and barley
were burned by the soldiers who were
sent Into the farming districts to
suppress peasant uprislngs last fall,
and burned village after village like
the Cloths and Vandals. The peas
ants themselves have also created
enormous devastation upon the es-
tates of rich mobiles and other land
owners, much of 1t being due to an
unreasonable frenzy to revenge fan
| cied or actual grievances. The Rus
sian peasant at peace is a stolid, ODE.
dent, industrious, loyal laborer, but
he Is very superstitious, stubborn,
cruel and vindictive, and when he be-
lieves he Ia suffering from injustice
and wrong ne becomes a fend and
nothing can bring him to reason until
his passion has exhausted itself.
The revolutionary party sent agents
into several of the provinces last year
to stir up the peasants to revolution,
and In nearly all cases they were to
some extent successful in arousing
their passions and directing their
vengeance against the mobiles and the
land owners as representatives of the
power which Expresses them. The
military forces sent to put down the
disturbances acted with their usual
brutality and destroyed both life and
property without mercy wherever
they went. Vast areas OF productive
land were ravaged and produced moth
Ing last year. nor were they planted
to crops this spring.
The imperial government, as usual,
has attempted to relieve the distress
OF the peasants by the purchase and
distribution of food and seed, and has
been expanding an average of ST.
100000 a week for nearly year for
that purpose. Mr. Stolypin, minister
NJ tha Int rA.-,taa T.. A. ,.......