Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-16
LARCELYDUE T0LAB0R
Cause of the Present RevoIu-
ton in Russia.
FURNISHED MOTIVE POWER
Tremendous Effect of the Strike OF
1895.
MAxIM's GREAT INFLUENCE
Had Great Control Over the Masses
Now a Fugitive in This Country
With a Price on His Head.
GREAT INFLUENCE
MAXIM's {


Record Herald.
ST. PETERSBURG. July %, 1905. :
The present revolution in Russia is very
largely due to the working men. They
have furnished the force that has pushed
IL along.
In the summer of 1896 phenomenon oc-
CURED in St. Petersburg. the like Of which
had never been dreamed of. The opera
tives in twenty-five cotton factories, num-
bering more than 10000, struck for a re-
duction of their days work to twelve
hours. for slight Increase in wages, to be
paid by the week; for one and one-half
hours time for dinner to have their ma
chimes cleaned during the twelve working
hours and for some other changes in the
regulations.
The demands were so reasonable that
Count de White, then minister of finance,
ordered the companies to grant them
The strike lasted only a few days. The
methods employed by the strikers were
perfectly peaceful; no violence occurred.
The men simply stayed at home instead of
going to work and sent committees to the
managers to explain why. There was no
political or revolutionary significance
about the event; it was simply protest
against longer carrying burden that was
too heavy to be borne bur, at the same
ganized labor. The uneducated masses"
submissive and harmless up to that hour,
became the greatest force in the empire,
and the socialists and revolutionists. TAX
ing the hint. directed their chief propa-
ganda among the factories and workshops.
According to Russian law strike was
unlawful and until few months ago a
labor union. as I told you the other day,
was a crime. But the precedent of the
cotton factory operatives in 1896 could not
be ignored. Other movements and out
breaks of a similar character began to oc-
cur in different parts of the empire. The
government sometimes supported one side,
sometimes the other, generally choosing
the stronger. and thereby encouraged
rather than discouraged the efforts of the
artisans to make better terms with their
employees. And the inevitable result hap
pened. The workingmen who began with
protesting against economic oppression
soon drifted into opposition to the autoc-
racy, and great political party called the
social democrats was formed.
- The professional socialist agftators soon
obtained control of the movement and, in
addition to peaceful demonstrations and
suspensions of labor for the purpose of OBJ
tanning concessions in wages and hours.
developed armed demonstrations against
the government The radical element
fighting branch of the party, which soon
made itself known by a series of political
murders. Three Of the cabinet ministers
were assassinated and the sentence Of death
upon several other Objectionable officials
Naturally the conservatives and the radi-
Gals separated, and in 1885, what are now
known as the social revolutionaries seced-
by the Jewish Bund the most energetic
and dangerous socialist organization In
Russia.
Maxim the Agitator.
Maxim. the mysterious agitator. was the
leader OF that faction. He Is now in the
United States. a fugitive. with a price set
upon his head. The sum of 81. 800 will be
paid to any one who delivers him dead or
alive to the Russian police
Maxim Is a very remarkable man. His
Identity has never been definitely fixed. He
wears pseudonym, but It Is known that
he is a Polish Jew by birth. that he is a
graduate of the University Of Warsaw and
that he studied law in the office of one of
the principal attorneys in that city. Last
year he left his studies and appeared at
the head OF movement which tried to set
up an Independent republic on socialistic
principals in the Baltic provinces.
Although still boy. not more than TWEEN
ty-four or twenty-five years of age: pale
beardless and of delicate physique, Maxim
has wonderful power over his fellow-be-
fngs and fairly enthralls every audience he
addresses. He speaks five languages; his
voice is powerful and musical, his manner
Is mesmeric, and I am told that he can
hypnotize his hearers until they become
almost hysterical
During his brief career as a revolutionary
leader Maxim has had several narrow es-
capes from death and capture. Three ar
four have been almost miraculous, which
Increases his influence for these expert
ences have added to the mystery which en-
velops him. During the great strike last
October he organized the employees of the
government on the railroads, telegraph
lines and in the postal service. and his au-
thority was so great that his followers
would do anything that he suggested. You
will remember that all railroad, postal
ana Geographic communication was sus-
pended for several days, but not a man
In any OF those branches of the govern
ment employment was killed or injured.
During the strike Maxim usually wore the
uniform of letter carrier, but had a way
Of changing his DISCUSSES very. frequently
and Is said to have carried In his luggage
the uniforms of colonel of cavalry and
private In the Cossack guards. the at
tire of a common workman and the robes
of an orthodox Greek priest.
II Maxim could have remained In Rus
sia he might have held the social demo-
cratic party together. but association
of such enormous numerical strength could
not be expected to remain solid, particu-
larly when the leaders are In continual
dissention. The original social democrats
are split up into dozen or more different
factions. Since the elections last spring
classified better and more accurately than
before.
Aims of Revolutionary Socialists.
- The revolutionary socialists. as they call
themselves. are the radical wing. and their
ostensible purpose Is to transform Russia
into a republic, with universal suffrage for
men and women. and a constituent assem-
bly,, which is to elect one Of its number to
serve as president or chief executive for q
term of two years. 1t would dissolve the
Russian empire into its constituent parts.
restoring the independence of Poland, Fin
land and the various other former states
which from time to time have been added
by conquest to the Russian empire. They
would practically repeal all laws and abol-
ish all taxes; they would have army or
police or courts. AS Michailichenovo, one
Of the members or the duma, declared with
fanatical enthusiasm in answer to my
squestion the other day:
: I'VE need no law but intelligence; we
need no courts but conscence"-and all
that sort of thing.
He told me that they demanded liberty,
fraternity and equality" they would repu-
date the public debt because 1t was con-
fracted by an autocrat without the consent
of the people. why should the people be
responsible for obligations created by their
oppressors?" he cried. Let the creditors
suffer instead OF the people. Haven't we
suffered" Mr.. Michalichenovo has scarlet
hair and ragged scarlet whiskers, with
nall fla 10