The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-03
From Our Regular corresponden,.l

NEW YORK, March 2.-Nicholas A.
Shishkoff, who has como to this coun-
try in behalf of the thirty million ia
mine sufferers of Southeast European
Russia, is neither a governmental rep
resentative nor revofutio nist. He is
one Of the first Liberal leaders of the
empire, great landowner, who has
saggressive, democratic movement of
the Zemstvo to wrest a constitution
and a representative government from
the autocracy.
He was elected member for the pro-
vince of Samara IN the Council Of the
Empire during the last Douma, but
now holds no office, and entered upon
his present mission as private citi-
zen. Since the dissolution of the
4 Douma, last summer, he has given his
time to the work of the relief among
the villages Of tho Nolga In the
face of the increasingly desperate sit
uation in the hunger provinces other
s sources of adequate succor falling, he
conceived the purpose Of appealing to
America. and has done so on his own
4 initiative. He carries credentials from
the United Zcmsrvo Famine Relief
Committee, the national organization
which carried on work during the
Japanese War, ana also the Social Help
4. Society, which represents the Imperial
"A Economical Society, and the Organiza-
ton of Teachers and Physicians. IN
the great famine of 1S9l-1S92 when
three shiploads of grim We're sent from
America, he was one of three COM
missioners-the others being James
n E,n1Jtch n M
Oscar Konitzer a German merchant
to act as trustees for the foreign re-
lief in Sanara. 1t was perhaps the
remembrance OF the trains which came
Into the famine districts in these years,
decorated with American flags, which
kindled the hope of his present mis-
sion.
His Mother Princess.
Shishkoff belongs to the hereditary
nobility of RuESia; Ills mother was q
princess. The family have been great
landowners for zoo years, and only
recently has he disposed OF his hold
ings. He was educated in Switzerland
and st. Petersburg, With exception of
three years in railroading, the working
years Of his life have been spent in
Samara, much after the manner Of an
English country squire
For twenty-three years he was n
member OF the District and Provincial
Zemstvo, and also a member OF the
district committees for peasant affairs.
In 1891 he became 4 member OF the
Provincial Committee, which acted as
court Of cessation and i'll sense
supervised the work OF the Homski-
Machalnaki, or local justices In
1888 he took .rart in the work Of
relief of the famine OF that year, and
later was appointed BY the president
of the Peasants Bank 10 undertake.
an Investigation of the economic con-
dition of the pc; ants, who had bought
lands throughout tbs central pro-
vinces of Russia This work was ar
rested by Won Plehve and since then
Mr. Shishkoff has been engaged in
the political work leading UP TO tilc
organization OF the constitutional
Democratic party.
He was one OF the 1914 XemstvoistJ
who met in ST, Petersburg in 1904 ant
..rsked the mines" in the meeting
which drew up the famous resolutions
demanding a government by represen'
tatiyes, legislative rights, and con
stitutional assembly, After the cal
for the Doum;l he was well-night tlS
unanimous choice of the small land.
owners. and peasants of the Province
of SanIara, as one of their renregen,
tiyes but was disqualified by legal sub
terfuge on the part OF the mobiles o,
ths province who controlled the cleo,
ton machinery. The provincial Aem
stvo thercupon elected him to thu
Council Of Empire, the upper lious'
OF the National Legislatl.p made III
70. the most part of the dignitariei
appointed 10 their seats bY tha Car
In that he served though his hear
was in the Commt
Letter of Credentials.
The following Is the letter of creden
tials FROM Prince George lwoft, Mos
COW, president OF the United Zemstvt
Famine Relief Committee for the En-
pire:
Relief Committee hereby certihes
that Mr.. Nicholas Shishkon, their
4 chief agent for the Province of
samara, possess the fun confidence
Of the committee. Mr. Stish.;off
Intends visiting the United states
OF America In the hope of enlist
ing the active sy,npatiies OF The
American people In behalf OF the
sufferers from famine IN Russia.
His personal acquaintance Win me
situation in the famine-strlckeh
PROVINCES and an experience IN the
araani4atinn Of relief covering