The Washington herald., 1907-02-10
PEASANT VOTE HEAVY
Will Be Important Factor in
Coming Donna.
INSURES STRONG LAND PARTY
Per Cent of Rural Free
holders Cast Bn1IOts-StubbOrn In
Their Determination to Select Their
Own Radical Representatives.
Many Poor, simple Men Picked.

St Petersburg Feb 9.-The Importance
of the peasant-labor combination in the
coming Douma becomes increasingly evil
dent as the elections proceed. Two thirds
of their delegates hitherto elected to the
final electoral college are classified by
their own independent returns as belong
ing 20 the left wing Of the opposition.
They chose practically no "dakettes." OF
OctObrists. and the only considerable ele-
ment, except this radical land reform
party. is the clerical reactionary group
which may amount TO one-sixth of the
present delegates in the body selecting
the actual members of the Donna.
This progressive peasant contingent
cannot organize itself as a parliamentary
group until the members assemble at St.
Petersburg on the eve Of the convOcation
of the Donna. and win probably not
adopt seasonal tactics until il has been
seen what are the contents of the
thrones speech
Bulk of Peasants Vote.
It is considered highly significant that,
despite all handicaps, greater proper
ton of peasants voted than any other
class Of population, even including the
radical workmen in towns. Seyenty-twO
per cent of the qualified peasants voted
al the primary elections, many of them
I travelling scores Of verts to the polling
places. Only A. per cent OF these voted
last year. Hitherto &c per cent Of the
eligiblcs voted in towns
3 81
shown by small landowners, of whom
only about 10 per cent chose delegates for
that class This is partially eXplainable
By the fact that it includes peasant free
holders who were disqualified by the local
authorities, who fixed a small landowners
election for the same day as the peasant
primary election and made the peasant
freehoIders liable To a fine If they were
absent from the peasant meetings.
Chose Many old DOuma Members.
Returns from the provinces furnish
abundant proof that the country has been
entirely unconverted by six months of
Premier Stolypins administration The
candidates have shown remarkably little
personal hostility toward him beyond de-
claring that he must know that his pro-
fuse circulars enjoining local authorities
TO act justly and promising reforms, al
remain dead letter
1t is remarkable that wherever possible
the electors are choosing the same dele
gates as last year. and this despite the
fact that $50 Of the most active members
Of the last Donna are disqualified be-
cause they signed the Vlborg manifesto.
1t is evident that the peasantry is as
stubborn as the bureaucracy The latter
tried their utmost 10 force its clerical re-
dictionary candidates on constituencies in
the more remote provinces. but the peas
ants made a determined fight to secure
a member OF their own choosing.
Peasants stubborn Fighters.
A practical instance was in the Vim
tia district Of Kief province a force
OF police and delegation Of the Black
Hundred appeared at a peasants meet
ing place The chief Of police read
paper telling them whom 10 elect The
peasants replied that they had decided on
their own two candidates and would elect
nobody else When the police attempted
TO arrest the candidates. their supporters
opened fight and drove off the police and
the Black Hundred
In the rural constituencies OF Kleff.
Tchernigoff POltava. Simbirsk. and
kazan. the peasants are choosing almost
exclusively poor, simple men, and appar-
entity the essence OF their programme is To
make oppression of their class by local
functonaries in their provinces fmpossi-
BILE They place the redress of their
grievances decidedly before agrarian re-
forms.
The feature which stands out in the
struggle at St Petersburg is the vehe-
ment attack Of the Left on the Kadettes
as opportunists who are willing to avail
themselves Of the opportunity of ne
gOtiating with the government on the
basis Of the liberal manifesto of last sum
mer IN reply to the speech from the
throne. There is abundant reason for
stating that the government will wholly
disregard the programme OF the
Kadettes, and present moderate pro-
posals for legislation in the speech from
the throne.