The Cairo bulletin., 1908-03-10

CUSTOMS OF THE RUSSIANS.


but II has been on the old lines
| There has been continuity an,
evolution. but nowhere radica
changes and new departures.
1.-THE marriages OF the Russii
| peasantry are arranged under thu
influence of economic rather thar
sentimental considerations, says
Sir Donald Mackenzie Wallace. III
this, as in other respects, the Rus
sian peasantry are, as a class, ex
tremely practical and matter-of-
fact In their conceptions and habits
and are not inclined to indulge In
sublime, ethereal sentiments of any
Kind. The wife Is taken as a help
mate, or in plain language a worker.
rather than companion. and the
mother-inlaw leaves her but very
little time for idle dreaming.
In the primitive system OF agri-
culture In Russia, the natural labor
unit consists of man, a woman and
horse, Therefore. when boy be-
comes an able-bodied laborer, he
ought to be provided with the two
accessories necessary to complete
the labor unit. To procure the horse
is the duty of the head of the house.
and 1t is the duty of the female big
one to secure the wife.
When youth arrives at the
age of Is he is informed that he
should marry at once and a wife Is
selected for him. The horses and
brides are not selected because OF
their beauty but for their physical
strength and capacity for work. The
bride takes nothing with her as
doWry except her rousseau, but she
brings with her a pair OF strong
arms
las rule the peasants do not re-
spect the priests, While they have a
great reverence for the religious
ceremonies. they do not respect the
priests, This is due to the fact that
many Of the priests extort money
from the peasants, refusing TO per-
form the rites, baptism or burial.
One can hear them saying: The
priest takes from the living and the
dead
The peasant household is a
primitive labor association. OF
which the members have ali things
IN common. When a home Is bro (
ken all the adult male members
share equally.
The Mir, or Village Community, Is !
very much as the peasant household !
-a labor association--on a larger |
scale. In both cases there is com
mon 8ponsibility-in one case for |
ali the debts, and in the other for all |
the taxes and communal obligations. |
There is Village Elder. who is the .
ruler, and all important communal |
CHAIRS are regulated by the Village |
The households compos-
,4g a commune farm independently
hay into the common treasury cer-
tain fixed sums.
"They cannot NOW hay or plow
the field until the Village Assembly
has passed a resolution on the SUBJ
iect. Ii peasant becomes a drunk
ard, every family in the village has a
right 10 complain. A peasant cannot
leave the village with
1ut the consent of the Commune,
and this consent will not be given
until the applicant gives satisfactory
security for his actual and future
liabilities. which includes taxes and
lues for passport while he is away.
II a peasant wishes to go away to
work he cannot do so until he has
permission, which serves as pass
port during his absence, and he may
De recalled at any moment by COM
nunal decree. '''
Until in 1903 there was COM
non responsibility for taxes, but this
was abolished by the Emperor on
he advice of NJ White. The allot-
nent of land Is one of the most I'M
)ortant events in the Commune, and
often the allotment proves to be a
burden, instead OF a blessing, be-
,ause It entails responsibilities and
Woman, as woman, does not re-
,eive much consideration among the
peasants, but a particular woman,
such as the head Of household, Is
entitled to speak. and speak freely
On all subjects directly affecting the
under her care.
The towns OF Russia, as a rule,
are Insignificant This is to be at
-ributed mainly to two cause.-the
of land tended TO prevent
he development of Industry, and the
who learn trades are not
permitted to settle In towns perma-
lently.
Russian commercial morality Is
,arried on very much on the same
principle as English horse trading.
4 a man wishes to buy or sell he
must trust his own knowledge and
and IL he gets the worst
u q bargain or lets himself be de-
,eived he has no one but himself TO
blame.
THE majority OF the people OF
Russia belong 10 the Russian Ortho-
lox Church 1t has played an i'm
)ortant part In the national history
n relation to the Orthodox Church,
Is a whole the Emperor OF Russia Is
lothing more than a member, and
an no more interfere with its dog
mas or ceremonial than the King OF