The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-08-02

0ctobrists thereupon voted down thu
motion, and thereby denied It's W nam'
and reason for existence.
Mr.. Walling admits that Gutchkod't
career. his extensive travels. his service
as q voluntary administrator Of the Rec
Gross during the Japanese war and AZ
President OF the Moscow Municipal Council.
suggest that he Is q sincere reformer rather
than q merely ambitious man. In ouI
authors opinion. however. Gutchko6 has
become q fanatical advocate Of n idea,
and a bitter enemy Of all who disagree with
his estimate OF it's value. That idea 10 that
any assembly OF men. however constituted
and however limited 10 it's power. which
bears the name OF Duma has the ability
to regenerate Russia. Nor 10 1t denied in
the book before ts that there 10 q party In
Russia. the party Of the zemstvos. or
local government boards, which is composed
largely Of capable and devoted reformers.
who have given aid to the revolution only
In an indirect az q last desperate
resort. This party desires a Constitution,
that Is to say. fundamental changes in the
structure OF the Russian polity; but II Is
~ u " tuC boCibi Cl0Nhttoh - tAo
masses that 1t has been willing to give up
its greater hope for the slow and difficult
work which alone is possible under the
present system. When the revolution
seemed about to triumph the members OF
this party were ready to put aside their
administrative labors In the zemstvos
to lay the foundation for a larger edifioe.
When the Government was for q time vio-
torious over the revolution they were ready
to take up again their difficult and almost
hopeless task Of trying to bring about a
little progress In the local administration.
Notwithstanding the hostility Of the local
officials and tho landlord caste. OF the
members Of the zemstvo party in the first
and second Dumas the majority were Con-
stitutional Democrats, while the smaller
part belonged to the more conservative
Peaceful Regenerators," or ever TO the
Liberal wing OF the Ootobrists, Gutohkof's
organization. A few we're Independent
Progressives, more radical we than the
Constitutional Democratic. At the cleo
tons for the third Duma. however. the men,
bers Of the zemstvo party returned only
from s to 10 per cent. Of Constitutional
Democrats and a still smaller proportion
u any Otilt hiuu u llDcI dlb. III tuO u
terval a great change had occurred. Two
years ago, out Of the thirty odd provincial
nearly every one was admins
tered literally; now all but one are in con-
sentative or re~actionary hands. The re-
suit lie that the zemstvos. considered a
instrumentalities OF reform. are now a
thing Of the past.
The author OF this book thinks that
Miliukof was justified in complaining in
the Duma OF the insincerity OF Stolypin's
political and social reforms. Two years
ago even the most reactionary party in
.corporated in it's programme a demand for
the compulsory alienation Of the land
lords land for the peasants benefit. The
Constitutional Democrats still retain the
Measure in their platform as the only posi-
BILE solution OF the agrarian question.
they are willing that tho State
pay a fair price. %Stolypin, on the
other hand. proposes not the appropriation
OF the landlords but compulsory e~Ipropria-
ton OF the mass OF the ~peasants-d reform
which would benefit only a relatively few
peasant landlords. to the injury OF all the
poorer peasants. In other words. Stoly-
pins proposal Is to rob most OF the peasants
Of the protection OF their m by
each individual mujik for the first
time a right to sell his share in the village
Miliukoff insists that In q
ridden country the right to sell Is
q right to ruin. The effect, then. Of Stoly-
pins land reforms would be to create q
few. million prosperous peasants alongside
Of q class Of lahdlees laborers that would
be five or ten times as numerous. As
manufacturing industries are al
ready ~overcrowded with almost starving
workmen. the new laborers created by Stoly-
pins agrarian reform would have to sell
q few crumbsto their peasant
peighbors, and In famiue periods would have
to be supported. in ven greater numbers
than at present. by the State. They would
no power to raise their wages much
above the starvation point. for already
agricultural strikes have been called re-
It is. in fine, u authors opinion
that with his inverted social reforms.
his blood and iron policy OF repression and
his mastery over the national assembly.
Stolypin promises to turn out a Russian
Bismarck. Is he a loyal servant OF ths
Gar? That he Is loyal is pronounced to
be now unquestionable. 1t is therefore
whether he or the Gar is
governing.
1t Is interesting to learn that the attitude
existing society Of Father PETROL.
who was elected from st. Petersburg to tho
FIRST Duma by an immense majority. and
who undoubtedly is a representative OF an
increasing section Of tho minor priesthood,
is that Of a revolutionist. Ee docs not
believe in the possibility Of peaceful politi-
cal evolution in Russia. TO believes that
4 period OF grelt Woo zoe is approaching,
he can sec Lo hope OF any spirit
Of progress becoming ~preponderant in the
court or upper classes. The preachers at
the court no brands as me- without princi-
pies or ideas. He holds that the Govern
so-cal.ed punishments. dealt out.
As they have been, to millions Of people,
ire not in truth punishments in n right
sense Of the term, but mere acts Of revenge.
He feels that the Ministers have the in
,tincts Of hunting dogs. and that the Gov
10 not conducting its persecution
rom any statesmanlike point Of view. but
merely as a war against an enemy destitute
Of belligerent rights. He concurs with other
in thinking that the way in
which tho Government is conducting its
lnti-revolutionary campaign Is not as
as is ordinary war. and urges hat