The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-27

/ Most of the economic and organiZa-
ton work is due to the efforts of Paul
Cherbak, former wealthy aristocrat
of st. Petersburg, whose fortune was
conffseatedT by the Russian govern
ment when he became a revOlutiOniSt
sympathizer and was exiled some
years ago. Cherbak's friendship for
Count Tolstoi, whom he regards as the
greatest man Russia ever produced,
was his undoing; for it was this friend
ship that led to his being suspected
and the ultimate discovery of his revo-
lutionary sentiments.
None Smoke or Drink.
The saving of nearly a million dol
lars by less than a hundred poor men
and their families seems almost i'm
possible. But the Molokane families
are large and the most rigorous econ
Orny prevails among them. None of
the MolOkaneS smokes or drinks, and
the women have conscientious scrupleS
against anything but the plainest gar
ments. The patriarch-usually the
grandfather-in each family acts as
the banker for all of his kin, and so
the mystery of this wholesale saving
becomes a matter of simple arithmetic
! Even the women Work-in laundries
or at any employment they can obtain
so there are no drones or prodigals
in the Molokane colony and no finan-
| cial waste is possible.
Paul Cherbak is a sort of little faith
| err to the Molokane colony. He is a
man of remarkable educational attain
ments in his own language and some
/ time ago undertook the publication of
| a Russian newspaper in Los Angeles.
| Ever since his arrival here with his lit
tie following he has concerned himself
with their education. To further his
| plans he has conducted what is known
as the Russian university" This in
formal institution consists OF a motley
crew of laborers who aspire to an ed
vocational training which the circum-
stances of their hard working youth had
denied them Most of the Molokanes
had a parliamentary education-that is.
they could read and write and figure"
| a. little and possessed a fair substitute
for history in their folk lore. Upon this
| base Cherbak has built higher edu-
| cational structure, carrying their re-
stricted learning into wider fields, and
even equipping a library which he
maintains for the use of his country
| men.
Cherbak Fostered Venture.
/ Cherbak also has fostered the colon
| ization venture and as result the
| MolokaneS own about $1,000 acres fully
| paid for A large colony of Molokanes
| has settled in Mexico and is prosper
| ing and they make such good citizens
| that President Diaz offered fiattering
inducements to Cherbak and his fol-
| lowing, but the high tariff on agricul-
|
| decided them and they will remain in
the United States.
The patriarcha1 family system,
slightly extended, will be applied to
the government of the community.
One man, the wisest by virtue of age,
experience and training, will be elected
chief and occupy a position similar to
those of mayor and judge. This sys-
tenn is already in practice in the local
colony in the heart of the city. In
spite of the fact that the families
crowd into small quarters their sense
. of sex-propriety is very keen and there
, has never been a case of bigamy- Oh
|, | adultery in the local colony. And there
) are few offenders of any other kline
; against either the laws of the land OIL
the rules of the colony. Industry is q
: great discourager of vice and crime
What few petty offenses are committed
: by members of the colony are deal
| with by the chief, and his Judgment
or sentences are never questioned. Thu
rare felonies that occur are turned
: over to the jurisdiction of the city gov
: eminent and the officials are givel
a leyery possible aid in furnishing tn
> perpetrators, even by members of thei
s. own families.