The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-02-15
T0LST0YS LAND =
TO THE PEASANTS
Carrying Out Policy Of Late
Count, Laborers Then
Are Now Owners.

ST. Petersburg. Feb. l5.-Thc peas.
I who worked the estate at Yes
maya PolNtana of tho late Count Leg
Iolstot are now owners OF IL greater
part of the land they formerly titled
as paid laborcrS. This transfer is Il
carrying out of Tolstoi's conviction
that the ownership of largo areas q
land ny n individual was wrong II
principle. and the project to convey
this property to the Tolstoi peasant:
has just been put through by the exc.
cutors OF tho estate.
Countess Tolstoi retains about soc
acres Of the estate. including the
park around the house and the grave
OF the count. About seventeen hun.
drcd acres pass to the peasants
though the full legal title will not he
conveyed to them to prevent any OF
them selling their portions under the
aErarian legislation now in force in
Russia.
Count Tolstoi's sons have been pro.
vided for by the sale of other lands:
1t is understood that they have re-
ccivcd about 5000, 900.
* + ::
The dignity of an ambassador to a
foretEn court is Il thing to be reckon
ed with. Such an envoy represents
tSsSOA Va Ills VNStClSIl AIlu IL
slight to him Is a slight to his master.
representing a ruler in person. an
ambassador approaches the court to
which he Is accredited with tho prop
or expectation that he be received
With the same degree of pomp and
ceremony that would be accorded the
ruler Of his state were the latter per-
sonally present. :
The annual celebration of blessing
the Waters Of tho Neva." which oc-
ours January IL. and in which the en-
peror. as head Of the church, partici-
pates. was marked this year by an
ambassadorial boycott. as Il protest
gainst an infraction of their diplo-
matte dignity. Only the ambassadors
OF the two republics. France and the
United States. and the representative
OF Turkey attended: the other am
bassadors absen,cd themselves from
the function at the winter palace,
since it entails attendance at a court
luncheon for which the emperor does
not remain. Tho ambassadors. pre-
Stunning themselves to he on IL foot
ing OF equality with the emperor. felt
they could not remain for a function
tor which the host did not stay. Their
irritation had been famed by an in.
cident on the cmperor's name-day.
when the diplomatic corps turned out
i'll fall force at tho invitation of the
ministry OF the court for the church
service at tho Kazan cathedral. to
lind Russian officials Of minor rank
only in attendance.
1t was at the blessing Of the waters
in January, 1905. that Il charge of
inc his cortege from a saluting can
o stationed OH the opposite side OF
the river. 4 bag of bullets was i'll
some manner slipped into the gun in
front OF the salutins charge. and this
particular gun of the battery was
turned around to bear on the tenn
porary chapel or the ice in which
part OF the ceremony takes place.
After an investigation the incident
was officially declared to be an acct
dent. due to a charge having been
left i'll the gun after drill the day be-
fore, hut no satisfactory explanation
OF why the guntwas aimed as it WAS
has ever, been 3;vcn. To prevent &C.
cidenfs this ycaf the saluting battery
was placed ON one of the islands OF
lutte was conveyed to it by q rocket.
< * X
Russian postage stamps have here
tofore never l'een decorated with por.
traits of Russian rulers. for the rea-
son that ultra.loyal Russian post.
masters object t the sacrilege involv-
cd in picking up a rubber c%ancelline
stamp covered with ink aud hitting
the emperor sharply in the face with
it. a proceeding distinctly necessary
for the protection Of the revenues ol
the post office department.
But the old order changes. and in
spite of protests from postmasters
with old-time sentiments Of right and
wrong. the post office will issue on
March 6 Il new series of stamps en-.
bellished with portraits of Roman.
offs. sovcreigns of Russia. past and
present. This new issue is in connec.
ton with the celebration of the third
centenary OF the accession of the
Romanoff dynasty to the throne. The
stamps of and ten copeck de.
nomination. tie principal ones in use
for inland and foreign correspondence
respectively. bears} portraits Of thu
present emperor. Nicholas II.
X 4: *
a diplomatic protest to the Greek