The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1914-11-26

in which improved implements and
better seed are sold at moderate
prices on installments, introduced ele-
mentary instruction in agriculture in
the schools. established credit socie.
ties and village banks. The peasant
though slow to take advantage of
these aids to progress, is gradually
coming to see their possibilities and to
make use of them.
Authorities Against Progress.
A fruitful cause of delay in Russias
progress is the opposition of the au
thorities, under which general phrase
may be included the dignitaries of the
Orthodox Church, the nobility and the
bureaucracy. The Indifference of the
majority of the peasantry to any
change and, indeed, its frequent re
volt against change. also binders prog
ress. The Young Mems Christian AS.
ISOLATION, for example, finds no oppor
tunity to gain place for its work in
Russia, except in St. Petersburg
where it conceals itself under for
eign name and has no Bible classes,
save as the Orthodox priests give an
occasional lecture. Factory inspection
was resented by factory employees, as
well as employers. When one in.
spector recommended that the work
men be provided with individual sleep
ing cots instead Of being given beds
together in large dormitory room
the manufacturer, frequently bringing
labor from a long distance, must house
the laborer-the workmen rebelled,
asking: Must we be cooped up like
cattle in stalls?"
The serfs were slow in realizing
their freedom and are. in the outly-
ing districts, as devoted to their for
mer masters, as the oldtime darkey
slaves in America. A domestic serf,
vowing pilgrimage if her master re-
covered from dangerous illness,
walked to Solovetsk, on the White
Sea, 1000 miles, in fulfillment OF the
vow.
The bureaucrats intertwined with
the reactonary element of the Ortho-
dox Church form the chief obstacle to
rapid or radical reform. They fear
loss Of power and prestige as we'll as
position. Representatives of the prov
incial assemblies met secretly in Mos
COW to discuss non-political meas
ures of economic reform for Russia
and were sent home by the govern.
ment.
The Cars Fair Promises.
In the depression and revolt which
followed the defeats of the Russo-Jap-
anese' war, the Council of Ministers
yielded to the popular demand and
sought to allay popular discomfort by
issuing q manifesto which declared
the Cars "inflexible resolutions"
ITO confer on the population the
immovable foundations of civil liberty,
including inviolability Of person., lib
erty of conscience and freedom OF
speech, together with the right OF
holding public meetings and forming
associations.
ITO include in the State Duma rep
resentatives of the unenfranchised
classes.
TO lay down as an absolute rule
that no law could be valid without the
approval of the State Duma and that
the deputies should be able to take
part in supervising the authorities so
as to ensure their acting in con-
formity with the laws"
Duma Crippled but Progressing.
The Russians took the Car and his
councillors at their word and elected
what was called the duma of the ma
tional indignation representative OF
all classes, for your true Russian is
at heart considerable of a democrat
He does not agree with the French
philosopher who preferred to be ruled
by one lion of good family rather than
one hundred rats of his own species
The first Duma sought really to gov
ern Russia, which frightened official
dom, and the Duma was dissolved
Then came second Duma, which a
Conservative ridiculed as the Duma
of the national ignorance" which did
nothing, and a third which was OF
higher character and more construct.
i've. With each succeeding election,
WAu4o Iu0 DuTcduCTdtS seek 10 CTlppl6
the Dumas power and control its &C.
lions to suit their own ends, the spirit
Of freedom grows and measurable
progress toward popular government
has been made. Entire freedom of
conscience has not been obtained, as
witness the attacks upon the Jews.
not altogether religious persecution it
may be noted. Entire liberty of
speech is not yet, as testify the sup.
preston of public meetings and the
confiscation of newspapers which
make war upon the government The
Duma is not free and there is no min
istry responsible either to the people.
as in the United States, or to the
Parliament as in Great Britain. But
the progress toward better conditions
is being made more rapidly each year.
The press, liberal in tone in all tina
large cities, is power for progress.
In Moscow. Russia's greatest journal,
owned by an able journalist, who thir-
ty years ago, Russian peasant,