The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1914-02-20

prices ON instal]ments, introduced ele-
mentary ins .ruction IL. 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 Russia's
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, it's frequent re-
volt against change, also hinders 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 a for
eign name and has no Bible classes.
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 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 old-time 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 reactionary element of the Ortho-
dox Church form the chief obstacle to
rapid or radical reform. They fear
loss of power and prestige as well 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 a manifesto which declared
the Cars "infexible resolutions"
ITO confer on the population the
immoyable foundations OF civil liberty,
including inyiolability Of person, lib
erty of conscience and freedom Of
speech, together with tie right Of
holding public meetings and forming
associations
ITO include in the State Duma rep
resentatives Of the unenfranchised
classes.
ITO lay down as an absolute rule
that no law could be valid without the
appro, al OF the State Duma and that
the deputies should be able to take
part In supervising tho authorities 80
as to ensure their acting in con-
formity with the laws"
puma Crippled but Progressing.
The Russians took the Gar 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 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 q second Duma, which
Conservative ridiculed as the Duma
of the national ignorance" which did
nothing, and a third which was of
higher character and more construct
while the bureaucrats seek to cripple
the Dumas power and control its ac-
tons 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 the
large cities, is a power for progress.
In Moscow, Russia's greatest journal,
owned by an able journalist, who thir-
ty years ago, Russian peasant,
came to the Holy City with single
rouble for his entire capital, leads the