Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1914-03-05

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 hinders prog
ress. The Young Mems Christian AS
sociation, for example, finds nc oIpor-
tunity to gain place for its work in
Russia, except in St Petersburg,
where 1t 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
we'll 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 domestic serf.
vowing a pilgrimage II her master re
covered from a 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 0rtho
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
Nres Of economic reform for Russia
and were sent home by the govern
ment.
The cxar's Fair Promises.
In the depression and revolt which
I 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 manifesto which declared
the Cars "infiexible resolutions"
ITO confer on the population the
immovable foundations Of civil liberty,
including inviolability of person, lib
erty of conscience and freedom oil
speech, together with the right oil
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
approval of the State Duma and that
the deputies should be able to take
part In supervising the authorities sc
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 o
all classes, for your true Russian II
at heart considerable of democrat
He does not agree with the French
philosopher who preferred to be rulet
by one lion of good family rather thar
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 a second Duma, which {
Conservative ridiculed as the Dumt
of the national ignorance" which dit
nothing, and a third which was o
higher character and more construct
i've. With each succeeding election
while the bureaucratic seek to cripple
the Dumas power and control its &C
tons to suit their own ends, the spiri
Of freedom grows and measurable
progress toward popular government
has been made. Entire freedom o
: conscience has not been obtained, a.
witness the attacks upon the Jews
not altogether religious persecution
, may be noted Entire liberty o
speech is not yet as testify the sup
. preston of public meetings and tn
, confiscation of newspapers whicl
, make war upon the government. Thu
Duma is not free and there is no min
, istry responsible either to the people
as in the United States, or to tn
: Parliament, as In Great Britain. Blu
q the progress toward better condition
. is being made more rapidly each year
; The press, liberal in tone in all tn
large cities, is a power for progress
In Moscow, Russia's greatest journal
= owned by an able journalist, who THU
ty years ago, Russian peasant
came to the Holy City with singl
q rouble for his entire capital, leads tn
a continuous campaign toward moderat
| republicanism.
4 A Great Nation In the Making.
= The giant is blind, but thinking,
: And his locks are growing fast!"
a The Russian peasantry are stron
r of intellect and body, generous, hos
q pltable in the extreme, goodhumoret
8 deeply religious. With education an
d freedom they will outrank many othe
e peoples who have had more prominen
: and honored place in history. A grea
n nation is in the making in RussiS
= greater, it may we'll be believed, tina