The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-04
LIGHT AND HOPE m RUSSIA.

regarding tho vast empire, even the
more civilized and modernized portions
or II. s derived from tho narration of
travellers, current news" and discus
sion OF tho general system OF govern
mcnt-''criticism" of the latter would be
n better word.
/ The average reader knows little OF
the undcrcurrerts that are moving: OF
tho wheels within wheels; of tho silent
! Influences for progress; of tho minor
| governmental factors and forces that
arc al work a case in illustration is
the Russian Zcmstvo TO which attcn-
ton is now being directed by reason
/ OF tho preparations that are making
| to celebrate tho nftieth anniversary
\ of tho birth of that importcnt local
| solf-govcrnmcnt institution. The Zcms.-
| vos furnish no exception to the rule.
which is also cNe,npliticd III the Douma
| that all Russian reform and progress
| siNe movements are born of revolution.
They never come by stages of dc
| of Western Europe Like the Douma.
tho Zcmstvos were also born OF ma
! tional humiliation. They came into
being just after tho Crlmenn War Tho
system was a child OF disappointment:
and OF hope 10 regain national pres
tige through modification or bcnight-
cdness and autocracy and n nearer
alignment with Western neighbors. So
, cialIy, politically and cducationally.
/ The parallel OF this with tho history
of tho Douna. the offspring i'll large
sense Of the disappointment ut tho out
l'coIne Of the Russo Japanese War, can
bc easily read
Tho constitution Of the first zcmst-
vos was similar 10 that OF tho first
two Doumas. In explanation OF the
functions of the Zcmstvos as origin
ally authorized ny an imperial ukase.
Sir Dopald Mackenzie Wallace. one OF
the most eminent Of living Outside au-
thoritics" ON Russian internal affairs.
writes in tho Russian supplement OF
tic London Times
Each OF the districts. some ten or
. dozen in number, into which Rus
sian province is divided was 10 have
a diminutive Parliament which should
,',"'o .ia'lS oiie. = Sc'I vt w y
measures REQUIRED for reeninr IN ordar
. tho public Dads and bridges. for pro
N.diug u competent staff OF medical
or,,ani-i,,- ,tr, o,,o,s
plying, In short, the elementary re-
quircsnents or the local population Tho
,nvrlo ers, iantea proprie'ors ana peas
classes in !, fycd proportiop ana tho
chose from among themselves perna-
nehi bureau OF three or four members:
carrioa ant - doois;an.. ~ ~
scn,bly. For tho requirements Of the
province as distinguished from The
:. = 80 ""' " "',a' 81 ia %,
~, '"' ,, nV'"E '"oSeh ny 'Hc
iful' as was the case with the first
Doumas. tho Zcmstvos were not slow
Ia ovcrston their function co,s,r,,e
$3.50 "
iipei'S 'h'o i'cehse ana attempt IN
! ircnchmcnt upon the reserved imperial
prcroga,ivcs Consequently, rs with
mo no,,p,.. mo o,ecto,.,+o ,,a 80
'i''i 20
soi.hci OF inc Hens1Vos mad 10 he re-
stricted Then camc a period OF COM
narrative Inertia md discourarcmcn..
49,.
'"'' ""S o"' me pre-
cursor or reawakenins. With the
development of the Douma. with the
nrorross Of mat 7,d,. ,o..,rd.. ,,r,,
~ representative o'oef out oil chaos'
the HenstNos have rapidly reverted TO
,,,rcniaii,, s ,,1 ;,ro,. q,
original mission
And mat reversion is reudoripp ,he,,
most potent yital--fac,or fo,.
good. In an editorial based ., mo
article OF sh. Donald and ot,c- cav,
tributions to its supplement- tho ,r,,,.s
testihcs:
some very striking ,isnros arc 1.-Two,
which show the enormous part taken
- 'he |.lns'vos IN ths organization
iut mis- is on,w one, no i,',n., so,iou na
II is truc-of the many functions that
dev"iNc upon tho Zemstvos. The cen