Year: 1879

Not only in England bat in other


parts Of Europe are the effects eI


American competition beginning to


be indirectly felt American imports


are largely diminishing the external


demand for the cereals grown in the


fertile plains of Southern Prussia-so


much so that in some districts land


is said to be going out Of cultivation
simply because the raising of crops


has ceased to be remunerative. Chol-
era, plague, and diphtheria are raging


with great severity in many Of the
eastern and southern provinces, while
others are afflicted by ruinous Wis
itation of locusts, aud cattle plague
in very fatal form, is widespread.
The vitality and recuperative power
of any great community are marvel
Gus, but it is scarcely possible that
Russia can pass through such con-
currence of calamities without ex-
periencing some startling social or
political upheaval.


There is no more striking evidence
of the superfciality of the veneer of
Western civilization which oveflays
the oriental barbarism that is the
actual condition of the mass of Rus
sian society than the savsgery with
which the contest between the Gov
ernment and the revolutionary party
is being carried on.


On the one hand the infamous at
tempt made few months ago on the
life of the Gar seems to have pro-
voked the authorities to surpass any
thing previously known in the way
OF repressive vigor.


The prisons are everywhere filed
with people, most of whom have been
arrested on mere suspicion at the ar
bitrary discretion of the military gov
ernors of provinces. In the large
towns the police regulations are 80
numerous and SO minute that 10 peo-
pie accustomed to the institutions Of
free countries like ours, existence un-
der them would De simply intolera-
BILE.


Among recent items Of news from
Russia are such incidents as the
summary expulsion from Moscow, by
the order of the Governor General, of
all the pawnbrokers and usurers in
the city the prohibition by General
Todleben, Governor of Odessa, of all
collections Of money for any profess
edly charitable or religious object
without official sanction a demand
on the railway compani,s 10 furnish
to the authorities lists of the Christ
ian and surnames of all persons in
their employ, accompanied by al or
der not to take anybody into their
service..without formal official permis-
sion previously obtained and the in
Election of heavy penalties on persons
who, even in provincial towns, have
dared to let lodgings to strangers
without giving information to the po-
lice.


On their part, the revolutionists do
not appear to be discouraged by the
frantic exertions and appalling sever
tiles of the Government. They have
abandoned for the time the practice
of assassinating Objectionable off,
cials; but the method of warfare they
have substituted for it is even more
terrible. They have resorted to
wholesale incendiarism.


Within the past few months entire
towns have been devastated by fires.
An Official return states the number
of conhsgrations throughout the En-
pire in the single month of June to
have been 3,501. Only about sew
enth of these fires are attributed to
incendiarism, bu: it may be safely
assumed that this is far too low an
estimate.


The most startling instance Of the
audacity of the incendiaries and of
the fierce hatred of the old order of
things which animates them, has only
jus, been reported.


A few days ago an attempt was
made In broad daylight to burn down
the KremIin,at Moscow place that
has hitherto been regarded as sacred
to patriotic Russians. There is, in
fact, war to the knife between the
Russian revolutionists and the Gov
ernment, and it seems TO Re only too
that all the repressive pow
ers the latter can bring into play are
inadequate to the task of crushing
the enemies Of the existing system