ARRESTS IN RUSSIA.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 724, 25 January 1910, Page 7

ARRESTS IN RUSSIA.

: ;■; THE .STATE AS CHAMPION/0y.■..•', : ': -;■;•; V/-/..>UQTJ.OE. i . <::^^.'^:^r:^-: } Association—CoßyiiEflt-V; >> : ,;i "' ; ,••. ■.■■'■'■■(■• St. Petersburg,^January;:23. ; v , -;:; - : Twentyrfour persons 1 have.been arrestedv: : i :■ for attending tho Anti-Alcohol Congreaev,';";.' in' St. Petersburg. ;: ■' ■.■','. . ; ■'■■■."■■•!. V. :} : ir :/

/•:; , ,;THE .VODKA MONOPOLY. ":■;,':■;; .-The'-, sale .of vodka {a' spirituous liquoi' l . ;; made from rye) is in; Russia a State mono-,,'J : ;-: poly." The system was-at; first 'adopted i;V- ; with' a yifew to checking : intemperance,',"- : : but- tie' l monopoly thas;; proved; *a : 'most!:' '■''} profitable 'source'of revenue. In 1907' the : .' State derived from.it-:7o7,Ul,4pi.roubles/',.-v or'littlo; less than third , of the whole,.; '■? of its, ordinary, revenue. It is ■■_ perhaps ")■.:,'.'■ not to be ' at, that,'; in: these',:'-;.•;' circumstances,^tho: Government dislikes ': ' J . adverse: criticism : of the'system,of State-'' "■': control. , : In 1904.'. some.''members' olai':;; medical. , congress Petersburg, .who A ! carriod : .; a' resolution -. •' condemning ; the ■' =; '■ ■ efiects -of ."State- control of ■ the sale, of.- '.'•'■ vodkaj were sent, to; Siberia. . : According ■;'.-■"'■- to.- a cablegram".. published . a fortnight .:' '• agpi the police'"bind forbidden the mem- - .hers of a : Pan-Kussian AntiOUcoholio Con- ■;■'" cress, which was to bo held in St. Pet'er*,^'.': biirg,-to. speak;:against the State mono-; , -:-,'.' noly of spirits, and" the-congress,'.there-''. .: fore, said the cablegram, lapsed. Appar- '"■:■ . .ently, so far as, at. least twenty-four per- ' sons ■ were'concerned, it did not lapse after, alii and these:persons are now the' -';■"■ viotims of. RiissianV "justice." ■;:. ,-'•':. :• ';