THE OUTLOOK IN RUSSIA.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 409, 7 May 1902, Page 2

THE OUTLOOK IN RUSSIA.

The shocking reports that come from Russia, as given m <nr cablegrams tins morning, are very unpleasant reading. After a liunurcd peasants had died of starvation, the exasperated people helped themselves to food. The troops, for not acting the part of murderers of women and children, have in turn had a tentli of t.' eir own number legally murdered, while others have been very severely punished. The fearful condition of things, and the horrible brutality of the civic authorities, should lie enough to cause anyone to shudder.

The St. "Petersburg correspondent of the London Times describes a great demonstration in the Russian capital lately,. It was, he says, organised by two committees, ope .of the students and the other of workmen. Students to the number of 10,000 attempted to organise a procession singing revolutionary songs and shouting “Free Russia ” “ Down with the autocracy ! ” The police and cavalry then charged, but only used their Cossack whips and the back of their sabres. Many persons were hurt, hut only a few seriously injured.

From other parts ol Russia, the Times' 'correspondent goes on to say, disquieting reports' have been received. The most significant disturbance occurred a fortnight ago at Poltava, an unimportant place near Kiel! with no university or factory. In the course of a performance in the theatre cries of “Down with despotism !” were raised and revolutionary proclamations distributed. ' K ' A writer in the March Westminster Review emphasises the extent of agricultural distress in Russia and ,ts attendant evils. Since 1888 there has been a partia 1 or severe famine, reports of which are suppressed by the Government, and “that the Russian people are being roused up to the real state of matters is quite evident. For months back it hits been rare that an issue of the NovoSti or Novpp Vreyina has not contained several long and interesting letters from provincial correspondents describing the utter destitution of peasants and the means taKen by the Government and Red Cross society to help them with food, seed, and horses. Not only the peasants but the nobility have suffered.' The Novoe Vremya recent! y published advertisements of the sale of between 1,700 and 1,800 estates for Joans and taxes. Tlie Nobles’ bank hold in pledge 20,000 estates against which £68,000,000 has been advanced. In the northeast half the children born do not survive their infancy. Dr Nikitenp is quoted as saying that “in many parts of Russia cattle get better food attention than children, and these figures are corroborative of his statement. The neverending influx of whole families of needy peasants to tiie large cities is constantly worrying the government, while it is estimated that no fewer than 200,000 people are crowded annually into .Siberia—driven from a rich and fertile country 'which can not support them, though they he onjy twen-ty-eight to the square'mile.”