THE RUSSIAN REVOLT

Evening Star, Issue 12867, 17 July 1906, Page 6

THE RUSSIAN REVOLT

Press AssocJatioa—By Telegraph—Copyright. STARVING PEASANTS DESPERATE. ST. PETERSBURG, July 16. The Council of the Empire rejected the Ministerial Bill for the alleviation of the famine, but approved of the Duma's proposal for providing 15,000,000 roubles (about £1,500,000) for immediate relief. The peasants are causing terrible devastation amongst the estates in the Government of Toronezo, aad the land-owners are fleeing. ".' . [The Duma proposes the partial ex-pro-priation of private lands as the onlyjxisie for a permanent solution of the agrarian question. This, so far, has been rejected by both the Ministry and Council, The following figures are said to prove the impossibility, of solving the problem without partial expropriation of the owners of private lands. According to the statistics for 1905, the. peasants held under allotments 83,561,000 desiatins, or 73,115,000 short of the normal fixed in 1861 at the time of the expropriation of the owners of private lands for the benefit of the emancipated serfs. The total number of male peasants insufficiently provided with land in 1905 was 37,587,000. It is evident that about 180,000,000 acres, the equivalent 0f*73,000,000 desiatins, are necessary to satisfy the crying needs of the peasants. The total available lands not under timber belonging to the State amount to 3,503,000 desiatms, and those belonging to the appanages to 1,860,000 desiatins, altogether 5,363,000 desiatins, or about onefourteenth of the required area. The appropriation of all suitable forest lands belonging to the State and the appanages, leaving the area necessary for afforestation, would reduce the deficit to about 40,000,000 desiatins. Monastery and church lands could furnish only an infinitesimal fraction of this area, which consequently is obtainable only from private lands, the area of which is 28,882,000 desiatins arable and 35,961,000 forests. A partial expropriation of the owners of private lands is therefore imperative. It is evident that even if the peasants are willing to migrate to Siberia, which is out of the question until proper government is established there, it is. quite impossible for any considerable proportion of the 37,587,000 "to leave Europe.] SIGNS OF A CRISTS. THE CZAR AND THE DUMA. LONDON, July 16. The St. Petersburg correspondent of ' The Times' reports that the resignation of M. Goremykin, the Premier, is expected hourly. The Central CJoromittee of the Constitutional Democrats was hurriedly convered on Sunday morning, and after a secret session, which lasted for some hours, the leading members departed for an unknown destination. It is believed that they hare been summoned, to Peterbof (the present residence of the Czar) to discuss "the question of the formation of a Cabinet. THE TERRORISTS AT WORK. MURDER AND PANIC. ST. PETERSBURG, July 16. (Received July 17, at 8.47 a.m.) Sonal, a Revolutionist, fatally shot General Kozloit in this city, mistaking him for General Trepoff. The Anarchists' proclamations have terrorised the populace at Baku. The police refuse to perform their duties, and ask the aid of military patrols. THE COSSACK'S WAY. ST. PETERSBURG, Jury 16. (Received July 17, at 8.58 a.m.) The Cossacks dispersed a peasants' meeting at Nagatkin, wounding a hundred of them.