RUSSIA'S AWAKENING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 10141, 30 August 1904, Page 2

RUSSIA'S AWAKENING.

In Russia, it is the Government- only tliat sleeps. The people are awake and astir, says the author of "Greater Russia." They, are making new demands and feeling a new freedom, which is apparent every, day m the absence of fcne former rigid repression, and m the frequent indulgence i» license "that is miscalled liberty. One will sometimea see on the palace quay m St. Petersburg a lino of people waiting for the .steamer to take tliem to the islands. Along comes some high official who, instead of awaiting liis turn* drives to the head of the line and crowds m ahead) of the ot liens. Formerly such an occurrence would "lia-vo been received iv silence as a matter of course, but now the people hiss and denounce the official, and police da not interfere. . If a, street car is delayed for a connection at gome transfer station, the passengers often become riotous, and-oemaud their fare back, or begin to pound on the floor, and even break windows until the police make the driver- go ahead without waiting for the other car;- and .he is not allowed to stop again until he reaches his destination.

If an officer remonstrates with a street car conductor for lack of oourtesy to a passenger, the crowd will at once interfere, and even the offended passenger turns on him. The officer is told to give his orders to soldiers who have to obey, not to free men vftxo do not, and not to interfere between men who are as good as he js.

These are trifling things m themselves, Bays the traveller, but to one wh* has loiig kuown Russia they me staitllug signs uf a new spirit of freedom.