The struggle between the Russian agriculturists and the bureaucracy still
continues. The members of the Zenistvos or local Councils ask for greater liberty of speech, and some- times when this is refused resign in a body. They demand also, as a first instalment of reform, a revision of the system of taxation, which, they say, presses unduly upon the agricul- turists. The reactionaries are furiously angry at the demand for more freedom of speech, and we can understand their fear of publicity if the horrible story told to the corre- spondent of the Times is as well founded as he believes. In one district of Kharkov some peasants were being tried for resisting authority, when their counsel asked permission to give evidence as to the conduct of the soldiers, who had not only flogged the peasants, but outraged a great number of their women. It was pleaded that they had therefore been punished enough ; but permission to give evidence was refused, and the peasants were sentenced to fines or short terms of imprison- ment. There had been, in fact, a Dragonnade of the locality, and there is no redress.
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