PERILS. — IMMIGRATION. 4'.) 



portion of it tends to increase, and Italy, pressed by 

 want as severe as that of Ireland, may yet send a like 

 flood upon us. 



Russia. The throne of the Czar stands on a volcano. 

 Alexander III. seems fully coinmitted to imperialism, 

 and the Revolutionists are fully determined that the 

 people shall assist in the work of government. They 

 are. wholly unrestrained by any religious scruples, 

 and do not hesitate to sacrifice themselves as Avell as 

 their enemies in the execution of their plans. ' ' The 

 Government may continue to arrest and hang as long as 

 it likes, and may succeed in oppressing single revolution- 

 ary bodies. . . . But this will not change the state 

 of things. Revolutionists will be created by events ; by 

 the general discontent of the whole of the people ; by the 

 tendency of Russia toward new social forms. An entire 

 nation cannot be suppressed."^ The utterly lawless 

 warfare of the Nihilists naturally prevents the Czar 

 from making any concessions, while his arbitrary and 

 oppressive acts deepen popular discontent. Apparently, 

 the repressive policy of the Government and popular 

 agitation will serve each to intensify the other, until 

 there results a spasmodic convulsion throughout Russia. 

 And revolution in Russia means increased emigration. 



Great Britain. There is much popular discontent in 

 the United Kingdom, which will increase as England 

 loses her manufacturing supremacy. The late Mr. Faw- 

 cett says 2 that local expenditure, if it increases during 

 the next quarter of a century as during the last, will ex- 

 ceed that of the Imperial Government. Local authorities 

 raise $200,000,000 a year for local purposes, and have an 

 annual deficit of $100,000,000, which is met by borrowing. 

 Local indebtedness increased from $165,000,000 in 1867 to 

 $600,000,000 in 1884. In 1880 the amount of mortgage on 

 landed property in Great Britain and Ireland was 58 per 

 cent, of its full value. Thomas Hughes says: "We 



* Address of the "Executive Committee'' to the Emperor, March 10th, 

 1881. Underground Russia, p. 267. 

 2 Manual of Political Economy. 



