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 The Russian Empire in the Nineteenth Century 567 the two months September and October, 1906, these courts sum- marily condemned three hundred persons to be shot or hanged. During the whole year some nine thousand persons were killed or wounded for alleged offenses against the government. 1030. Famine added to the Other Disasters. A terrible famine was afflicting the land at the end of the year, and it was discovered that a member of the Tsar's ministry had been steal- ing the money appropriated to furnish grain to the dying peasants. An observer who had traveled eight hundred miles through the famine-stricken district reported that he did not find a single vil- lage where the peasants had food enough for themselves or their cattle. In some places the peasants were reduced to eating bark and the straw used for their thatch roofs. 1031. The Dumas oppose the Tsar's Ministers. The Tsar continued to summon the Duma regularly, but so changed the suffrage that only the conservative sections of the nation were rep- resented, and his officials did all they could to keep out liberal dep- uties. In spite of this the fourth Duma, elected in 1912, showed much independence in opposing the oppressive rule of the Tsar's ministers. Although parliamentary government was by no means won in Russia, many important reforms were achieved. The Tsar retained the title of "Autocrat of all the Russias" until he was forced to abdicate in 1917, and his officials went on violating all the principles of liberty and persecuting those who ventured to criticize the government. QUESTIONS I. What different peoples make up the Russian empire ? Prepare a list of the Tsars of the nineteenth century with their dates. How did Alexander I rule? How had Poland been left by the Congress of Vienna? What resulted from its rebellion in 1831? State the argu- ments for and against autocracy in Russia. What did Nicholas I do to check the growth of liberalism ? II. Review the extension of the Turkish empire in Europe. Why did Russia wish to extend her influence in Turkey ? How did Siberia and Greece gain their independence? What were the results of the Crimean War?