These measures--especially the universal military service--may eventually diminish the extreme exclusiveness of the Germans; the youths, whilst serving in the army, will at least learn the Russian language, and may possibly imbibe something of the Russian spirit.

But for the present this new policy has aroused a strong feeling of hostility and greatly intensified the spirit of exclusiveness.

In the German colonies I have often overheard complaints about Russian tyranny and uncomplimentary remarks about the Russian national character.
The Mennonites consider themselves specially aggrieved by the so-called reforms.

They came to Russia in order to escape military service and with the distinct understanding that they should be exempted from it, and now they are forced to act contrary to the religious tenets of their sect.

This is the ground of complaint which they put forward in the petitions addressed to the Government, but they have at the same time another, and perhaps more important, objection to the proposed changes.
They feel, as several of them admitted to me, that if the barrier which separates them from the rest of the population were in any way broken down, they could no longer preserve that stern Puritanical discipline which at present constitutes their force.