The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-09-17
st. Petersburg Letter.
Irregular Correspondence.)
ST.. PETERSBURG. Aug. 90, L

o ST. PETERSBURG, Aug. 20, 1891.
o have learned the following details will
reference to the Cars recent tour in the north
0 elm provinces The idea Of the journey wa
) suggested by General Ignatief and he easily
loblaIned the Cars consent to what was con
sidered by all other parties concerned as
great and doubtful experiment Want OF 10
cal knowledge rendered it impossible that the
Vigilance committee Of Peterhoff should con
ltinue the same watch and word over his Ma
lJestys person on the journey as practiced al
the Imperial residence. The plan adopted
was to summon few of the more intelligent
and responsible persons IN each locality which
the Emperor visited, and under certain re-
strictIons TO en,rust them with all the arrange.
ments for his safety. II was expressly die
tated to these various local committees that
they were to maintain the utmost secrecy with
regard to the intended movements OF the Car.
Further, although 1t was understood that u
display of enthusiasm on the part of the popu.
lace would be particularly agreeable, it was
considered necessary 10 give special injunc-
tiOns that under no circumstances were the
crowd allowed to approach his person. There
was to be no liberation of the custom of fall
ing at the feet Of the Gar, ana embracing his
Majesty's knees, in the Oriental fashion, which
Is common TO the servile Russian peasant, and
particular Instructions were gwen that no at
,empts were to be allowed to remove the horses
fsptv, ths., ut To
ing drawn by the people. In addition to these
precautions, the whole force OF the secret po-
lice accompanied the Imperial party, and the
railways over which they travel were for some
days prior to the departure handed over to the
military authorities under the arrangements
which would come into force In the event OF
the mobilization of the army
The plan was on the whole an undoubted
success. The Emperor's movements were kept
profound secret He never followed an an.
ticlpated route, and his appearance was always
n surprise. No time or opportunity was al
lowed for the maturing Of any plot to injure
him, and therefore, also, no possibility was Of
fered for the demonstration of any organized
enthusiasm. But the journey was made IN
safety, and, especially IN the country districts,
the peasants who met the Imperial party
showed clearly that the ancient Russian rev
crence for the autOcrat of the Empire has not
abatcd. The one idea OF the Gar and of his |
present advisers Is to court popularity with
the peasantry. Everything else Is sacrificed
to this. The Emperor, who Is invisible TO the
inhabitants of the capital is always accessible
to Populations and even to individual peasants
from remote and obscure villages The Gov.
has been more seriously occupied
with schemes for u redistribution of land for
the benefit of the pcasantry than with any 9th.
er measures. All plans for this purpose hith.
erto proposed have been found lmpractIcabe,
for the simple reason that sums Of money
which arc quite unobtainablc are required for
heir fulfllmeut. Schemes of emigration are
also under discussion, and il is probable that
next year they will be carried out on large {
'cale from the more thickly populated COY.
,rnmenls of the southern centre Of Russia to
he sparscly populated but fertile lands in the -,
direction of Orenburg. Great attention is be. {
ny paid also to the Minister of Domains, and J
he immense Government estates are being re. =,
organized with view Of giving greater adj q
'antages TO the present occuplers of the soil. &