The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-12-07

II would be only partially occupied
After while, America Will be SO well
populated that the tides OF emigration
will go the other way, and by railroads
from Russia at Bering straits-whcre
Asia comes within thirty six miles of
joining Aner.cl-millious of people
will pour down tn. sugh Russia and
Siberia and on down through all the
regions waiting for the civilization OF
the next century to come and culture
great haryests and build mignty cities.
What the United States now are on the
western hemisphere Russia viii be on
the eastern hemisphere. Not only be-
cause OF what Russia has been to our
republic, but because of what she will
be, let Us cease the defamation of all
that pertains to that great empire. If
Russia can afford to be the friend OF
America, America can afford TO be the
friend OF Russia. And now | proceed
to do what ! told the emperor and the
empress and all the imperial family at
the palace OF Peterhof / would dc if
ever got back to America, and that IS to
answer some of the calumnies which
have been announced and reiterated
and stereotyped against Russia.
Calumny the first-The emperor and
all the imperial family are in perpetual
dread Of assassination They are vrac-
tically prisoners in the winter palace,
and trenches with dynamite have been
found dug around the winter palace.
They dare not venture forth, except
| preceded ard followed and surrounded
by most elaborate military guard.
My answer to this is that never saw
| face more free from worriment than
the emperors face The winter palace,
around which the trenches are said to
have been charged with dynamite and
in which the imperial family are said to
be prisoners, has never been the resi-
dence of the imperial family one mo-
ment since the present emperor has
been on the throne The winter palace
has been changed into museum and n
picture gallery and place Of great
leveeA He spends his summer in the
miles from St Petersburg; his autumns
at the palace at Gatschina and his win
tiers at palace at st. Petersburg, but
in quite different part of the city to
that occupied BY the winter palace He
rides through the streets unattended,
side and the driver on the box.
There is not person in this audi
ence more free from fear OF harm
than he is. His subjects not only
admire him but almost worship him.
There are cranks in Russia, but have
we not had our Charles Guiteau and
John Wilkes Booth? But" says one,
did not the Russians kill the father Of
the present EMPEROR" Yes, but in the
time that Russia has had one assassina-
ton of emperor, America has had two
presidents assassinated. But is not
the emperor an autocrat?" BY which
you mean, has he not power without re-
striction? Yes, but it all depends upon
what use a man makes of his power.
Are you an autocrat in your factory, or
an autocrat in your store, or an auto
crat in your style of business? 1t all de-
ponds on what use you make of your
power, whether to bless or to Cypress,
and from the time of Peter the
Great-the Russian who was the
wonder of oil time, the emperor who be-
came incognito ship carpenter that
he might help ship carpenters and a
mechanic that he might help mechan-
les and put on poor IN ems garb that he
might sympathize with poor men, and
who in his last words said my Lord,
! am dying. 0, help my unbelief. u
say from that time the throne of BUS
STA has, for the most part been occu-
pied by rulers as benefcent and kind
and sympathetic as they were power
full. To 60 no further back than Mich
olas, the grandfather Of the present
emperor; Nicholas had for the dominant
idea Of his administration the enamel
patton Of the serfs. When it was found
that he prsmsditated the freedom OF
the serfs, he received the following let
ter Of threat from q deputation OF no.
blemen: "Your Imperial Majesty: We
learn that the council and senate Of the
empire have before them for delibera.
ton, with your sanction, the plan to
abolish sertdom throughout the Russian
empire. We are perfectly willing to bide
by your majesty's decision in this mat
ter and to Loyalty support your will, but
there are in Russia large number OF
small owners OF serfs, who are depend.
emit for actual subsistence on the labor
Of those serfs and who consequently
will he left wholly penniless and with,
out any resource by the operation OF
emancipation. They will .hen undoubt.
eddy resort to desperate measures, and
in the extremity of their despair will
put the life Of your Majesty in jeop
ardy." The emperor replied in words
that will'last as long as history: Gen
tlemen. II should die because Of my de.
votion to such a cause, i am willing tc
meet my fate" When, under an attack
OF pneumonia from exposure to severe
weather in the service OF his people, that
emperor put down his head on the pillow
of dust, Russia lost as good monarch
q. was ever crowned. Then came
Alexander the Second, the father OF tbs
/ present emperor. Amid the mightiest
, opposition, and inuumerable protests
he, with one stroke of his pen, emanci
pstcd twenty million serfs practically
saying: go free. Be y our own mas
tiers, and this is for you and your chill
dren forever" On the day he was base
ly assassinated land l will parentheti
cally say that saw his carriage ir
| snlinters A IL looked when he ktennef