The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-11-22


whether they judge individual or national
character, and whether they weld tongue
or pen, are filed with standardization,
and who have more to say about the freckles
on the cheeks of beauty than of the sunrises
and sunsets that flush it,
1t is most important that this country
have right ideas concerning Russia, Tor,
among all the nations this side of heaven
Russia is Americas best friend. Ihere
has not been an hour in the last seventy
hye years that the shipwreck OF OF free III
situations in America would not have call
ed forth from all the despotisms OF Europe
and Asia shout of gladness wide as earth
and deeep as periditiOn. But who we're else
failed us, Russia never did, and whoever
else was doubtful. Russia never was. hus-
STA, then an old government, smiled on the
cradle OF our government while yet Ill us
earliest infancN Empress Catherine, OF
Russia, in 1916 or whereabouts, offered
kindly Interference that our thirteen col
onies might not go down under tie crueities
of war. Again, in 1913, Russia stretched
forth toward us a merclful hand. Nhcn our
dreadful civil war was raging and the two
thunder clouds Of northern and southern
vol0r clashed, Russia practically said to
the nations of Europe: keep your hands
off and let the brave men of the north and
the south settle their own troubles l re-
hearSed some of those scenes to the emperor
last July, saying: You were probably too
young 10 remember the position your father
took at that time but with radiant smile.
he responded: "Oh, yes, remember, l re
member" and there was an accentuation of
the words which demonstrated to me that
these occurrences had often been talked of
i'll the imperial household. | stood on New
J DIRK battery, during the war as l suppose
many of you did, looking Of through a
magEifying glass upon Il fleet of Russian
ships. ''Whac are they doing there"
asked, and SO every one asked: What
business have the Russian war ships III our
New York harbor?' Word came that an
other fleet OF Russian ships was i'll San
Francisco harbor What does this mean?"
our rulers asked, but did not get immediate
answer. In these two American harbors,
the Russian fleets seemed sound asleep
word, and the Russian flag, whether floating
III the air or drOGpinS by the flagstaff. made
no answer TO our inGuisitiveness. William
IL. Seward. secretary Of state asked the
RUSSIAN minister at Washington, the mean
ing of those Russian ships in American
waters, and got no satisfactory response.
Admiral farraSuI said To Russian officer
after dining III the home of the eminent pol
liiclau. Ihurlow Reed, thar maker and I'M
maker of presidents: What are You doing
here with those Russian vessels of war;
Not until the war was over was il found ont
that in case Of foreign intervention all the
guns ana the last gun of these two fleets
IN New York and san Francisco harbors
We're to open i'll full dapasoa upon any
foreign ship that should dare to Interfere
With the right Of Americans, north and
soutl, 10 settle their own controversy. But
1or lhoSe lIeetS III our presence in American
waters, there can be 10 doubt that TWO
OF the mghtleSt nations of Europe would
nave mingled iii our tifht But for those
TWO ueetS, the American government would
nave been today only Il name in history.
, declare before God and the nation that
/ fltDf
states OF America. Last July | stood be-
5ore great thr0ng of Russians in the ON
oarraslng position Of speaking to an audi
chce three-tou1iS of which could not nm
u"rStand my language any more than 7
could understand theirs. But there were
Two names that they thoroughly understood
as well as YOU understand them. and The
utterance of those two names brought forth
an exclamation that made the city hal of
OF refreshing Quak- from foundation stone
~ lower, ana those two names were George
Washington and abraham Lincoln"
now IS Ii not Important that we should fee,
[lSht toward that mighty, that God-civc,,
friend of more than one hw1-
dred years? Yea, because If is =
nation Of more possibilities than any other
except our own should we cultivate its
1rlendship. There is a vast realm of
RUSSIA as vet unoccupied. If the popu-
!aEon OF the rest of Europe were poured
INTO Russla, it would be only partially
occupied. After a while America will
be so well populated that the tides of
emigration viii 20 ,he other way. and
ny railroads from Russia at Behring
Stralts-where Asia comes within thirty,
SIX miles Of joining America--rnilliona Of
people VIII pour down through Russia
and Siberia, and on down through all
the regions waiting for the civilization of
the next century to come and culture
great harveSts and build mighty cities.
MIA 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 10 our
republic but because Of what she will be-
let lis cease the defamation of all that
pertains 10 thar great empire. If Russia
can afford 20 be the friend OF
America can afford to be the friend OF
Russia. And now | proceed to do what
told the emperor and empress and ali the
imperial family at the palace Of Pctcrhoi
| would DO it / ever got back to America
and that is TO answer some of the calum
MES which have been announced and
reiterated and stereotyped against Rus
STA.
CaIumny the First: The emperor and nj
the imperial family are in perpetual dreaC
of assassination. They are practically
prisoners i'll the winter palace, and trenches
with dynamite have been found dug HrounG
the winter palace. They dare not venture
forth, except preceded and followed anc
surrounded by n most elaborate military
guard.
My answer to this Is that | never saw a
face more free from WOrrlment than the
cmpcrors face. The winter palace, around
which the trenches are said TO have been
charged with dynamite and III which the
imperial family are said 70 be prisoners
has never been the residence Of the imper
al family one moment since tie present
emperor has been on the throne That win
ter palace has been changed into q muse
um and q picture gallery and q place
of great leveeS. He spends his summer in
the palace at Peterhof, fifteen or twenty
miles from ST Petersburg; his autumns al
GatSchina, and his winters in a palace al
St Petersburg, but III quite Il different part
of the city to that occupied by the winter
palace lie rides through the streets un
attended, except by the empress at lis side
and the driver on the box. There is not 4
person in this audience more free from feal
OF harm than he is. His subjects not only
admire him but almost worship him. There
are crankS in Russia, but have we not haC
orr Chalos Guitcau and John Wilkes Booth
But says some one, did not the Russian.
kill the father Of the present EMPEROR
Yes, but in the time that Russia has hal
one assassination of emperor, America ha:
had two presidents aSSaSSinated but is
not the emperor an autocratT' BY which
you me6n has he not power without restric
ton? Yes, but it all depends upon Wha,
use man makes of his power. Are yor