The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-07
THE RULERS OF RUSSIA.


Paris Letter In New York Herald.
Gould there have been an autocrat more
imbued with liberal ideas. more able and
more willing to carry them out than Alex
ander III? Well, you know hiS end. He fell
a victim to one of those accidents that dog
the footsteps of greatness. Not a sovereign
of Europe but has run the gauntlet. Carnot
succumbed. and SO did Lincoln, to just such
a death at the hands of blind fury. That
Is not, however, what I wish to lay stress
upon.
Compare the subsequent incidents of
Alexander IFS death and those that fol-
lowed the decease of Alexander III. On the
one hand you have a man who conferred
upon his country such blessings and priyi-
leges as can never be forgotten-a mar
whose name will go down to posterity as
the great emancipation. Or the other hand
appears the stern, almost forbidding, sill
houette of Alexander III. a ruler who was
the most perfect embodiment Of conserva-
tlsm-a man who. it is true. lived a blame
less life. but who scrupled not to use stern
almost brutal. measures to stamp out the
elements of discomfort In his country.
Well, what do you find? The body of
the Car liberator, who died a MARTYR to his.
nDe er is taid to rest. A great crowd
sion: Off1cial mourning is displayed, but In
the hearts 81 the people there is no abiding
notice any marked expression Of woe.
But watch the difference when the death
OF Alexander III is made known. Never
perhaps before was such universal regret
felt and expressed. Almost a wall goes I'M
from the nation; endless commiseration is
SHOWN by foreign countries: The great
neart or the people is saddened beyond
measure. as If an irreparable loss had been
sustained: You could see the peasants in
the streets following the hearse and weep
IDE MIS- Sflnh q tA I--- -
Whence. came this sorrow What caused it?
II VIII tell YOU. 1t was that very conser-
vatism In his character which seems SO
Tor Alexander III It is the Inherent TI pas,
sion for letting things be as they are and
that brought the whole Russian nation to
mourn as one man for our late Emperor.
while Tor their liberal Car they had felt
Strive against it as much as you like,
you VIII never understand US Slavs until
conservatives to the. backbone. And, I
may add, we are not alone in this respect.
Il H'V We're na not SO a Teu at co 69dto sma r the same areo, II
they did,"
Thus spoke a very bright young Russian
whom / met the other day. and who. on
unbosomed himself to me quite freely. Ny
sponsible official post in the government of
the country. He is a graduate of the Mos
OWN o"ntry and has wh saaysie @or an S oxsr b6 als
Travelled and studied in foreign countries.
s His adPpfr rec inG IN may; therefore. be con-
country" | asked He smiled. What
can talk to the peasantry about the evils
or autocracy and the necessity Of consti-
s"5lGaa nos go %nderntaSa H Wslf y ths w sl%e d shsy
Ing at. But breathe to them a word against
the Car and" said he, using a very ex-
you like a hundred of brick"
lust tell me. what would they do sup
posing that a constitution were granted by
their own little world. the mir or village
commune, is familiar to them; they have
to them nothing exists outside their village
except the all-powerful figure of the Little
"Some day they surely will have larger
interests" I remarked.
N doubt. some day: but that day is far
That is too remote a period to think about.
We know that the great mass of Russia's
eighty millions has no such aspirations at
their own local concerns without bothering
their heads about the problems, of the bal
sian peasant is ? child. If you give him
full liberty to { he pleases, 1t is ten
chances to one I he will misuse it. and
that the result Wa. be disastrous to him.
self"
You have compared the two last Emper-
ors," / interposed. What is the popular
opinion respecting Nicholas IL"
Il VIII give 1t in two words" replied my
Informant. His modesty, which he shares
in common with all the Romanoffs. and his
bravery. We have not had time to know
him well as yet, but on these two points he
has won all hearts.
II will tell you how he has CONVINCED NC
of these qualities" he went on, smilingIy,
as IL the subject gave him pleasure. THE
young Car is like the Englishman Nelson
he does not know what fear is. You know
4 10 tho y urtth IL tho ouDna
to be guarded on state occasions. 1t is not
a question of anarchists or nihilists, but q
simple precaution against the many fanat-
zeal cranks that are always on hand to do
their deadly work. His Majesty. while YET
Czarevitch. narrowly missed falling a vic.
tim to one of these in japan. as you re-
member.
"Just to show you the absolute disregard
he has for danger. l will tell you what he
did at the funeral of his father; Whsi
procession was lined with a solid rank OF
bayonets. and Alexander II walked In the
midst of armed men. How different did his
His Majesty gave strict orders that the
people were not to be kept back by a
serried row OF soldiers. He had the mill
tary there. IL Is true. but only as a mark
of respect to the deceased. The troops
were placed at intervals SO that the public
could freely come and go. But this wa:
not enough. Nicholas II showed them that
whatever danger lurked in the crowd. ne
did not wish to shirk it.. He walked al
oiohe ui.Sty DcnAhu III ncdrSe, Will the
people all around him The grand dukes
and members of the family came latel
with an escort of soldiery to protect them
but the Car was among his subjects
You know how we'll they satisfied this con.
hdence?
His modesty! Well-would YOU believe
it?-the autocrat of all the Russias anc
sovereign chief of their armies goes abou
to this day In a coloners uniform. Surel,
that IS the very emblem of modesty
Among the brilliant staff of generals tina
surround him Nicholas II figures humbl,
In the uniform of the rank to which hh
father had promoted him.. And we all lik,
him the better for It,"
Now tell me about the Empress. How 1.
she liked? How does she like her new
country?
"As far as her popularity here is con
cerned we are simply idolaters. Everybod,
who has seen her can we'll understand tn,
Emperor's love for his wife. And to judg,
by her Maiesty's keen interest in tn,
language and history of her new people w,
fatter ourselves that the Empress likes us.
docs her Majesty already speak Rus
.Yes. she does. A friend of. mine VIII,
had audience of tire Czarina a short tim,
ago was ~delighted and surprised to hea
her address him In our language. She spok,
slowly and distinctly. but without tn,
faintest trace OF a foreign accent. She is
however. too difident as yet to speak Rus
sian In public.
Like the majority of her adaptive rela
tfves. the Empress is ardently fond of his
torical studies, and i hear that she is nov
engaged In studying the history of RUSSIA
Jurisprudence The Minister of Justice. MI