The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-04
SOLDIERS OF THE CzAR.
Reasons for the Awe with Which thu
Russian Empire Is Regarded.
E. c., in Chicago Record.

II. u, III OulCdSO IcCOit'
Recently l saw one of the most impress
sive sights it has ever been my lot to be-
hold. | was in the town OF Samara, on
the River Volga, in eastern Russia. had
just rung for the samovar Tor our break
fast when | heard a sound outdoors like
the tramping of many feet. j went to the
window and looked out.
Down the street / saw marching toward
us the first body of Russian soldiers l had
ever seen. At the very first glance they
impressed me most strongly. The tail red
coats of Great Britain, the crack bersag-
lieri of Italy, Germanys countless troops,
prim and trim to afectation-none OF them
resembled these Russian soldiers. The
Cars men had no bright uniforms no
shining Announcements, no smart caps or
Jackets Their clothes were of a rough
brownish cloth. There were no gilt trim
mings no brass buttons even, nothing to
show a soldiers uniform except that the
clothes were all alike and trimmed with
little braid. Across their backs were slung
their blankets, and every other man car
ried a tin teapot.
The infantry troops of most of the Euro
pean countries must wear muStacheS, ana
must be clean-ShaVen otherwise, but OF
these Russian soldiers almost all wore
boards 1t was not the trim, pointed beard
of western Europe, either. but OF the fuli
tawny-colored beard that is so character
istically Russian-the beard that comes
from never shaving. that helps to keep.
man warm when the Thermometer is 80 de-
grees below zero.
Presently ! looked dfOunu lOr the Uetlu
There was none. And l soon saw why. For
in q moment / heard the faint notes OF a
single fife and then suddenly the Whole
troop bursi into singing. That was thelr
music 1t made me think of the times when
primitive peoples went forth to battle sing
ing and [ felt. as | have so often Ieit IN
Russia, that / had been carried bodily back
hundreds of years IN the world history.
The song of these Russian soldiers was
timed to their march. and like chant.
strong and resounding, and with risings
and falings that gave it a strange force.
No soldiers that / had ever seen had the
look of rugged hardness and endurance,
of solidity and power. of imperturDable do
termination, that these men possessed. AS
they marched by, keeping step to the time
of their war song. / began to realize why
it was that nations called Russia the
"peacemaker of Europe, why Germany,
and France and Austria We'd with one an
other in seeking the favor of the great Slav
empire. Russia is composed OF one hundred
nations, from the Lapps of northernmost
Scandinavia to the Persians of India. In u
trip of five hundred miles along the Volga
1 have passed through the country of four
teen different peoples-all Russians.
/ began to search out the reasons for the
respectful awe with which European ma
tions look on their young oYergrown neigh
Dor. And j had not far TO look. Spread
out as she is, composed of many different
peoples with almost nothing in common,
Russia nevertheless has a compactness that
England never possessed-there IS unity
about her people that is enjoyed by no ON
err civilized power on edrtn.
There are many reasons for this. In the
first place there is not spot in this great
empire that the strong arm of the govern
ment does not reach. The Persian and the
I.app are first of all. Russians. They are
Russians chiefly because they want 10 be
because they want the protection and fath-
erly care of the great Emperor. Probably
no other government of to-day IS closer TO
the people than the Russian.
Secondly, the Russians live exclusively in
cities or villages. / have travelled over
seven thousand miles in Russia and Siberia
without ever seeing 2 single farmhouse
standing by Itself. Every farmer in Rus
sia-and so per cent of the Russians are
farmers-lives in a village, and each of
these villages is responsible TO the general
government for the taxes, debts, etc. OF
all it's members. 1t even owns all the land
held by it's members. and over this land has
absolute power The natural result of all
this is that each village is one of the most
compact political units of modern society.
with power over its individual members
that is held by no other civilized political
body. If Russia were to go to war she
would have these thousands OF villages,
all organized anu ready to furnish both men
and means Is 1t any wondtI that the pow
ers look up to u nation that can command