The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-09
RUSSIA AND THE RUSSIANS"
Lecture at the Tabernacle By d.
Talmage Last Evening.

Talmage Last Evening.
The lecture in the tabernacle last
light by DR.. j. e. Talmage was a
huge success in every way. The lee
ture had been announced for the bene-
fit of the Mutual Improvement associa-
ton cause. a very large audience
greeted the lecturer when he assembled
The platform. and the strictest atten-
tiCn was paid to the address from be-
ginning to end
The speaker gave a condensed de-
sCriDtiOn of Russian life and customs,
of the institutions and organizations
characteristic of that greatly misun-
eistood country. The Russian nature
has a claim to great antiquity in its
present abode; yet it is a most COM
posite family of different tribes and
peoples. There are today many varie-
ties of Russians proper. as well as
Firms Laplanders. Tartars, Bashkirs,
Litnuanians and Poles. The strongly
controlled government represented by
the absolute monarchy by which the
nation is governed, is, perhaps, the
cause of the compactness and unity of
the nation.
They are today not prepared for a
more liberal and democratic form of
control. The charges OF illiteracy and
ignorance so often charged against the
people are too well founded. though
many other harsh criticisms so COM
monty passed on the people are gross
misrepresentation There is no gen
eral and popular education of the
masses in Russia, and until this lack
is supplied systematic and rapid growth
cannot be expected. The people have
hardly as yet learned TO know their
rights; the masses are without ambi-
tiCn.
The lecturer described in a pleasing
way the passport regulations which be-
set every traveller in the country; also
the operations of the official censor,
without whose sanction no book, news
paper article or other publication can
ne issued. Yet. with all these extremes,
he government is a strong one. and its
strength is constantly increasing. The
nation presents to us many paradoXies.
There is q species of local self-gOvern-
ment, a truly democratic organization.
amongst these autocratic environments.
The unit of government is the mir, or
village community under this the
land of each community is held in COM
mon. Then there is the Zemstvo, an
elective organization of a higher order.
The central government is represented
by the car, his four chief councils. and
representative of the central govern
nent is found in every province and
district subdivision.
After this Introductory discussion, the
stereopticon was called into use, and a
series of IS lantern photographs were
projected with excellent effect. The
lecturer led his audience through Fin
land. the land of marshes. with its
excellent cities, its country scenes, its
flower girls, peasants and brides. for
tune letters and market women. Then
st. Petersburg, Moscow, Nijno Novgo-
rod, Kiev, I<harkOv and Odessa, among
the cities were visited in order, and
their grandeur displayed by the aid of
the lime light. The palaces of the
imperial family at st. Petersburg. Pet
erhof, Moscow and other places We're
described by pictures of interior and
exterior scenes. The private apart
ments of both car and czarina, and
the imperial throne were grandly pic
tured Then the journey was continued
through the central provinces. over the
Trials, into Siberia every stage being
Illustrated by photographs.
The lecture was in every way a great
success, and the Improvement associa-
ton. which was the beneficiary of the
undertaking, is correspOndingly happy