The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-12
TRYING TO SEE THE CAR
HIS POTENT AID SOUGHT BY ALL
SORTS AND CONDITIONS OF PEOPLE.
Russia's General Manager Hard to Get
at, but Gracious and Kindly Once
His Presence Is Reached.
Josiah Flynt in New York Commercial Ad-

somebody turns UP in ST. Petersburg with
a pet scheme or reform which he wants to
bring to his Majesty's notice" and he
often hangs about the city an entire winter.
waiting, generally hopelessly, for presen-
tation Some have plans to lay before him
about Siberia and the freeing Of the prison
ers there; others seek mercy for supposedly
prosecuted sects in the south; and still 9TH
ers desire that he take an interest in this
and that railway project. One wandered
from New Zealand was anxious to confer
with him about making Russia a republic.
Probably not ten out of every thousand
who make an effort to see him succeed but
these few take up more of his time than
president of one of our great railroads
would be willing to sacrifice to such visi-
tors. There is a long road to travel before
one can pass the door of his office in the
Winter Palace. 1t is said that the most
difficult man in Europe TO meet is the En-
peror of Austria, but 1 doubt very much
whether he is surrounded with any more
protection and straw men" than the Car
is. To get at him one must first of all find
some one who will introduce the would-be
caller to the minister of the court.
The poor peasants who also come to st.
Petersburg with tales of woe to tell to the
..Ittle father have to give up all hope of
getting to this official, and generally go di-
rect to the Winter Palace and declare blunt
Nv to the guard on duty at the gates, we
want to see our Gar. They are usually
to,d TO get OUT and be "quick about 1t,
but some of them are very persistent ana
keep on knocking at the gates day after
day until perchance his Majesty goes out
for drive or walk, and then they touch
their foreheads to the ground ana whine,
"Oh, little father, listen to our troubles.
Perhaps he listens ana perhaps ne doeSn |,
but they tramp back to their villages great
er men in their own estimation as Well as
in that of their telloW-VlnaSers merely from
Persons who were not peasants have also
tried this hanging around the palace gates
method, even among cranks Is TO be Iegu-
larly presented through the minister OF the
court 1t is comparatively easy 70 nave an
interview with this tunctIonary IL one can
get a letter to him, and large percentage
of the candidates for a presentation know
how to arrange this. The consultation with
him is always pleasant and polite, but gen.
erally brief $50 you desire TO see his
Majesty, do you?" he will ask. What is
the nature of the matter you wish to bring
to his Majestys notice? About your con-
fiscated property in the Caucasus, you say?
There is a commission. as, perhaps, you are
aware, that looks into such matters, ana
would advise you to apply to 1t. He then
bows very graciouSly, frequently SNAKES
hands helping the caller toward the door
with a suggestive pressure of his hand IN
that direction and then his secretary calls
next $3.50 ~
ET1Q UEITE OF 1ttH GALL.
Occasionally the caller is of such impor-
lance that he cannot be refused an audience,
and then the minister must prepare for it.
There Is a rapid drive to the Winter Palace
or wherever else it is that the Gar may
be- hasty final consultation in an ante
room about the etiquet to be observed,
and then the ambitious one walks into not
very gorgeous apartment and the Car
greets him. He rattles off his memorized
petition, or whatever it is that he has to
say the Car very possibly toying with
paper cutter or a pen during the speech,
and when it is finished the Gar expresses
interest in his remarks, In some cases non
ors the caller with thanks for having ms
attention brought to the matter in hand,
and then there is a bowling and knocking
of heels together, and the Cars secretary
also calls next"
Nicholas II is reported to be very agree
able monarch to meet, and he interests MINI
self in great many more things than ne IS
given credit for. He does not make as
much about his interests as William OF
Germany, but he has them just the same,
and, perhaps, one OF the greatest dlmcuI-
ties involved in getting an audience with
him is that his enterprises are not always
popular with the camarilla around him.
An interesting character from our far
West turned up one day in st. Petersburg
with lots of money and a fad about inter-
esting young Russians in a religious or
! ganization to which he gave most Of his
| time and income. 1t is difficult to intro
! duce church novelties into Russia, and this
! was made very clear to the Westerner, but
! he was as good a business man as he was
! a religionst, and on learning that the
! Car was the only one who could help him,
| he asked: What will it cost? This ques-
| ton had never been put to the function
| aries so buntly before, and they were at
| a loss to know how to reply. The west
| erner, however, came to their assistance.
! "Ain't you got any hospital he's interested
! in that l can give something top 1t was
| eventually decided that it would be a very
! CtrC 1Crar RI q
| endowment fund of a certain spital, and IN
| due time he was notified that an audience
| had been arranged, He had met only a
| President before coming to ST. Petersburg,
| and the possibility of meeting an Emperor
went to his head. In the shops III the
| Neffsky where he made certain purchases
necessary for the audience, he notified the
statesmen Immediately why he needed the
things "Ha-ha-ha! I'm going to see your
Kingr' he said to each one, not word of
which they understood. He managed to
gather himself together by the time the
presentation was to take place, ana ne
not only had a very charming conversation
with his Majesty, but thoroughly interested
him in his work.
TWO QUAKERS CALLED.
Another story is told in st. Petersburg
about two Quakers. One day they arrived
In the city for the purpose of interesting
the Car 'in the welfare of his own soul
as we'll as in those of his subjects" AT
last, so the story runs, after they had tried
in their simple way all the ordinary APP
proaches to his presence. they called one
afternoon at the house of the procurator of
the holy synod. This gentleman was about
to go out for a drive when they rang his
bell, and he opened the door himself And
who are you?'' he asked of one of the two
strangers.
1--WE have been moved to come to you by
the Spirit Of God" they replied.
els that SOP" he answered. well, l cam
not close my door to the Spirit Of God;
come in"
They remained cioseted with him for
nearly two hours, telling him how they had
been impeled to go to Russia and what it
was that they were anxious to bring to the
Cars notice The call to make the journey
had come to them simultaneously, it seems,
but while one was in Africa and the other
i'm India They met each other for the first
time in Germany and travelled together
from there to Russia. The procurator was
so struck with their simple faith that he
took them to the Gar, who was equally inn
pressed with their peaceful errand. AS
result of the interview they were allowed to
do missionary work among the prescribed
sects of southern Russia, privilege never
before officially granted to any one outside
of Tho Greek Church.
Perhaps the most pathetic petition for an
audience with the Car Is that of the poor
woman who seeks mercy for some relative
in Siberia or for funds 10 take care Of her
family. If St Petersburg has one of these
forlorn women it has hundreds. and as long
as there is the least hope they keep knock