Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-08
PAUL DU cHAllLu ON PEACE.
Veteran Traveller Writes About PleasurabIe
Experience In Russia.

Thefe are newspaper men whose bust
ness ii seems to he TO make nations haze
each other and TO involve them in war.
Sad indeed IL their mission and vocation.
With our present civilization many peo-
pie. in America believe that war among
enlightened nations ought to lie avoided
If possible. and that many controversies
that may arise between them ought. II
possible, to be settled by arbitration. We
ourselves in the Gnited States have given
examples in that respect. avoiding Swo
destructive wars between ourselves ana
Great Britain. and thus helping the adj
vance of civilization. and consequently
the cause of humanity. | have no doubt
that the Cuban question would have been
settled amicab1y between the United
States and Spain II the blowing up Of the
Maine in Havana harbOr, while she was
in friendly water, had not taken place.
The human trea tment granted to the
Spanish prisoners by the United States
government and the people showed that
the war had not raised any hatred
against the Spaniards themselves. The
Spaniards in the country during the war
were neither molested nor ill-treated.
Today Spaniards are as welcome as peo-
pie of other Municipalities to become citi-
zcns of the United States.
The lovers of blood and war invent all
kinds of schemes to make those nations
fight against each other, publish false
news and irritating taunts and boasts,
calling upon the prejudces of the people
leading them on into an unfriendly state.
where reason is lost. Not satisfied with
having two nations fighting with eacn
other they want all The others to jon.
During our war with Spain. France and
Russia, the hereditary friends OF the
country. were said 20 plot against us;
and many people unfortunately. believed
1t.
In regard to myself. who have Travelled
widely | cannot understand why a peo-
pie speaking different language or hav-
ing an imaginary line between them
called a frontier, should dislike each 9TH
er, for l have found in all those lands 50
many good people.
A propaganda against Russia for years
past has been going on to make us be-
lieve that Russia is an awful country.
that every step of man is logged by the
police, that the great mass OF the people
are ba:barians and that there is hardly
any civilization in the country. ! must
confess that was one of the victims of
this delusion. Business called me to Rus
STA to compare some of the antiquities
found in that country with those of the
Vikings or Norsemen. l went to Russia
port carefully vised by the Russian am
bassador at Copenhagen. Then from
there l went to Stockholm, ard from
there to ST. Petersburg by water. When
came to that city | expected to see my
luggage searched from top to bottom by
custom house officers to see if there was
any Nihilist literature TO be distributed
among the people. My astonishmcnt was
great when my humble baggage was
passed unopened. When / left the
steamer looked for people following me.
There were none. Wntn i entered my
carriage to go TO the hotel l looked for
one of the carriages to follow mine. so
that the police would know all my do
ings: but there were none TO follow my
footsteps. i was surprised when I came
to the hotel. l was requested to give my
passport to the landlord, which did.
Now after my arrival a gentlemanly
looking man came and asked me II was
the son of the celebrated traveller of thar
name. 1 answered that l myself was the
traveller. but not Ecelebrated.sI then told
him that l began my travels when was
i'm my teens. which people did not realize.
Then he said: Il am sure il the Emper-
or was in ST. Petersburg he. would re-
ceive you for he likes to get acquainted
compliment was too great. That ! was
Il humble citizen of the United States.
That we loved Russians, for we had not
forgotten that during the Civil war they
sent their powerful fleet to side with us
in case of eventualities. TO which ne
replied. I'VE love the Americans" Then
said to him that had just learned thar
the museum was closed, and that ] felt
very sorry because l had come to see the
antiquities. To which he replied 1.-The
museum will be open for you tomorrow.
1t was opened for me till my investiga-
tons were finished. / found the officials
polite. the scientific men learned and
prisons as good us IN any civilized cOun-
try. Their artists are magnificent; many
of their writer's have great genius.
There is brilliant future for Russia.
Don't forget it.
Now that we have finished. in behalf OF
humanity. let us not forget what human,
ity and civilization demand. We should
be propagandists for peace. and not for
war.-Paul du Chaillu. in Boston Tran
scriOt.