The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-13
RUSSIA SEEN BY An EXILE
STORY OF THE RUSSIAN PEAS
ANTRX NARRATED TO THE
Y. M. G. A.
Isaac Waxman, Who Landed at New
York With Thtrty-Ftve Cents In
HIS Pocket, Tells of Unheard-of
Wealth in the Cars Domain.

Isaac Waxman, an exiled Russian Jew,
addressed the mems meeting at the Y.
M c. A. yesterday afternoon on 1.-THE
Car and His People, but, owing to the
wide scope of the subject only told Of
the peasantry, their customs and social
condition.
Mr.. Waxman stated in opening that
when he landed in New York he had lust
80 cents In his pocket. Since that he has
been through college, but of necessity a
35-cent education was not as extensive as
he would like. His own efforts, assisted
by kindly disposed Americans, had en-
abled him to obtain the desired end, that
of getting an education.
The people Of Russia were primarily d.
V1ded into three classes, the lower, the
peasantry; the middle, the merchants
and the upper, as the nobility Even the
car does not know of the vast undevel-
oped resources Of Russia" said Mr.. Wax
man. IF developed and the methods of
modern civilization applied it would be
the richest country in the world and its
people the happiest and most contented
Millions OF acres of land as fertile as the
valley OF the Nile have never been pIoWed
Russia is rich in gold, and her copper
and iron deposits are among the most
extensive In area, yet less extensively
mined or any in the world. Agricultural
~, there is no better land In the world
Millions Of square miles in Siberia could
De made to produce as fine wheat as is
marketed In the world But the great
oulK OF this great country is undeveloped
ana the people are huddled together in
small villages. Russia needs capital and
enlightenment to bring out these re-
sources If its soil and mines were prop
md =
the richest country in the world TODAY.
When the great peasantry of 900 Rus
sian villages awake to civilization that
great empire Will go forward and its
plains will be made to bloom like the rose.
II the l0O,OOO,O00 Of peasants Of Russia
were well developed and enlightened un-
DER different system they would make
the most intelligent workers and the best
citizens in the world Russians onlv live
to work, but they work without knowl
edge =
The 100000 villages that constitute the
great Russian empire are nearly all alike.
When you have seen one you have seen the
typical Russian town. Looking out Of the
car windows you see In the distance what
appears to be long line Of haystacks.
upon near approach you find It a Rus
sian village Of huts, made out of logs and
pT1cK You never see a house standing
alone on the plains Of Russia. No lone
FARMERS are seen blowing the ground
with no houses in sight The Western
farm' with Its great field, is not a reality
IN Russia. The farm house Is absent. but
the villages are very numerous, and one
varies but little from another These crude
houses, you know, are full of half naked
babies and crying children. The people
live very simply within. The fireplace "a
most important adjunct to the house
hoId- In the winter the family sleep
around 1t. 1t also serves as a cook stove.
PICTURES are rarely seen on the walls.
Every town has its public steam bath
mouse, about the only municipal instt-
tuition they have. The Russians have
been slandered in this respect and
think they are, compared with other ma
lions, very clearly. The Russian does not
wash often, but when he does he makes a
business of 1t and sweats all Of the i'm
pur1ttes out Of his system. They have no
municipal improvements, no street Iamps
paving or water works The family wash
ing Is done at the river bank. where the
women pound the dirt out of the gar
ments on the rocks. Wringers or wash
tubs are not known. The principal item
or Russian peasants menu is soup. and
this he has five times a day and seldom
reaches point where he has had enough
He seldom tastes meat more than three
| times year"