The Portland daily press., 1900-09-18
Gold and Silver Seen On
Every Hand,
With Gaunt Poverty in Striking
Contrast.
MOSCOW. Aug. 16. 1900.

Moscow, Aug. 16, 1900.
Russia for the Russians is the one
controlling sentiment of every good Mos
covite. 10 him there Is no other people
worth saving, and he believes Without
twinge of doubt, that Russia Will even
tually dominate all Europe, and that eve
ny lnhabitant OF this sublunary sphere
win, not long h ence, bow the knee in
humble reverence before icons of her
countless saints.
The moment one steps foot In Russia
he finds that his respiration Is affected;
indeed, he becomes aware that he is
breathing in different world from that
to which he has been accustomed. Per-
haps the ceremonies attending his land
ing have emphasized this feeling. Upon
going on board the steamer his passport
was demanded and the purser informed
him solemnly that it would be returned
II it proved to be en- reggie and he was LETT
for the entire voyage In painful uncer-
tainty. When the steamer reached her
dock, he saw a guard placed at the gang
way armed to the teeth, and several Off
GERS came on board and installed them
selves in the cabin. Before these he was
summoned and his appearance having
been found to tally with the description
in his passport ana the visas correct, he
was given certificate, and, after paying
fees received his passport from the officer S
hand, and was allowed to pass the guard.
All this has probably affected him, but
he finally reaches his hotel and is ushered
into the room for which he has written.
No sooner, however, does the servant
turn to leave, than he notices man who
has followed him and who spreads out a
printed sheet of paper upon which he is
asked to give his name residence, occu-
patton, and state what his business in
Russia is, when he expects TO leave and
where to go. This individual then asks
for his passport, and tells him that it will
be returned when he leaves. All this
naturally affects him and causes him to
ask what next, and then he learns that
If he does not get the official consent to
leave and have it properly placed upon
his passport, lie win be stopped at the
frontier and not be allowed to leave the
country. This happened a few days ago.
The widow of General Collins, supposing
that her declaration of when and where
she was to pass the frontier, which had
been accepted, and for which she had
paid the proper fee, having neglected to
get the official permit, was arrested on
the train in the night and forced to go
back to Warsaw greatly to her discomfort
ana cost, and 1t was only after tedious
negotiations that she was permitted to
proceed. Such is Russia in the Twentieth
century.
The care which the Russian govern
ment exercises in keeping from the pub
lilo the knowledge OF what the people of
other countries think and say of them,
or what might be suggestive of similar
action by her own people, is remarkable.
When found that my own newspapers
were not at my bankers and enquired
the reason, l was told that they were
probably at the censors Office. ''When
am likely to get themS' I asked. go"
was the reply, with a shrug of the
shoulders, THAT depends upon whether he
is very busy or not. He may be taking a
vacation and then, perhaps, you will not see
them at all. 1t looks queer to see in
the reading rooms OF the hotels, the New
York Herald. London Times, Punch and
our magazines, with large black patches
here and there across their columns.
Even harmless joke in Punch I saw
blotted out, as 1t referred to Russia. Re-
marks referring to the recent assassina-
ton of the King of Italy are especially
blOtted out. Probably it is thought dan