The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-11-03
RUssIA,s CHEAP NOBILITY.

Russian Letter In New YORK Observer
The czar, IL Is stated, has been consid-
ering for some time how best to reform
the Russian nobility system, which is
rapidly becoming the laughing stock of
Europe. lie Is anxious to lessen the
number OF mobiles, to make the class as a
whole more useful to the state, and to
raise the standard by passing which a
pleb sian may enter their ranks.
Native families sprung from ancient
races of noble blood are few and tar be-
tween In Russia. Those which still re-
main are said to be able to trace their de-
scent back to Rurik and his boyars, con-
temporaries of Charlemaane The boyars
In their turn were little more than high
officials, whose office and propinquity to
their prince conferred title, and whose
dignitles and privileges depended ON his
grace.
In Russia nobility as an Institution lis
fairly democratic one. There exists tno
difference between old and new families,
either in popular estimation or among
the mobiles themselves. Russia 10 unique
in this. In other countries the great
court officials belong exclusively to the
old nobility. In Russia high chamber
lain is as often as not man of yesterday.
and occupies an office open to every capa-
BILE or gifted Young official.
There is at the present time one OF the
great chamberiains Of the .czar, whose
father came from Germany as poor
tutor. The Skobeleffs, Lamsdortfs and
Muravietfs OF whom we have heard so
much in recent years, were simple peas
ant folks generation or Two ago. Inc
present minister of war, Gen. kuropat-
ki m, is a tailor's son, the present minister
of finance, NJ. White, was humble rail-
way official on southern railroad.
The special privileges accorded to the
noble class in Russia are still very great,
and 1t is the intention OF the GEAR to cur
tail them. Until quite recently they
were the only class In the empire exempt
from corporal punishment. Until quite
recently they were also exempted from
military service.
Every one must now serve in the army,
and except in rare cases, where village
communities have still the right, fog
ging has been abolished throughout the
empire. The exclusive right of the noble
to own serfs has also been abolished. But
one preaching privilege they still pos
sess-their entrance into the service of
the stats Is easier than that If the mer-
chant or peasant class, their advancs-
ment Is more certain and rapid. 1t tells
its own tale also when one sees in nearly
every town within the empire an insti-
tuti on with the sign board, "lnstitut ion
for the education OF noble-born girls, or
School for mobiles sons"
What have written explains the ludi-
crous extent to which the class Of mobiles
in Russia has grown, and the compare
lively little regard in which they are
held, ana the low ebb to which fortunes
of many Russian mobiles have sunk. In
European Russia there are over 600, 900
mobiles by Inheritance, and over 200, 900
by virtue OF the office they hold In the
service of thesstate.
The consequence of this Is that the
noble Is found In all ranks of society, In
all professions and GLASSES of business,
and not the least In the very lowest
ranks OF the masses OF the proletariat.
The present czar is anxious to do away
with the custom by which the eminent
men in the public service confer nobility
on their descendants simply by virtue
OF their office.
His plan is to make every new noble o
distinct creation of his own. There are
to bs no self-acting patents of nobility
A general Is not to be noble because
he Is a.general, but because the ozar has
specially conferred nobility upon him,
and the generals children are not to be
mobiles unless the patent received by the
father distinctly says SO.