The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-22
ANDREW ID. WHITE on THE GEAR.
How Nicholas ii. Impressed the ex.Minister
In 1907.

How Nicholas III. Impressed the exsMinistef
In 1909.
From he Century for November.
was presented to the heir TO the throne.
now the Emperor Nicholas H. He seemed
kindly young man; but one Of his remarks
amazed and disappointed me. During the
previous year the famine which had become
chronic In large parts Of Russia had taken
an acute form. and In It's train bad come
typhus and cholera, IL was. In fact. the
same widespread and deadly combination
OF starvation and disease which similar
causes produced 80 often In Western Europe
during the Middle Ages. From the United
States had come large contributions OF money
and grain. and as during the year after my
arrival, there had been recurrence OF the
famine. about 10000 rubles more had been
sent me from Philadelphia for distribution.
therefore spoke to him on the general sub
ject. referring to the fact that he was presi-
dent OF the Imperial Relief Commission. lie
answered that since the crops OF the last year
there was no longer any suffering. that there
was no famine worthy OF mention, and that
he was no longer giving attention to the sub
ject. This was said In an offhand. easy going
way which appalled, me. Tho simple fact
was that the famine, though not so wide
spread, was more trying than during the
year before; for 1t found the peasant popuia-
ton In Finland and In the central districts
OF the empire even less prepared TO meet 1t.
During the previous winter they had very
generally eaten their draught animals and
burned everything not absolutely necessary
for their own shelter: from Finland speci-
mems Of bread made largely OF ferns had
been brought to me. which 1t would seem a
shame to give to horses or cattle: and yet
his Imperial Highness. the heir to the throne,
evidently knew nothing Of all this!
In explanation. | was afterward told by
person who had known him intimately from
his childhood that. though courteous. his main
characteristic was an absolute indifference
to all persons and things about him and that
he never showed any application to business
or n spark of ambition Of any sort. This was
confirmed by what | ufterward saw of him
at court. He seemed to stand about listlessly.
speaking in n good natured way to this or
that person whe1lt was easier than not to do
80. but on the whole indifferent to all that
After his accession to the throne one of
the best judges in Europe. who had every
to obserye him closely sad to
i he he can an help it, and this explains in some
the Peace he and
for the japanese war; which. as revise these
Take also the dealings with Finland. The
whole thing Is monstrons, IT. is both com.
best developed part Of the empire; it stands
on higher plane than do the other prov
inces as regards every element Of eivlliza,;
all the realms of the Car, nihilism and anar-
ehis,m never having gained the slightest foot
empire strong ' enough s to prevent sundry
bigots. military and ecclesiastical, leading
the Emperor to violate his coronation oath.
to make the simple presentation OF petition
to him reasonable. to trample Finland under
i @ to tU Snd A. Sssa
CDnflSCatn their
press. to brutalize Its peasantry and thus TO
lower the whole country to the level of the
AT the Finnish capital, Helsn gfors, is one
OF the most important universities q E9rope.
Whole an
phere. of cleanliness and civilization far
superior 70 that which one finds in any Russian
time immemorial a, debased currency. the
currency of Finland was as good as gold:
whe in RasSa all public matters bore the
one could see the results Of enlightened dis
;G4s,sion while II Russia the peasant is but
far better developed both morally and re-
dys to It s to % in xSss
S ste to Be ground down to q level with, kassls
sympathy expressed for the Beers sAf in soas h
Africa in their struggle against England;
what it could to save itself. but 1t recognize
the fact that its two millions OF people are
utterly poweress against the brute force Of
the 1870 600, 900 of the Russian Empire.
The struggle in South Africa meant, after
all, that IL the worst came to worst the Beers
higher, type Of constitutional liberty than
republic they could have established; but
Finland is now forced to give up her copsti-
ttutional government and to come under the
rule of brutal Russian satraps. These have
already begun their work: all Is to be "Russi-
fed" the constitutional bodies are to be
virtually abolished; the university is to be
brought down to the evel Of Dorpat-once
SO noted as a German university. now Rus
sned and worthless: for the simple Profess
tantism Of the people is to be substituted
1t is the snddest spectacle of our time.
Former Emperors, however much they
have wished to do so, have not dared break
their oaths to Finland but the present weak
ness, and absolute undtness to rule, has
allowed the dominant reactionary clique
nre; j put on record here the prophecy
ished for 1t. All history shows that no such
crime has been committed without receiving
iph, want