The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-10-15

birth of the ezarewich occurred on Friday. Saturday morning the fiass were flying from shops on the principal streets of Moscow and a salute was fired on the Kremlin. But the people in the streets made no demonstration and seemed to care little about it. l asked a Russian why so little was made of the event. He replied that it was a matter of more interest to St. Peters burg than to Moscow, and added that many would rather that the succession should go to the grand duke. On Sun day great crowds lined the streets when the procession of priests and monks went down from the Cathedral of the Assumption bearing the holy icons to bless the water of the MoskVa river. This event takes place every year. The crowds remained to see the high officials and their families go into the cathedral after this ceremony to attend a service of thanksgiving for the birth of the heir. They did not disperse till after a salute of 103 guns had been fired from the Kremlin wall. But it was a singularly silent crowd There was no popular demonstration Of joy anywhere.
 A few days later I met an English gentleman who had been in St. Peters burg over Sunday. I asked him what festivities had been held there. He said that there seemed to be little enthusi- asm in the capital. Flags were hoisted and guns fired, about the same as in Moscow. Our little company of Amer jeans appeared to be more delighted with the birth of the boy than those whose destinies were more intimately affected by it. We did not know that the people went wild with joy over the event till some days later, when we read in English papers the accounts sent out from St Petersburg.
 In estimating the possible outcome of the war several things must be taken into the account. One of these is the
 wide separation between the upper and lower classes. The peasants have been treligiously trained to obey and serve their superiors. They have had it wrought into their dull minds for gen. lerations that they pleased God and the saints by kissing the hands that smote them. But 1t is not easy to estimate the degree of enthusiasm with which such service will be rendered as en- ilightenment slowly spreads.
 Another thing to be considered is the separation between Russia and the progressive western nations. It is not
 an isolated fact that her calendar is
 thirteen days behind the date of these nations. That is only sign that she lis not up with the procession. Her people are not inventive. They are not Ialert to appropriate the inventions of others. Her vast plans are cultivated
 still in primitive ways. Tn other hands iher resources might be made to yield far greater wealth. Her vehicles rattle over stony streets. The maximum of effort brings forth often minimum re-
 sults. The heavy and clumsy duga, lthe big wooden arch over the horses back, connecting the shafts, the rope
 traces tied to the axles of the wheels of the droshkies and other vehicles
 and the awkward arrangements of the
 harness are everyday illustrations showing how slow the Russian is to adopt modern inventions and help to explain why the nimble mind of the Japanese gives him superiority over
 the fatalism and dogged courage of his
 foe.
 I But a graver thing than these is the corruption which is acknowledged as prevailing in all official circles, and the
 consequent distrust which has become ihabtual and universal Ships, munitions tof war and supplies are manipulated
 for gain, with stolid indifference to the risks to human lives and the country's
 honor. And this in the face of impend- ling disaster The very bigness of the
 nation gives what may be a false sense of security.
 What if we do lose a hundred thou
 sand men?' said Russian gentleman
 to me. There are many more" It would not be fair to imply that all or
 even most foreigners who know Russia are without sympathy for her, or that they unqualifiedly condemn those who
 are in power. I heard praise from such persons for her rulers. Those who
 are outspoken in their distrust of the
 beaurocracy--as many Russians also
 are speak in cordial terms of the peo- Eple. But they would say with Wolf von
 Sheierbrand in his recent volume that a crushing defeat would be a blessing in disguise to the whole nation, drunk with aggressive power as they are and lwith a national conscience callous to 1.-the best dictates of enlightened human .[ity and to the unwirten laws of fair mess in dealing with weaker but more lgifted and advanced races. An Eng Ilish gentleman who is widely known as
 an author, who has spent much time lin Russia, lately said to me in sub ,lstance what he has since published, Ithat the nation sWarms to the church.
 esaon every possible occasion, and is
 meantime throughout It's whole civil
 and military organization, the theater of the vastest and most thoroughly or lganized corruption in the world.'
 Another, who has lived for quarter tof a century in St. Petersburg and has Ia hearty sympathy with it's people, tsaid: So great a nation with such im- Emense resources cannot be destroyed.
 The war is a long way off from us. It lis not our gravest problem. The czar Imay make peace with Japan. We shall then have other questions to face Who
 knows what the army is thinking and
 what it will do? Its leaders are on the
 side of the government now. But Rus lsian's greatest perils are not from for leign foes. They are within herself"-