Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1904-02-11
About Russia.
Who are the Russians?

W ~ dit the RuSSlauS.
They are descendants of the Slavs,
one OF the primitive peoples of Eu.
rope
Did they not migrate to Europe
from Asia 1900 years ago?
No, II was formerly supposed that
Europe was peopled by emigrants
from Central Asia, but that theory has
been abandoned. The best modern
opinion is that the Teutons, Celts,
Slavs and other European peoples orig.
mated in Western Europe.
But are not the Russians radically
different in race from the French and
Germans?
Not at all. The Slavs are no nearer
kin to the Chinese than are the Eng
fish, Russians, Germans and French.
All sprang from closely allied Aryan
stock.
Are there not, however, admittedly
great differences between the Russian
and the Anglo-Saxon character?
Certainly. The average Russian is
not nearly so aggressive or so self-re-
liant as the Englishman. He depends
on the government rather than on
himself. Besides, he has stronger
vein of the mystical and the idealistic
in his nature than has the English
man. Scratch a Russian" says Hen
ry Norman, and you find transcen.
dentist. Converse with one on train
and in ten minutes you will find your
self discussing some abstract point.
How did these peculiarities of the
Slavic stock arise?
They developed chiefly as the nat
ural result of Russia's position in Eu.
rope, of its isolation from the great
Southern commercial and intellectual
centers, of its exposure to the barba-
rian East, and of its severe climate.
The primitive communism of its vii
lage communities once existed
throughout Europe, but now survives
only in Russia. Its outbursts Of fanat'
icism are to be expected in an ignor.
ant and superstitious community. Ra.
cial aptitude probably has had less to
do with Russian characteristics than
have the physical causes mentioned.
What sort of people are the Rus
slams?
Evidently they have great capabil-
tiles, for they have produced novelists,
painters, musicians and statesmen of
the first order. ITO know the Rus
sian," says Writ Gerrare, an English
observer. lis to like him. He is the
last man with whom one would wish
to be at war. In character he Is Meth
er rapacious or cruel" Personally"
says Henry Norman, "the Russian
peasants are attractive. They are
simple, good natured kindly, very
ready to be pleased or to laugh. No
body can fail to like them. Their pow
erty does not prevent them from be-
ing happy in the< melancholy Slav
fashion"
What is the state of education in
Russia?
Seven adults out of ten can neither
read nor write. Army recruits have a
wisp of straw tied about the left arm
to distinguish 1t from hefright.
What is the Russian government?
A curious combination of autocracy
and communism.
How did the autocracy arise?
Through the military necessity OF
having a strong government to keep
out the Tartar invaders.
How does the government operate?
The whole legislative, executive and
judicial power is vested in the car,
whose will Is law. IF the car should
order every locomotive and car in the
empire" said an educated Russian to
Henry Norman, ito be run across the
Siberian railroad into the China sea.
r. Dnccia
peace at the cars command and 1t
can go to war only at his word.
Is the ear, then, absolute?
No. He is hedged about by tradi.
ton. He could not change the ma
TONS religion, for instance, and al
though he would like to reform the
calendar he does not venture to do so.
How does the czar govern?
Through ministers and through the
great councils of state. Most OF the
responsibility for legislation falls on
the ministers who, however. must be
able to secure the cars approval OF
their plans.
Is there no local self.government?
Yes in the commune, or mir. The
commune is the parish. 1t controls
all the land and allots 1t to Individual
peasants year by year. Communal as
semblies. made up of all the peasants,
meet as occasion requires to settle the
business of the village. An elected
elder Is the executive head. The COM
mune has large degree of control
over its members. 1t can even banish
them.
Are there other self-governing bod
les?
Yes the commures are united IN
cantons with assemblies and cantons
into districts. and these into provinces.
The authority granted the assemblies
Is meager and all of them, from those
of the commune up to those OF the
province, are under constant super
vision by the central government.
How does Russia compare in area
and population with the United
States?
European Russia is not quite two
thirds as large as the United states
With its Asiatic possessions RUSSIA
has $500. 900 square miles to Ameri-
cas- $500. 900 The United States has
about four.fifths of the population OF
European Russia.
How do the two countries compare
in length of railways?
Russia had $4,000 miles in 1900; the
United States $4,000.
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