The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1904-02-13
RUSSIA AND JAPAN
Some Questions and Their Answers Concerning the Two Ma
tons About to Go to War; Their Countries and Their
People y What Each Is Contendins For
Fromth KansasC
About Russia.
Who are the Russians?

ABOUT Russia.
Who are the Russians?
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. 1t was formerly supposed thai
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
lish, 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 a stronger
vein of the mystical and the idealistic
in his nature than has the English
man. Scratch 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 chief as the nat
ural result of Russias position in Eu
rope, of it's isolation from the great
Southern commercial and intellectual
centers, of it's 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 tc
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. TO know the Rus
sian," says Writ Gerrare, an English
observer. sis to like him. He is the
last man with whom one would wish
| to be at war. In character he is Meth
err 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 their melancholy SlaJ
fashion"
What is the state of education in
Russia?
Seven adults out of ten can neither
read nor write. Army recruits have q
wisp of straw tied about the left arm
to distinguish it from the right.
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 keeE
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 tc
Henry Norman, ito be run across the
Siberian railroad into the China sea
it would be DONE" Russia must make
peace at the czar's command and II
can go to war only at his word.
Is the car, then, absolute?
No. He is hedged about by tradi
ton. He could not change the ma
ticu's religion, for Instance, and al
though he would like to reform the
ca.sndar he does not venture to do SO
How does the car 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 it 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 contro
over its members. 1t can even Danish
| them.
Are there other self-governing bod
les?
Yes, the communes 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 Russis
has S,5O0,000 square miles to Ameri
cas- 100000 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.