The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-17
SACRED CITY OF RUSSIA.
Moscow, the Ancient Capital, Where
 Shrines and Nihilists Abound.


 Walter Williams in London Express.
 To see a real Russian city it is abso- lutely necessary for the foreigner to visit Moscow.
 Its narrow streets, countless minarets Moorish architecture and the ancient walls are full of interest to the stranger Merchants from Siberia, China, Japan. Persia, Turkey, Syria and all parts of Eastern Europe journey to Moscow to dispose of their wares.
 The markets are babel of strange tongues. intensified by the violent gesticu- lations of the speakers.
 Moscow is the Manchester of Russia and the center of the commerce and wealth of that vast empire. The sturdy Muscovite merchants begin work early in the morning and have all their busi- ness finished before their St. Petersburg confreres are scarcely out of bed.
 Napoleon the Great was the most inl- portant tourist who ever visited Russia. Tn the spacious courtyard at the Kremlin there are S69 pieces of cannon which were left behind by him In the retreat of 1Si2 These, cannons, mostly bronze, were originally taken by Napoleon from the Prussians, Austrians, Italians, Spaniards and Portuguege during his various vic- torious campaigns.
 Recently thousands of soldiers have passed through MOSCOW on tnelr way to Manchuria and Siberia.
 They marched through the silent streets at midnight or early in the morning. when the inha bitants were asleep. The military bands and waving of handkerchiefs by wives and sweethearts were missing from the scene Nothing but the tap-tap of the drum was heard as the soldiers silently marched through the sfiowclad streets on their way to the Siberian railway station. 1t Is an ancient custom that war must be proclaimed from Moscow, and nowhere else in the Russian Empire. The report that the Cxar was to visit Moscow on January 21 gave rise to the rumor that war was to be declared with Japan, and catsed a fall of stocks on the Russian markets
 For the Czars the ancient capital has al- ways been considered dangerous. It Is the hotbed of Socialism and revolutionary ideas in Russia, and is the place where the students have been trying to organize revolts against the Government during recent years.
 On the day of the Feast of St. John CJanuary 1s) went to the Kremlin to see the blessing of the waters" performed by the Metropolitan and his assistants.
 Thousands of peasants rolled in through the "Holy Gate,'' like a resistless tide, and assembled in the great square of the Kremlin, which overlooks the river. For hours they waited in the snow and icy blasts in order to bare their heads and utter prayers as the holy relics were car- ried past by the priests.
 I watched the enormous throng, num- bering over 100000, for three hours, as It was a far more interesting sight than the religious processions.
 Men and women, with matted hair and dull, staring eyes. trampled over each otn- CT without utterlng a word. They came shambling along like a vast herd of bur faloes being driven into stockade. There were no sounds of merry laughter or Jest ing to be heard on every side as there would have been in England but simply a sullen silence that grew oppressive as the hours sped by.
 The peasants standing high up on the church steps. when they wished to come down simply stepped on to the people below them without saying word, Rl- though there was really plenty of room to have avoided It. Those who were knocked down just got up, brushed on the hard snow and looked sullenly after tho man or woman who had caused their :ali. but said nothing.
 The Russian peasans are awful when once aroused. as they have no intelligence to enable them to be reckoned with. The mounted Cossacks handle them up to g certain point, but when the peasants have stood enough they seize the Cossack and pull him off his horse and throw him or tine ground.
 Ten years ago there was a strike among the workmen at a large mill little way out of Moscow. The English manager who was popular with the people, wen outside to address the men and try to In duce them to return to work.