Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1905-07-14
ODESSA RIOTS, WHY?
DOG AT TOP AND DOG AT BOT
TOM IN RUSSIA.

Horrible Inhumanities of Upper Classes
Toward Lower Give Rise to Fierce
Hatred that Breaks Out Periodically
Here or There.
Men of the Kniaz Potemkin Of the
Black Sea feet mutinied because Of
the quality Of the food given them.
One, Omiltchuk, speaking to his supe-
rior officer Of this food, was shot dead.
Russian officers are the heaviest
champagne and spirits drinkers Of any
naval service of the world. One need
not add that habits like this produce
In moments Of temporary alteration
quick use of the pistol or sword. One
Of two things marks man drunk
he is superlatively a gentleman or
brute. His honor Or his streak Of yel-
low then shines conspicuously.
In the northern woods Of Minnesota
many Russians live-pure Slays and
the Jew type of whom Gautier wrote:
'They belong to every nation and-to
none" When acting in that region as
q deputy revenue officer of the United
States government l met Joseph Han
son, native Russian, whose name had
been changed for convenience's sake
when he arrived in this country. His
original title bore at least sixteen syll-
ables and ten "j's," ''y's" and "z's."
Hanson recognized that this was a
country Of notwithstanding He cut
off syllables and unpronounceable
things.
On night we met in a cabin on the
shores of Mile Lac, writes Fl. l. Cleve-
land in the Chicago Post, and while
we talked he said to me some things
of what discipline in the Russian army
and navy means-he had served in
both-and why in both there is a dog
at the bottom and a dog at the top.
Hanson was intelligent and already in
touch with American ways. He had
even forgotten to touch his fingers to
the rim of his cap when he met, say,
a State Senate or a Congressman, or
land surveyor.
Thus he spoke Of the change: I'm
Russia we have two dogs-the man at
the bottom, who is not allowed to
think even if he wishes to, and the
man at the top, who is master, with
out thinking.
LET me explain, for you are an
American and cannot understand. One
third Of Russia is born by the grace
of God and the blessing of the gov
eminent and the church; two-thirds
are born because they cannot help it,
without the grace Of God Or the bless
ing Of government and church. That
Is the theory of all control in the en-
pire.
For every one born two are created
to serve, blindly. Are you Of the ditch
and you have daughter, young, clean
faced? One Of the upper class sees
the light in her eyes. She is then no
longer yours. Some day she may
crawl home to die at her mothers
breast You forgive, but you cannot
forget.
II am not telling impossible things
i was put as a common soldier in
the ranks at Moscow. Food came to
me and my comrades as they chose
to give it to us-what the dogs above
swept from their tables for the dogs
underneath. / stumbled one day in
the presence Of an officer-caught my
foot unfortunately. He kicked me full
in the face-the mark Is yet there.
That night 1 was knouted for having
protested and given three months in
the prison on foul bread and water.
Seer
He held up three twisted and knot
ted fingers on his left hand.
1.-THE cold and misery OF that prison
bound those fingers that way Still
loved my native land and l respect
ed the czar. thought he could not
know such things were done. Yet
could not show him what / had suf-
fered
II was transferred to the navy for
duty In the mess of a Black Sea battle
ship. My injured hand took me out
of the active list. One day, being lone
some. asked my superior for leave of
absence to visit my family. He struck
me full IN the face before all about
him, and was again sent to prison.
six months lay in that prison for
having only asked for the right to see
my wife and child. When I came out
was apparently no good to either
navg or arm. ] was given qualified