The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-11-10
WASHINGTON LITTER.

Q
mark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia
and Poland. You may have heard of the
Americans diary which read: ARRIVED
at Paris this morning, saw the city from
the Eiffel tower, nice city; leave this after
noon for London" Well, that is abou:
the way saw these countries and that is
why am not going to write abont them.
If visitors to foreign countries would
withhold their impressionist views and
copy encyclopedias and guide books as
experienced journalists do, we would
have more accurate information and
better literature.
But on that hurried trip saw statue
or rather group in bronze that has been
haunting my memory since. On the
Journey by sea from Stockholm to St.
Petersburg, the boat stopped about FIVE
hours at Helsingfors, Finland, and we
went ashore, got into carriage and by
dint of pantomime flor didn't know a
word of the languge) made the driver
understand that wanted to see the town,
and a mighty fiue town it was. One
hundred thousand people, fine houses,
streets and parks, and an excellent sea
port. He drove. me through the best
streets and finally through Ia park that
surmounts the highest elevation of the
city, giving beautiful view of the har
Dor and the country back of it. The park
was as green and luxuriant with flowers
as can be found anywhere. The nearly
twenty hours daylight of these Northern
latitudes appear to have very stimulat-
ing effect on vegetation. 1t was in this
park that saw the bronze group. A
sailor, heroic in size, mien, features and
attitude, stood on wreck. His wife aud
one child were covering in terror behind
him. In one arm he held his youngest
child while with his uplifted right arm
and voice, he was calling for succor. The
sailor and his family were Finland, the
engulfng sea was Russia; the wreck was
the ruin that an ignorant, repressive and
autocratic government and a grossly
superstitious church has made of one of
the finest peoples in the world.
The papers bring intelligence of the
revolt of Finland and her declaration of
independence, of lowering the Russian
flags and displaying the emblems Of
Finland. 1 saw and talked with many
Firms on the voyage from Stockholm to
Helsipgfors. They were we'll educated,
speaking English, and in all that pertains
to civilization appeared to be on as high
level as the Swedes whom they much
resemble This means that they will
compare favorably with Americans, Ger
mans and Englishmer. The prevailing
church is Luthern. In all that pertains
to civilization, education and progress,
they are so evidently and UNNECESSARILY
superior to their Russian rulers that no
one with even slight knowledge of the
situation can think of their subsection
without an appreciation of its pathos and
its horror.
After leaving Helsingfors spent some
days in St. Petersburg, Moscow and
Warsaw and got some impressions of the
relentless. repressve power OF that great,
corrupt bureaucratic autocracy that has
done SO much to blight and retard human
effort in the Orient.
Poland is another country that has long
felt the heavy hand of the Great White
Car. To the man up the Eiffel tower
she does not appear as worthy or as pre-
pared for self-government as Finland and
her geographical situation is not favorable
to revolt. Russia will not willingly re-
linquish her richest province and Ger
many stands ever ready to absorb Poland
if Russia shall be unable to hold her.
The contrast between Helsiugfors and
St. Petersburg was remarkable. The first
was a modern city. Its streets, public
buildings, hotels and restaurants were as
good as those of Stockholm or as any to
be found in Europe. st. Petersburg is
the most disappointing of European
Capitals. Without any of the venerable
splendor of Rome it has thriftless, dirty
appearance and eves its far famed
Neveky Prospekt, the widest and longest
street in the Capital is tawdry and unat-
tractive, lacking the solidity and cleanli-
ness of the cities of the North, such as
the Hague, Copenhagen and Stockholm.
It is almost uncomfortable that this city,
the population considerably over mil
lion and in latitude as far North as
Greenland or Alaska depends entirely on
wood for fuel. The river Neva which
flows through the city is of great width,
spanned by number of bridges and COW
cred with immense fiat boats moored to
the quais. laden with fire wood. Moscow
was however, by far the most interesting
city visited by US in Russia. Its immense
pile or system of buildings called the
Kremlin with its historic associations.
the number of its churches, six hundred