The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-08-23
ST. PETERSBURG CONTRASTS
PALACES MAGNIFICENT, BUT
TEE GEAR IN HIDING.

which Misery WorshIps Memorials OF
Alexander H.-Paiaees About Which
~ Opera Bouffe Might BE Written,
ST.. PETERSBURG, Aug. s.-One cannot but
contrast the warnings Of the dangers thai
would be encountered In the Russian capital
With the quiet and safety that exist here
at the present moment. The tow seems
asleep in the hot sunshine. the policemen
wear a pleasant smile and the few soldiers
scattered about have anything but a martial
air. One feels much more Of a warlike
atmosphere In the streets Of Berlin.
The Russian soldier Ia not an inspiring
spectacle as he slouches along In dirty and
wrinkled khaki uniform, the blouse loosely
belted at the waist, the badly fitting boots
unblacked and the whole appearance list
less and s~lovenly. We have watched the
changing Of the guard In front Of the Royal
Palace at noon and contrasted 1t with the
awe inspiring ceremony which people
gather every day TO witness In London.
The lines OF soldiers were irregular, no two
rifles were held at the same angle and there
was no pretence Of keeping step as they
moved away with STOPPING shoulders n
awkward. stumbling gait.
II In said that there are picked regiments
Of immense men, but we have seen thou
sands of common soldiers during the last
few weeks who are five feet or less In height.
Their faces are wholly without intelligence
and the most of them canno read. 1t is
said they are so small because they never
had sufficient food In childhood and were
dosed with brandy or vodka to stop the
cravings Of hunger. The outcome Of the
l. o..;l, ~ ,,k.v, onn
looks at these poor creatures.
Among the upper classes who have been
well fed and o for generations are giants
in stature, and one sees IN the streets tall
aud powerful Circassians and Cossacks from
the mountainous regions, but the masses are
small and inferior, physically and mentally.
Nowhere Is this so evident o. in the churches,
which offer the best opportunity for study
ing the people. and II one feels a deep inter
est In the welfare OF the Russians what he
sees there will fll him with despair.
IF you insist on going into those
churches said my friend as i started out
one Sunday morning. put on a pair Of gloves
that you can throw away when you come
out, and don't let anybody touch you, for
when a case Of black smallpox breaks out
In the family all the other members rush
to the church to pray to the saints"
The matter Of the gloves was easily man
aged, but I soon found myself in a crowd
that was no respecter Of persons. The altar
Is concealed behind lofty doors, and in front
Of these ratings are placed to form a hollow
square. or rather oblong. about twelve feet
wide and fifty feet long, and around this the
people mass themselves, as there are NO
seats in Russian churches. The whole audi
ence Ii In constant motion, making the sign
OF the cross on forehead, breast and shout
ders and bowling as much as the space
available will allow.
Although there Ii continual incense burn
ing and spraying with holy water I soon
fed for my life to a more remote part Of
the church. where one is scarcely aware
that a service Ii going IN. 80 vast Is the
interior Of the edifce.
Everywhsre are the ikons In glass cases,
hanging on the walls or resting on sup
ports; Christ, the Madonna, or the saints
painted on metal, with only the face and
hands visible through the covering Of
gold plate. and these are always Byzan-
tine. almost black. The ikons are adorned
with diamonds. emeralds. rubies and sap
phires. and all day long the people fall
PROSTATE before them. press their fore
heads on the floor. rise up. kiss the glass
over the face and set their lighted candle
in front. Mothers lift their delicate little
children and press their lips on the spot
breathed on by thousands.
Occasionally a richly dressed woman
or q smartly attired officer goes through
this ceremony, but the masses OF the wor-
shippers are the derelicts Of humanity,
such pitiful specimens. half starved labor
ers, emaoiated mothers with wailing in
fants, crippled beggars-does their super
stiution give them q blessed relief or does
it help to keep them In the depths Of poverty
and ignoranoe3
when q man has stolen an unusually
large amount Of money he gilds the domes
OF a church. Is q common saying. No words
can describe the magnihcenoe Of Peters,
burg's churches. with their columns Of
marble. malachite and lapis lazuli, thsir
decorations in bronze. mosaic. paintings.
gold. silver and jewels, bought with taxes
vrung from starving peasants.
The splendid Church Of the Resurrection.
Q memorial to the royal martyr. is at last
finished. just inside it's gorgeous en-
trance is a carefully protected patch Of
oobblestones-they were stained with the
blood Of Alexander H.. killed by a bomb
In 1881. This church has been in process
Of construction since that time. built by
popular subscription. and the people do
not hesitate to say that many times the
necessary amount has been subscribed
and appropriated by Alexander's sons.
the present Grand Dukes.
They have q plain way Of speaking, the
Russian people who dare. and they do not
always respect the royal blood. The
memorial Of the late Grand Duke Sergius
may be seen in his great palace looking
out over the Neva In ~untenanted splendor,
while its ducal owner occupies the i'm
perial mausoleum at Moscow. The drosch-
sky drivers say with somewhat startling
frankness:
we are 80 miserably poor because our
taxes 60 to build palaces for the Grand
Dukes mistresses.'
When one Of these. a ballet dancer. ap-
peared covered with diamonds on the
stage Of the Grand Opera House soon after
the Japanese war the audience cried out:
There IL the Russian feet and the con-
fusion was 30 great the Grand Duke was
olIi0ad IN ioaua tha ho,,na