The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-07-01
BILKINS IN MOSCOW
Says the People in Russia
and China Do Things
Backwards.
THE MAJOR MEETS THE CAR

Moscow Has Renewed Afe-Sighfs
in the Art Gaileries-Russia VIII
Re a Great County SomeDay-At
Present Too Many Restrictions Up
on Industrial Action and Activity
The Government Spy System a
Nuisance-St. Petersburg-An Au-
tocratic Goyernment-The Major
Gives the Gar Some Good Advice.
Correspondence of The Caucasian
Enterprise.
st. Petersburg, Russia, June "a,
1907 spent a short time In Mos
cow an found hit ter be a large an
progressive city, considerin' that hit
IL in Russia. Az stated before, this
city wuz burned by the French army
But hit wuz rebuilt an now hez a
little more than a million population.
bein' little larger than St. Peters
burg, which, however, awlso hez
more than million people. Moscow
IL considered the commercial center
ov the empire. This liz a bit strange,
fer in America, an in most ov the
European countries, the coast cities
usually outstrip the inland cities But
in Russia. az in China. they do things
backward, air left-handed. Erbout
the time Americans air gittin' up in
the mornin' an air gittin' on the out
side ev their coffee an ham an eggs,
the Russians an Chinese air goin' ter
bed fer a nights rest.
Outside ov the city itself an the
big, awkward citizens, the chief at
traction at Moscow liz the great mu-
scum, shown the curious things
found in Russia, an the art galleries.
The largest ov the art galleries In
Moscow IL hangin' full ov pictures
painted by Russian artists, an az I
hev bin to the finest European gal
leries, though l am not a judge ov
art, I think hit safe to say that the
Russians can hold the paint-brush
with most ov them, which IL sump-
thin ter their credit. The Emporer
believes in art, fer he hez a great
annex attached ter the palace an hit
liz full ov fine paintings.
Russia IL wonderful country. Hit
might be a great country, will be
great some day. In the past, an
even now, the government places too
many restrictions upon individual ac-
ton and activity. Even the land liz
mostly held either by the government
or by communities who pay fer the
privilege ov living on an cultivatin'
the land. They seem ter think that
the way ter build up the country liz
ter build up the government. This
can be done. But government ov
that kind rests on a foundation that
IL very insecure.
In my last letter I spoke ov the
government spy system in Russia an
mentioned that had scarcely crossed
the line until wuz held up by a spy
hev met them since. You can't get
to hotel nor boardin' house an
git square meal till you air "ex-
amined." Every day or two, IL you
move erbout any at awl, you must
exhibit your passport. When you
air ready ter leave the country, so
they tell me, you must go ter the
police Office an hev hit endorsed with
permission ter depart. Ov course
that awl doesn't amount ter much;
in fact, hit liz SO babyish that I feel
amused. But hit gives backset to
the country an makes hit necessary
fer the taxpayers ter support a vast
gang ov hoodlums who constitute the
secret police force. However, the
rule IL impartial. Every citizen ov
Russia, high an low, rich or poor,
must carry a passport an be ready
ter show it on demand. even at hiz
home. Government officers an Of
ficers in the army, high up ones, must
carry passports an must submit them
at any time when asked ter do SO by
the spies. The difference IL that I
must hev a passport from my gov
ernment, the United States, while a
citizen ov Russia liz supplied by hiz
own government, ov course. IL I
should refuse ter hand up my pass
port fer inspection, I would be sub
jeck ter arrest an possibly long i'm
prisonment. The United States gov
ernment could demand my release If
our higher officials wuz interested in
the matter, provided, ov course, that
I had committed no time. But even
If hit did, an in very emphatic
manner, Russian diplomacy IL such
that they could politely haggle over
the matter, use yards an yards ov
"red tape" az government delays air
called, an I would probably be in a
Russian prison fer months before the
thing would be adjusted. So hit liz
cheaper and better ter carry and to
exhibit passports when you air trav-
elm in Russia. Still I hev little
private opinion ov my own that IL
the Preserdent ov the United States
should happen ter git hiz dander up
an threaten ter send the navy over
hit mite hurry things IL a case ov
that sort should occur. Russia IL
rather short on warships Just now. I
will say in passin' that good navies
air guide things ter keep ioatin' err
round. an the country that hasn't
got guide navy in this day. China
fer instance. must grin an bear with
a guide DEAL Russia In In the same
condition az China since she lost her
navy, however, an hit will be many
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