Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-04

slams hate the Armenians- The kurds
and the Armenians are always fighting.
Indeed, no two of the many races rep
resented here are on amicable terms, ex-
business and are friendly to everybody.
No Loyalty to Gear.
There is no. loyalty to the car and
nothing to inspire it. The administra-
ton of the Caucasus is purely military.
The first thought in the Russian mind is
conquest. After that there is no other
thought but to retain possession.
Instead Of planting trees and encourag-
ing the people to improve their methods
of agriculture. the Russians build fort
resses. Instead of building schoolhouses
they build barracks.
The railway across the province and
that which runs down to the Persian bor-
der were primarily for the movement OF
troops. Military supplies are given pref
erence over all other freight. The famous
military road through the Darrell pass,
the only means Of crossing the Caucasus
mountains. cost the government between
twenty and twenty-five million dollars.
and is for military purposes rather than
for commerce.
At least 10000 soldiers are kept on a
war footing In this province alone. That
number of men are not only withdrawn
from the fields and factories, and the
number of producers thus reduced, but
the peasants, who work the farms, the
shopkeepers and other peaceful members
of the population are taxed to pay for
their support. which is continual griev-
ance that cannot be removed.
II the money that is spent upon military
purposes could be devoted to material
development and the education of the
people the army would not be needed.
Russians Hold All Offices.
All the influential and lucrative Offices
are held by imported Russians, although
clerkships and other minor positions are
given to natives. The province of the eau
casus, which Is north of the mountain
range. and that of the Trans-Caucasus,
which is SOUTH. are governed by autocrats
who are directly responsible to the car
and to him alone. Several members OF
the imperial family have occupied the
posts which have been considered desir-
able until the revolution.
At the same time it should be explained
that the Russians are here by invitation.
More than a hundred years ago the GeOr-
gian king voluntarily appealed for the
protection of Alexander / against the ag-
gressiveness of Aga Mohammed Kahn,
a Persian invader and in 1902 he signed
treaty of practical apnexation to Russia
with Alexander /.
There is a fine large historical picture
by a Georgian artist In the military
museum here representing the enthus1-
asm manifested by the people when the
Russian troops entered the city of Tiflis
and the Russian governor assumed au-
thority.
Journey Across Caucasus.
But 1 started to tell about the railway
journey across the Caucasus, which is
rather interesting. The cars are large,
the seats are wide, low and comfortable.
and the frst-class coaches are ar
ranged so that they can be made up into
beds at night like those in the ordinary
European sleeping cars, although every
passenger who desires to utilize them IN
that way must bring his own sheets,
blankets and pillow
The cars are divided into compartments.
The only objection Is that there is but
one small high window in each compart-
ment, so that it Is impossible to see the
country you are passing through unless
you stand up or go into the corridor,
which is lighted In q similar way.
The ffrst-ciass passengers, except our
selves, were all military officers and their
families. They all wore their uniforms
and swords. high topped boots and heavy
overcoats, notwithstanding the not
weather.
The first third of the distance from
Baroum to Tifiis is level plain. called
steppe in Russia, which is thoroughly
wretched wooden novels. We saw the
women working in the tields-which they
have to do to keep the pot boiling, for
the men are in the army drawing no
wages and producing nothing.
Timber and Cattle.
There is a good deal Of timber. We saw
several droves of strengthening cattle
on the hillsides. Most OF the cultivated
land Is planted to wheat and other
grains.
At every stopping place a portion of the
platform, at the end OF the station house,
Is surrendered to Vegetable sellers. usual
ly old women who have onions. lettuce,
radishes and other garden truck piled up
on little trays around them, and seemed
to be doing a good business. Boys peddled
baskets Of strawberries under the win
dows of the cars. They were swindles, of
course. When you had eaten of a couple
of layers you found nothing but leaves.
They offered you cherries in an attrac-
tive form. the stems of the fruit fngent-
ously inserted through Sits in a stick.
making long red wands. some of them
three feet long. There are refreshment
stands at every station. at which tea,
sausages, sandwiches. bread. cheese and
other edibles are offered, and the train