Russia to American Eyes.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 838, 23 March 1888, Page 10

Russia to American Eyes.

One of the American papers has a correspondent in Russia at present. His impressions are anything but favorable. He declares that Russian despotism and. official cruelty is today all that it has been during the past century. The changes time has wrought have been only in the forms of application the aims and ends are the same. The correspondent says : —‘ After a fortnight’s sojourn in the region of the capital of the empire, I am constrained to believe that very little injustice could be done the government were one to write it all down as diabolical and bad, forT have been unable as yet to discover a single act or design intended to ameliorate the tyranny and burdens the people bear. At the frontier the stranger encounters little in the forms different from other countries. The modes of inspecting baggage and withstanding personal scrutiny do not vary greatly from the usual. But as everything in Russia is distinctly Russian, and therefore exceedingly strange, the most experienced traveller is posssessed of a feeling of concern, if not fear. The through trains from Vienna, Berlin, and other popular points of departure for Russia land one on the frontier at night. The place is small, and the station swarms with Russian officers—big, burly fellows, with swarthy unintelligent faces covered with large flowing beards, and all dressed in the most elaborate uniforms. There is a clanking of swords, a rattle of spurs, a din of voices, and a rushing hither and thither that is appalling. Timid women travelling alone have been overcome with fear or lost their heads in this bustle. Tne gendarme in charge is the first officer who approaches the incomer. This is the highest ranking military official, and he takes up the passports. On the heels of this diplomatic officer come 3 the Customs lackeys, who, without ceremony or invitation, pick up the satchels, bags and bundles, exclaim in Russian, ‘ Custom Rouse !’ and put out. The traveller follows. He finds his trunks already on the counters inside the station ; and if they are unlocked they are open and the contents are being dumped on the floor. The terror to the Russian Government is printed matter. Every newspayer, circular, or book found is taken out and sent to the gendarme and the Consul. If anyttiing about free government, free schools, or other free institutions, criti. cism of Russia, or her form of government, is found, it is retained ; and, Bhould it appear among the possibilities that the bearer has any design upon the Russian way of doing things, he or she is detained for examination. Itdoeanob appear in history or tradition that persons ‘ detained ’ have ever proved their missions clear. They simply have been heard of no more. A Londoner who had a couple of trunks displayed his English blood by stepping behind the long counter when his baggage was pulled out of the wire cage where it stays until opened and beginning to unlock it. The officers snatched the keys from the traveller’s hands and pushed him back in line with others. When the trunks were opened the Englishmen paid for his forwardness by seeing his goods dumped out on the floor and everything mussed and left for him to care for. I tried to anticipate the officers as much as possible, and having left my trunk in Paris, eagerly opened my satchels, The pockets of my garments were turned inside out, letters were squeezed, a travelling oap ditto, and socks, which were turned in together, were pulled out and looked into. Here I encountered money-changers, who were evidently direct lineal descendants of those who were cast out of the Temple. I have seen money-changers at other frontier places, but none like these. Fortunately I had procured a sufficiency of Russian money of my banker at Vienna, and did not suffer / the discount of from 1 to 5 per cent, at the hands of the money-changers, who frequently rob the unsophisticated traveller to an alarming extent. Trains entering or emerging from Russia do not pretend to respect their time-card, for the reason that they are often detained on the frontier. Two hours are always taken, however, being the time required for examining baggage and passports, long or short. On this occasion the train was light and the baggage wsa soon inspected. But the passengers were not permitted to resume their place in the train. As soon as they escaped the Customs officers they were led into the adjoining restaurant, men, women and children, where were all classes of people in every condition. All outer doors were locked and were guarded by officers. Timid delicate women hovered in the corners and waited for the end of the two hours, while half-intoxicated Russians crowded about, smoking nasty cigars, or drinking steaming tea at the tables. In all the multitude of Greeks, Slavs, Persians, Swedes, Russians, Germans, not an English voice was heard : and seldom did one see a man who could interptet even a sign. Finally a Russian rushed like mad from the station and began ringing a bell. The doors were unlocked «nd the passengers passed out, an officer being ready to see that each parcel bore the stamp of the Custom House. Just before the train started a jingle of spurs and sabres was heard, and two gendarmes appeared. They entered the carriages and handed out the passports. Each passport bore a simple and short signature —that of the Consul or Governor —and the seal of the officer. Two or three passengers did not receive their passports because the documents were not vised, and they were obliged to remain and explain. The American traveller is quite as much impressed with the quaintness of the country and the remarkable character of the people when he arrives at Cracow or Warsaw as he is with any other part of the country. The characteristic of the Poles, so far as the construction of a city goes, are as far at variance with the English or American as those of the Russians. Strange old buildings, covered with crazy characters and pictures, broad, roughly, bouldered streets, filled with droskies, the prevalent vehicle, makq one think that anything is possible in this country, The villages are of small wooden buildings covered with straw. Nowhere is there architecture, taste, or cleanliness displayed. The advancement of the country may bq

illustrated in the statement that though Russia is one of the greatest iu wheat producing, tbe cereal is sown broadcast, harvested with the sickle, threshed with the flail, and three-fourths of the work is done by the women. The forests are iufested with wolves and other wild animals; the fields when not covered with wheat, are carpeted with Jean Marie, with a yellow rattle and a plume of bine leaves at the top. Mushrooms and all the fungi of a cold climate are seen, and one’s bewilderment increases as the slow train goes further and further into the empire.