RUSSIA AND THE CZAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7014, 1 February 1901, Page 1

RUSSIA AND THE CZAR.

In "Scribner's Magazine" for October the chief feature is, the first of a series of articles by Mr Henry Norman, M.P., on "Russia of To-day," from which we take the following extracts:—^ What is Russia? The unfettered, irresponsible, limitless, absolute rule of one man over a hiiindredi millions of his fellows .—is that it? The ikon, in the corner of every room, where th« language is spoken, the Dlue-dtoined basilica in every street of great cities, the long-haired priests chanting in deep bass ; the pedestrian ceaselessly crossing himself; the Holy "Synod, whose God-given task it is to coerce or cajole a heathen world to orthodoxy — is that Russia? Or ia it the society of the capital, speaking ail languages, familiar with all litenaitures, practising every art, lapped in every luxury, esteeming manners . more highly than morals? Or is the vast and nearly axwidless country, where settlements are to distances like fly-specks to windowpanes, where the conveniences, the comforts, and the decencies jof civilisation may be sought in vain outside tine towns and away from the lines of railway; where entire villages ' are the prey pf umnamaible disease ; where seven people out of every ten can neither read nor write? Siberia is Russia — five million square miles, in which whole countries are a quivering cainpet of wild flowers in, spring, a rolling gnaiin field in autumn, an icebound waste in. winter, stored ful of every mineral, crossed by the longest rajlway in the world, and chiefly inhabited by a population of convicts and exiles. Central Asia is Russia/ — a million and a half square miles of barren desert and) irrigated oasis, 'the' most famous cities of Asia and the greatest river, a few years ago the hotbed of Mussulman fanaticism, probably the cradle of the human race, and possibly the seen© of its most fateful conflict. The Eastern Question is: How will Russia try again to get Constantinople? The Far Eastern Question is : Will Russia succeed in dominating China? The question of questions for the British Empire is: Will Russia attempt to invade India? The Triple Alliance is a league against Russia. The Dual ■.Alliance is Russia's reply. Russia called, the nations to the Conference of Peace. " • ■ , It would be easier to say what is "toot Russia;. tJufess you realise that in -Russia the Czar is everything, laterally everything ; that not' only is his will law, but that \t is 'also heaven-inspired right, that his land and Ibis subject* .are Jti». to disgose of

«fro% as lie -will— l am speaking, «f ooirrsfe, of the maasesi of the people^-yd* will not grasp the fundamental oonditfca of Russia to-day. In a Russian battle dot long ago, the artillery, urgently needed id front to save the day, was stepped bf * deep ditch. Hie soldiers thereupon flung themselves itt tnrtQ the ditcfb was Ml, add the artStery galteped over tihftir bodkMt The incident iifastirat«* the w&rttom <rf tfct doinmoa people cf RtisSia to their So¥ere%a. As- you g<* Mgktr ifr the sdfl© tiw fact rttrtsms, lSttf oft. a diffarefit fad* Official rank ("ftiMa") is tie staiwkrd djf posiiSon— « greater of less "tehim" determines a Stan's toxtonr, and influence, *ftji of course aH conceivable "tcMn" cuiniHk nates is the Czar. If you ihave aaob ytftf/ self a high "tcMn," you musS be "pi*. tasted* By somebody who has. dßMafe of Mgh iank-wfll Iwidfy dfigata satioW you at onV lnintfte, sod" the Aext tifjAy w« at your service, if they ihscv* IntfM^ that you axe well ''protected." And in tie* highest society of al, whatever -view** tittf may privately hold and- express, the Caw, as the source of promtttson; and the fcttßr taia of honours and emoluments, dwell* still alone upon the Height*. In material bhingg it is the same. I -was owce ddacrtttog -with a Russian! adtoimstaator the military capabilities of the Traos»Sittßtriaft Eftfl* road, and I remarked that there would w* be; icOliiigHstook enxtfgh to convey iiiiilrt of troops in a aborts. time. "Every engirt* and carriage in, Russia, would* be pnC th*W if jnexsessacy." "But," I objected, "tl&at would disorganise the wtwle commerce of the country, aact 'brin.g tens of tlto<ttasid# to xmn." "Yott douto understiwirf," tatsewered this official ; "if the Czto g*re tfie* word) to take etexf raaiway caiurisage is Russia and ran it across the Siberian. Kailway and' throw ifc ; into- the Chdaa Sea> at the- other end, who, I should like tar 'kao'w, would prevent &V -■' ' • •