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against the Jews at Kishineff； which he might easily have
prevented； and nothing more cruel or short…sighted than his
dealings with Finland has been known since Louis XIV revoked the
Edict of Nantes。 I can only explain his course by supposing that
he sought to win the favor of the reactionary faction which； up
to the present time； has controlled the Czar； and thus to fight
his way toward the highest power。 He made of the most loyal and
happy part of the empire the most disloyal and wretched； he
pitted himself against the patriotism； the sense of justice； and
all the highest interests and sentiments of the Finnish people；
and he met his death at the hands of an avenger； who； in
destroying the enemy of his country； has struck a fearful blow at
his country's happiness。
While a thoughtful American must condemn much which he sees in
Russia； there is one thing which he cannot but admire and
contrast to the disadvantage of his own country； and this is the
fact that Russia sets a high value upon its citizenship。 Its
value； whatever it may be； is the result of centuries of
struggles； of long outpourings of blood and treasure； and
Russians believe that it has been bought at too great a price and
is in every way too precious to be lavished and hawked about as a
thing of no value。 On the other hand； when one sees how the
citizenship of the United States； which ought to be a millionfold
more precious than that of Russia； is conferred loosely upon tens
of thousands of men absolutely unfit to exercise it；whose
exercise of it seems； at times； likely to destroy republican
government； when one sees the power of conferring it granted to
the least respectable class of officials at the behest of ward
politicians； without proper safeguards and at times without any
regard to the laws； when one sees it prostituted by men of the
most unfit class；and； indeed； of the predatory class；who have
left Europe just long enough to obtain it； and then left America
in order to escape the duties both of their native and their
adopted country； and to avail themselves of the privileges of
both citizenships without one thought of the duties of either；
using them often in careers of scoundrelism；one feels that
Russia is nearer the true ideal in this respect than we are。
As a matter of fact； there is with us no petty joint…stock
company in which an interest is not virtually held to be superior
to this citizenship of ours for which such sacrifices have been
made； and for which so many of our best men have laid down their
lives。 No stockholder in the pettiest manufacturing company
dreams of admitting men to share in it unless they show their
real fitness to be thus admitted； but admission to American
citizenship is surrounded by no such safeguards： it has been
cheapened and prostituted until many who formerly revered it have
come to scoff at it。 From this evil； at least； Russia is free。
CHAPTER XXXV
〃ALL SORTS AND CONDITIONS OF MEN〃 IN RUSSIA1892…1894
Still another department which interested me was that known as
the 〃Ministry of Public Enlightenment；〃 its head being Count
Delyanoff。 He was certainly a man of culture； but the title of
his department was a misnomer； for its duty was clearly to
prevent enlightenment in the public at large。 The Russian theory
is； evidently； that a certain small number should be educated up
to a certain point for the discharge of their special duties； but
that； beyond this； anything like the general education of the
people is to be discouraged； hence the Russian peasant is the
most ignorant and helpless in Christendom。
There was evidently a disposition among very many of the most
ardent Russians to make a merit of this imperfect civilization；
and to cultivate hatred for any people whom they clearly saw
possessing anything better： hence it came that； just as so many
Frenchmen hate Great Britain； and so many in the backward；
slipshod regions of our country hate New England； it was quite
the fashion among large classes of Russians to hate everything
German； and especially to detest the Baltic provinces。
One evening during my stay a young Russian at a social gathering
of military and other officials voiced this feeling by saying； 〃I
hope the time will soon come when we shall have cleared out all
these Germans from the Russian service； they are the curse of the
country。〃 Thereupon a young American present； who was especially
noted for his plain speaking； immediately answered； 〃How are you
going to do it？ I notice that； as a rule； you rarely give a
position which really involves high responsibility to a Russian；
you generally give it to a German。 When the Emperor goes to the
manoeuvers； does he dare trust his immediate surroundings to a
Russian？ Never； he intrusts them to General Richter； who is a
Baltic…Province German。 And when his Majesty is here in town does
he dare trust his personal safety to a Russian？ Not at all； he
relies on Von Wahl； prefect of St。 Petersburg； another German。〃
And so this plain…spoken American youth went on with a full
catalogue of leading Baltic…Province Germans in positions of the
highest responsibility； finally saying； 〃You know as well as I
that if the salvation of the Emperor depended on any one of you；
and you should catch sight of a pretty woman； you would instantly
forget your sovereign and run after her。〃
Richter and Von Wahl I knew； and they were certainly men whom one
could respect；thoughtful； earnest； devoted to duty。 Whenever
one saw the Emperor at a review； Richter was close at hand；
whenever their Majesties were at the opera； or in any public
place； there was Von Wahl with his eyes fastened upon them。
The young American might now add that when a man was needed to
defend Port Arthur another German was chosenStoessel； whose
heroism the whole world is now applauding； as it once applauded
Todleben； the general of German birth who carried off the Russian
laurels of the Crimean War。
One Russian official for whom there seemed to be deep and wide
respect was Count Woronzoff…Daschkoff； and I think that our
irrepressible American would have made an exception in his favor。
Calling upon him one day regarding the distribution of American
relief to famine…stricken peasants； I was much impressed by his
straightforward honesty： he was generally credited with stopping
the time…honored pilfering and plundering at the Winter Palace。
One of the most interesting of all the Russians I met was General
Annenkoff。 His brother…in…law； Struve； Russian minister at
Washington； having given me a letter to him； our relations became
somewhat close。 He had greatly distinguished himself by building
the trans…Caucasian railway； but his main feat had been the
annexation of Bokhara。 The story； as told me by a member of his
family； is curious。 While superintending his great force of men
and pushing on the laying of the rails through the desert； his
attention was suddenly called to some horsemen in the distance；
riding toward him with all their might。 On their arrival their
leader was discovered to be a son of the Ameer of Bokhara。 That
potentate having just died； the other sons were trying to make
their way to the throne by cutting each other's throats； but this
one had thought it wise to flee to the Russians for safety。
Annenkoff saw the point at once： with a large body of his cavalry
he started immediately for Bokhara； his g