IG 
RUSSIA IX EUROPE 
the most im])ortaiit and influential, are in Russia less in pro- 
portion tlian in other civilized countries, and have little influ- 
ence, either witli tlie peasants, as they represent western ideas, 
or with the nobles, avIio look down upon them as traders. 
This completes a general enumeration of the inhabitants of 
Russia. We have described the lives of tlie hunters and fisher- 
men of the north, of the agricultural laborers of central Russia, 
of the nomadic po})ulation of southern and southeastern Russia, 
and the mercantile or trading class and the manufacturers, who 
live around Moscow and Tula. 
• Under one czar, Vladimir the Holy, the peasants could change 
their religion ; under another, Peter the Great, they could change 
their dress, but time alone can change the Asiatic to the Euro- 
pean. 
The black zone of Russia is as rich as the prairies of America ; 
the lands cost no more; yet the inhabitants of Austria and Ger- 
many, contiguous to this fertile land, immigrate four thousand 
miles to the prairies of America rather than cross the boundary 
line into this rich zone. One reason for their preferring America 
is that in Russia they will be called upon to serve in the army. 
While this is undoubtedly one cause for their preference of 
America, yet, as the Germans and Russians have never mingled 
when they have been brought into contact, it is probable that 
the difference in the habits and customs of the two races — the 
one European, the other Asiatic — has as much, if not more, in- 
fluence in preventing the Germans from emigrating to Russia. 
GOVERNMENT. 
The diversity of races and languages was formerly much 
greater than at present, when each tribe had its ovm laws, re- 
ligion and customs, more or less barbarous, but in all the pa- 
ternal form of government. The head of the family and chief of 
th^ tribe had absolute power over the family and tribe ; the 
czar a like absolute power over all the tribes. The czar is the 
head of the government, and the peasants believe him to be aj>- 
pointed by God to be their father and ruler. A republican form 
of government once e.xisted in Novgorod the Great, and also at 
Pskoff, but these republics, after enduring one or Uvo hundi*ed 
years, were attacked by wandering triljes from the Orient and by 
armed bands from Germany, Sweden and Poland. For the 
