10
THE HESPERIAN
fair average of the numborwho crossed thorn
solves boforo it.
As I strollod on, 1 mot a beggar every
three and a half minutes for the next half
hour or more.
Tho doves swarm everywhere, by tho
thousand, and are protected by all tho faithful.
Tho most interesting spot in Moscow is
tho Kremlin, which is surrounded by an ir
regular wall, enclosing about forty acres.
This wall is penetrated by seven gates. One
of these, called the Iberian gate, has sus
pended over it a especially sacred Ikon, which
has ascribed to it special and miraculous
powor. No man, bo he Russian or foreigner,
ever passes through this gate with covered
head.
One evening, I saw a woman driving
through this gate, holding in her lap a child
of perhaps three years. As they passed
under tho arch, she removed the child's hat,
muttering at tho same time a prayer.
Tho religion of the country is, in its form,
somowhat related to the Roman catholic
church. In its beliefs, however, it is rigidly
different. Tho Russian church is sometimes
spoken of as tho "Greek Church," but it is
no more Greek than tho Church of England
is Roman catholic. Tho Russian church
separated itse.f from the Greek, not far from
the time of tho separation of tho Church of
England from Rome, and the two arc not so
widely different. That is to say, the Russian
and tho Church of England of today bear
more resemblance to one another, so far as
their outward forms and published creeds are
concerned, than do either to their parent
church.
If one can judge from a hasty and super
ficial observation, tho similarity ends hero,
or not far away. There is in the Russian
church, as now constituted, an immense
amount of formalism. Persons who are
communicants in good standing live lives of
very doubtful morality, more or less openly,
and little is thought of it. An American
gentlemen of forty years' residence in Russia
told me that he was sure that tho moral
standard was much higher than when he.
first wont there, and constantly being raised.
It is to bo sincerely hoped that this is true,
and that tho religious oloniontin thoir natures
in working out into true piety.
EXECUTIVE EXCERPTS.
ON THE KKOKNT LEU1SLATUUK.
So many students are asking what the
legislature did for tho University, that it
seems proper to explain its action through
one of tho University papers.
The most important legislation was that
which gave tho University its entire revenues
about $231,000 in two "lump" sums;
one for salaries and wages, and one for cur
rent and incidental expenses. This form of
appropriation leaves tho Regents free to use
tho utmost economy and financial skill; and
is a great advance over tho old method of
granting specific amounts for specific pur
poses. Not even the Regents could deter
mine for a coming bienninin how resouces
could be most wisely exponded much less,
the legislature.
Tho usual "formal" bills wore passed
without hesitation. These are made neces
sary by a somewhat peculiar construction of
our state constitution. They appopriato tho
matriculation fees for library purposes, the
law fees for-tho support of the College of
Law, and the (general government) Morrill
fund for the uses of the Industrial College.
Statutes were also passed admitting the
graduates of the College of Law to practice,
without further examination; and making
tho library of the College of Law a deposi
tory for tho reports of the supreme court.
Both these acts will be very helpful to this
growing branch of University work.
By a special statute, the botanist, geolo
gist, chemist, and entomologist of the Uni
versity become the acting state botanist,
acting state geologist, acting state chemist,
and acting state entomologist. This is a
peculiarly gratifying recognition, ensures the
state most skilled service in the respective
departments,, and makes possible definite
state surveys in the several lines indicated.