The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1873-12-26
Gossip About Russia and the Rus

Banks have been regularly chartered
here now for about ten years, and pay,
all of them, 8, 9 and 10 per cent. divi.
dends. These stocks are all worth from
100 to 160. I haven't yet learned how
many there are in operation, but there
has as yet been no failure among them.
The government exercises a strict watch
over them, and defalcation would be
simply " the army for his life or the ST.
berian mines" and criminals don't es-
cape here. Capital punishment does
not exist except for attempts on the life
of the imperial family. There are few
or no permanent prisons. ask, why !?
The answer is: They are expensive,
and the government always wants a
larger army, and our mines in Siberia
are not half worked for the want of Ia
bor." 1t certainly is a very simple the
ory-anybody can ''see it" When q
man is condemned to Siberia his wife
can have a divorce if she wants it, or
can go with him at government expense.
They are sometimes pardoned, however,
and allowed to return, but think their
estates are always confscated. / guess
the managers of failed bank would
hardly escape. The whole lot would be
wanted by the government. You
see, am writing at a sort of random,
giving you ideas as they turn up not
as a regular report. This government
is of it's kind perfection and clock-work
itself. The emperor is man of brains,
force and progress, and I think has g
real love for his people. They certainly
appear very fond of him, all classes.
He Appoints the council, senate, and
courts, and these make and execute the
laws. His displeasure is not pleasant
thing to incur. The people may be no
more honest than ours, but exposure is
too risky. So the shells are never filled
with sand nor do the troops run. The
most powerful man here after the empe-
TOR is '' Tripoff," chief of police-a man
of wonderful executive ability-always
at fire, a row, or a parade. He is al
ways just behind the emperor when out,
andsays who may come and who may
go, and who shall be tried, too, I think,
and perhaps who may be convicted. He
just runs this city, and does it to per-
fectiOn. He is accountable to nobody !
but the emperor. If mistress of some !
body makes too much splurge, hint |
from him is sufficient if it is not, she |
disappears-is escorted to the frontier, |
quite likely. send to him to get Amer |
try, or to do anything else. All know
is that it is done. His dispatch to the
frontier let's anybody in or out or stops |
them for examination. He is said to be |
q very just man, as he certainly is a very |
active one. In regard to one other point |
not connected with the leather business
i get letters from our New England !
manufacturers that bogus goods, with |
counterfeit stamps on them, are sold |
here. These goods are made in Germa-
ny, and this cuts off our Collins axes.
Fairbanks scales, the sewing machines, |
and others. Our manufacturers say we |
have treaty which protects trademarks,
and ask me as business man to pro-
tect their goods. find. upon examin-
alton, that our treaty does forbid the
people of each country to counterfeit
trademarks, but says nothing about
vending or using the goods sold under
the counterfeit marks. So the dealers
here buy axes in Belgium, England, or
and put an exact duplicate
of the Collins stamp on them in transit,
say at Hamburg, and am powerless to
prevent it. am going to try to get
this thing Strengthened out when I get
fairly at work and we'll acquainted
Letter from Minister JeeOeU.