Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-03-10
THE RUSSIAN CENSOR.
A coNTeMpTlelE FEATURE OF THE
ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM.

day in advance. The type OF Thursday's
paper is set on Tuesday. On Wednesday
morning the forms are made up; one copy
Is printed and sent TO the censor, who
looks II over at his leisure during the day,
and returns II 10 the Office with his official
stamp of approval on each page. This
copy is carefully filed away rs protec-
tion for the editor, who then sets his
presses at work and orders the edition
distributed TO the subscribers. II there is
anything In IL that the censor cannot mp
prove he marks the Objectionable article,
which is tai out Of the forms and some
thing else substituted. II the censor is
otherwise engaged the paper has to wait
Sometimes the issue OF Tuesday will be
detained till Wednesday and sent out with
the Wednesday issue, but it makes very
little difference. Last weeks paper Is
Just as interesting as today's.
EXAMINATION OF THE MAILS.
All foreign mails are also submitted to
the censor, not the same man who reads
the local papers, but another, who has his
headquarters and staff Of readers at the
general postofficc. All newspaper mail is
dumped on his table, except that nd
dressed to the members Of the diplomatic
corps and high officials. That is supposed
10 be delivered promptly without exam
ination. So the American minister gets
his papers sometimes week ahead Of
other residents. Every wrapper is opened.
II tho paper contains an Objectionable arti-
-aie, something In the way of criticism OF
"the administrative system" OF Russia,
for example, the censor takes n large pad,
dips IL In the ink and stamps II upon the
article, obliterating IT, Thus no incen-
diary ideas are allowed 10 obtain circula-
ton among the people. No criticisms oi the
government are allowed to De read, ana no
news from exilcd nihilists.
When the censor has read one copy OF
paper, The London Times, Tor example,
he tucks 1t back into the wrapper and
throws 1t into basket Tor delivery, pick
Ing up the next paper that comes to his
hand. III he finds that IL IL copy OF The
London Times OF the same date ne stamps
out the Objectionable article that ne has
read before and throws IL into the basket
without further examination. III the iirst
copy examined was found to contain
nothing exceptional he examines no more
OF them, but throws them into the basket
as last as they come. 10 sinpliiy mat
ters, the circulation OF very lew foreign
papers are allowed IN Russia.
Inc censors canhot possibly reau every
thing sent through the mails, SO they CON
hne their labors 10 the principal Journals
OF Europe and destroy the remainder.
One can receive The London Times or
News or standard IN Russia, but no other
nohuo'i uui,ies' nc Gun navy Iuiich anu
nnt,,nm nhiar,,ana,,. % ua can hayn
IYaarn on nias Tha po,i, Io,rn.l ond
one mr. tyvo others os the paris nap"rs
h,t he connot no., m. str,,r, ro,
nnhI,con na,,ors os ,hot rItv Tbe Nav
VorL Herald 10 ,,,o onIv A,,oricon daily
tbot can he tnkc, mo cnraor will NOT
roaJ ony ,,hor go ,hora 4. nn ,,sc ho,,ing
them sant h,J t,xn d',,Iv nonora semi
mo frnn, Tho Irn;,.5 st,,,os nj, do timo !
,vos q, pnss;a h,, not ono % tbon, ,v,s
Jeiiyercd WINS toId M tho nostof,icc
,hat tba c,,sar Jn.,s ,,nt bavc tine to rs,d
every transiont nnner that came in the
m,ils and none could bc delivered I'm he
haa road n ua had omIv Tina 70 road
ono hmoric., n,n.r mud n I wanted Ia
S,bscrihe fnr ,L"t a ,~a,,ld he de,iyered
mis- c.nsorsbin of tbe mails ia tho most
,o,ynrdIy ma cnntomrtihlc f....ra M ,ho
Rnssian Observation-Disclosures svstsm II "a
si,,,,,, cnnfnssion - yy.atnosa tha,
tnn,rts th, n,nroan ma, tn svmnothizo
WITH revoipiinnary clcm,nt md they
in.tiv ,n.l. 4, ono ~ thnir chiof couses ~
co,nn,oint ma Russian nostoiIice Il
,,nda, ,ho sj,act,,, ~ tho noliro ,;l,a
oyorytbino, elso md 20 ono of their strony.
hojd.
,,o,r ,,.rr,ns ,,, ,,,o, ANN
''' '''''
Ihey nave the power To open ietters as
wen as papers, ana oi'en exercise IL. IL
iact there Is no ilriit 10 'heif power. III
cltizeh or foreigner is suspecteu oi sym
pathy with the revolutionary element, OF
Is supposed 10 DC IN communication WIN
heitalors, whether a' nome OF IN eAiie, 'h'
ponce give orders 10 nave All MS letters
delivered TO them Inc gum upon the ma
OF the envelope Is moislehed ny peihS heio
over JET Oh steam, ana openeu, OF INN
KNIFE with Keen edge Is slippea under
the seal. Inc ietter is rsau, research ana
sent pack 10 the postoilIce, orit Is retained
us evidence OF treason.
Letters gong out OF the RUSSIAN post
ouices are examined, rs wen as those tha'
como H. All packages auaresseu u
loreign newspapers are opened ana tneii
contents read correspondents residing
IN hussia write upon inc .hlhhest SORT OF
stationery, ana address the envelopes &c
individuals or business nrms, so as tc
AVOID the espionage OF the police, wfS
destroy everything that IN any way 10
fleets upon "tho administrative system.
All manuscripts carried IN bags oi
trunks by travellers are examined at the
Russian custom houses to avoid the circu
lation OF incendlary literature. All news
papers found III tho cars that cross th'
border are seized and destroyed. had |
lot OF newspaper clippings In an envelope
which had cut from time to time, relat
L ing to Russia, A gentleman in Berlin
4,
| the Russian nolica advised me not Il