Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1888-06-23
SIBERIAN EXILEs.

Judge as we may, our estimates OF
what Russia may do in the future,
or what her station and influence
are to be, are at best but the merest
speculation. The story Of the "Plains
and Prisons Of Western Siberia" by
George Kcnnan, now being pub
lishcd in the Century, reveals more
distinctly than any other publica-
ton ever has, that really the Rus
sian people and empire are In a for
NATIVE state, and whether they are,
by-and-bye, to crystalize intoasplen-
dor commensurate with their
mighty area, or whether the vast
political system Is to be broken up
and the fragments recombined, us
the crust of the earth has more than
once been dccomposed that II might
the better be prepared for the sup
port Of man, who shall say? We
read In this thrilling narrative of
Siberian prisons; aud are reminded
of the endless thousands who make
up the sad procession Of prisoners
that journey thithcrward; we can
In fancy hear the clank of their
chains and their blank, despairing
faces are pictured to us by the cum
ming Of the artist; we know that
their walls have filed the vacant
air for many generations, and we
almost wonder that the thunderbolts
of wrath do not fall on that land.
Yet II we stop 10 think, we re-
member that this violence and hate
and suffering are IN accord with
natures rude way Of bringing
around deeper swceter and fuller
merclcs a. mankind. or course, the
heavy darkness uf the land still
holds the gaze of the rcigning
house under "a cloud. The
ear cannot see what we can. How
easy 1t would be for him to take !
away the terror that now surrounds |
his throne; how easy II would he for
him 10 cause his empire To take a |
mighty advance among the nations
Of the earth, and to create for HIM
els fame for more enduring than
hat of the great Peter. II he had
hut the sense to call his wise men
around him and hid them frame u
constitution; II then lac would
call back his army from the
western frontier and have them
build u railroad through Siberia,
aud would then npportion the
crown lands to the people,
taking their obligations to pay rs
they could, Aud II to these con-
Ccssions lac would send teachers 70
his people and offer small bounties
for the best kept 6,rm aud small
prizes 10 children who make thcbcst
rcord In school II through such
means ho would for ten years devote
himself To building up "a support to
his throne on the eastern side uf the
Uml range aud throughout his
empire generally, ho would perform
work which would hnd rrultlou
my years hence m u nation as
populous as the Chinese cmpire all
chanting his praises, and together
forming a power which, compared
with all Others ON earth, save our
own republic, would make the rcst
soom mcnly as the plgmy does
when lac mvasun's strength with the
giant,
We are not sum that the Russians
ae not ofa stock to take place ts,-
side the most advanced populations,
They have superior physical aud IN
tellcctual ,trngthi an endurance |
that never tins, courage that mply /
alters lu the arts the most gifted
arv making wonderful strides; In
literature sonic of the best hooks az
the pn'scnt century havo neen
Russian, Then the people have .
nhom to expand ina, thcrc h sIace !
enough Within the limits of that
vast cmplN to support half the
pr'sont population of the globe nj
ever q soNvnigu aris,s therc to
Whose soul the thought will c,nir
that through psao,, Intelligence and ,
libeFly, them ane richer and niorc d
enduring oonquosls to bo made
than hy ghe sWori; under his rule
Russia viii m a little while h. the
ieading power iu thc eastern hcmis-
phena.