The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-02-27
APPEAL TO THE GEAR.

The Philadelphians who have formed the
siberian Exile Association, y told about in
our dispatches the other morning, are kind
hearted and actuated by noble impulses.
They have heard of the awful atrocities
committed in Siberia on the criminal and
political exiles, and they propose to do what
they can to bring about reform in the
Russian prison administration. The Car
is to be appealed to direct. A form of ad-
dress has been adopted, and this is to be
circulated throughout the United States
for signatures. In it the Gar is asked to
be more humane in the treatment of
those of his subjects who are sent
to the penal colonies. There is moth
ing Incorporate or threatening in the
paper. On the contrary it is
supplicating in tone and so worded as to
convey the impression that the signers are
the friends of the Car, and his we'll
wishers: that they approach him in a
spirit of humility and in the interest of
humanity, humbly appealing to his better
nature to do what his heart should tell him
is right. OF course this appeal will be
universally signed. Everybody viii sign
it, for everybody in this country has been
thoroughly convinced that Siberia is one of
the very worst uplaces on the globe, that
exile is one of the very worst forms of
human punishment and that Rus
sian prison administration is the
most cruel and inhuman ever devised.
For decades we have read of the barbara
ties practiced upon the unfortunate men
and women who violate the law of Russia
and incur the displeasure of the ruling
class. The writings and the lectures of
Mr.. GEORGE KEENAN, during the past two
or three years have given better insight
than was before had, of the awful cruel
ties imposed in the name Of law and au-
thority, so that Americans especially are
touched III their hearts in behalf of those
who are sent to Siberia.
We say that everyb body to whom the ap-
peal to the Car shall be presented will sign
it: but how many are there who
think the request will be needed! Not
many, we take it. Great governments are
very ''touchy" in regard to outside
interference in their internal
affairs. The Cars is great
SOfOIuuuSuI. ne Is Tie absolute ruler
of more than hundred millions of people.
His dominions extend into two continents.
and are broader than those of any other
monarch. He can defy the world, and does
do it. If every other ruler is not afraid of
him, there is none who is eager to engage
him in conflict. Recognizing that in a
sense he is regarded as the enemy of all
the powers of earth, he is more Jealous
than others of outside interference Then.
tits nonsense to suppose that he and those
by whom he is surrounded and who are in
fiuential with him are ignorant of what
goes on in Siberia. It is not unreasonable
to assume that many of the cruelties are
committed by order of the Gar. It is ma
tural that he should be anything but mild
and lenient, for he cannot go upon the
streets of his capital without being
surrounded by sworn and tried soldiers,
and in his own palace he trembles
night and day as if he were
walking, eating and sleeping over a mine
which was liable to explode at any mo-
ment. Is it to be supposed that man liv-
ing as he lives should be kindly disposed
towards those who are the cause of his I'm
easiness and constantly plotting against
his lifes Would it not be more in harmon "