Evening journal., 1890-06-23
RUSSIA AND HER EXlLES.
Thomas Stevens Probing the
Cars Penal System.
HAS MR. KEENAN, ExAGGERATEDs

HAS NIX KEENAN, EAAGti iERATED2
English Residents In Russia and Natives
Of That Country Say That the Famous
Siberian Traveller and writor Does In
Justice TO the Land Of the Nlhliist
NEW YoRE, June 9a.-Thomas Stevens,
the famous bicyclist and explorer, who was
sent TO Russia to look into the alleged i'll
treatment of exiles, so graphically pictured
| By George Kennan, has written the New
York paper he represents the results Of his
Investigations. In the course Of his letter
he says:
Has Kennan Exaggerated?
Il have been here yet but few days and
so can at present make no pretenses be-
yond having felt the pulse Of public opin.
ion to the extent Of a few persons ia regard
TO Mr. kennan's revelations. | have talked
chiefly with foreigners who have resided in
Russia, because 1t might be supposed that
Russian would be afraid Of committing
himself to a stranger. But through sew
eral sources have reached the opinions Of
the Russians themselves, and the verdict
Of both foreign residents and Russians
is that KEENAN, has exaggerated and done
the Russians an injustice
"In what has he exaggeratedp / asked
an Englishman who has lived in Russia
for years and travelled about great deal
| Mr. kennan gives facts and figures for
most Of his assertions and constantly
4 quotes Russian official reports to verify
them"
| The Picture ovcrdrawr
True enough, he replied, Il have read
the articles, and | don't mean 10 say that
| Kennan has deliberately misstated facts.
| falsifled figures, or wilfully misrepresented
the state of affairs in the convict settle
ments of Siberia lie has overlrawn the
picture, though, by trying TO make the
most OF his subjecte-quite an authors
/ privilege, but nevertheless, IN this case,
an injustice to the Russian government.
Mo- it isn't that Every Russian, and
particularly the officials who have To do
with prisons and prisoners, are ready to
admit that the state Of affairs is abomin-
able and that reforms are loudly called for
There isn't an official in Russia or Siberia
who would not rejoice to see every Russian
prisoner we'll fed, well housed and we'll
cared for in every way, for the Russians
are better hearted fellows any day than
your oountrymen or mine.
Not Type. He saya
Russians are not ineensed by what Ken
nan has sid about the abuses Ia the exile
system, but what they ore incensed about
is that a man should come here and, pick
ing on the worst sore spot ia the country,
20 home and write on that one unhappy
subject until he succeeds IN creating an
impression in the minds Of the people that
this fetid fostering sore Of theirs is Russia
and the Russiansl The Russians feel that
kennan has been exploiting their worst
imperfections for all there is in ii, and
playing on the generous sympathies Of the
people Of the United States for the pecu.
: mary benefit Of number one
Have We Anything Like It7
"There is another view Of the matter that
! both Americans and English might take, -
this gentleman continued, "and not be In
any danger Of doing themselves nor the
. Russians any harm. Let them and the
Russians swap places, he said, "And in
: stead Of an American correspondent com
ing over here to ferret out the ulcers Of this
: country, let a Russian correspondent 60
over TO the states by working our lines
similar to those that keenan, worked on,
he oould probably find a story to tell well
v
the Russians as the Exile System OF
/ Siberia has been TO the Americana
RRusslan Lady's Views.
Mr. Stevens Says; a lady with whom j
conversed on the same subject, who had
heard Of the KEENAN, exposures but had
not read them, seemed 20 take for granted
) that matters in Siberia were probably
quite as bad as Mr.. Kennan or anybody
; else could make them out to be She
; seemed 70 think it nothing extraordinary
that people should be persecuted for their
political asl irations, and, indeed, it Is very
difficult to get the average, everyday Rus
sian 70 think otherwise, 50 ] am told. /
have not yet met any extremi sts, neither
Nihilists nor Imperial Reactionists. Their
, sentiments, however, are known In ad-
vance The Reactionists would say that
J Mr.. Kennan had grossly misrepresented
. the state Of affairs, and the Nihilists would
declare that he had not told half the
I truth"
Mr.. Stevens hints that some interesting
1 revelations win be made by him before be
a | taffs ~ A