New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-30
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

ACROSS RUSSIA, FROM THE BALTIC TO THE
DANUBE. BY Charles Augustus stoddard Illus
trated. 1emo, PIP. 25S. Charles Scrbners Sons
Travels in Russia by people who d, not know the
language of the country and who are mere bras oil
passage, are apt to convey 10 the public considerable
amounts OF assorted nisnformaton. II such travellers
would only read, mark, learn and inwardy digest
WaIlaces Russia" before putting pen to paper they
would at least avoid the errors about Russian lhs'i
buttons, manners and customs which can hardly 90
escaped in such circumstances the present volume
appears to have been written in. Mr. Soddard' 1t Is
true takes full advantage of the great body OF access
BILE information concerning the Russian monuments
public buildings, palaces and churches, ana tnio ie
dspenses udicously mixed with scraps OF history anu
tradition This makes rather entertaining ana not heN!
reading but why should author saeacions enough 10
observe that the ordinary traveller cannot le'iii
much OF the government OF country unless inc
rulers favor his Investigations" express opinions
about the system of exile to siberia. whcn e"''U oe
founded upon suiceut knowledge to gave teln 'a'e'
Thus he says: "EXileS 10 Siberia douDuess suer uo"
from the weary journey. the poor accommodations Oh
the road the severity and inhumanty which the vic
tins of the law have TO bear in most LANDS ana from
compulsory association with those who may be justly
punished for great and dreadful crimes But 1t must
be remembered that Russian peasants ana al ou'
the MOBILES are accustomed to hardspS and seVeriueS
of climate and condition which are little known else'
where Things are viewed differently from different
etandnoints That which would be brutality to a
refined and delicate woman might seem only urgency
10 dull and coarse aborer; and while would shrink
from ustfyng cruelty or apoosLing Tor tyranny ana
oppression. it is right to let II be known that many
tales OF Russian eXiles and convict life are rs mag
mary AS those OF the Arabian Nights, and that much
OF the so-called Russian news is manufactured In
countries hostile to Russia, and by Nihsts and
Socialists who hate all restraint and violate all human
and divine laws which hinder the execution of their
schemes"
II would be interesting to know whether Mr..
Stoddard's remark to the tales of Russian ex-
lies and convict life" which g as
imaginary as those of the Arabian nights
has reference TO the accounts written by Mr.
George Kennan Certainly many will suppose TINS
10 be the case and IL it is 1t wOud be still more in
tercstlng TO know what support Mr. Stoddad has Tor
the confident assertion he makes. However that may
be the opinion the world has formed upon Siberian
exile and Russian convict prisons does not rest wholly
or mainly upon the statements of Nihilists and
Socialists but upon the multiplied observations of those
who have resided III Russia for years and upon th3
reports Of travellers who have had much fuller oppor
tunites for observation than this autor. There Is
i'm fact mass of Authentic evidence upon the whole
subject which fully warrants the conclusion generally
reached to w.t. that the Siberian system and the man
agement Of the convict Srisons are inhumaniy cruel
and brutal. and among e worst products of rrespon
sble autocracy As TO the convict prisons, IL might
be necessary go back to the convict prisons OF Rome
in he
slIel To them OF the journey TO Siberia there is
annie testimony accessible, 1t is shown that large
proportion of the exies men and women who have
been tendarly reared and accustomed to comfort, II
not luxury that these treated with mcrcess
brutality in many instances; that even among the
harder peasants who are sent into exile not few die
on the road from the haTdshlps ana Husaee W WHICH,
they are exposed.
Nihists and socialists in other countries may some
times exaggcrate and perhaps sometimes invent But
the actual facts are of such character that it is gen
orally unnecessary 10 do more than state them enec
tiyely and such statement sufces to revolt the feel
inrs of civilized mankind. On the whole we think
Mr. StOddard would have done well TO leave this sub
ject alone not possessing such knowledge of IL as could
Justify its confident treatment by him. Such journey
as he made in Russia may be sufficient 10 observe and
describe superficial facts but assuredly 1t cannot pre-
marc any one 10 deliver "eX cathedra' opinions on
eucb difcult questions as siberian exile and convict