New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-09

vounc man who was the sole support and protection OF
his mother and sister Of fifteen was arrested anu
exiled by mistake. Almost as by miracle ne sue
ceeded after some years OF imprisonment, In getting
his sentence RENTED lie fastened home. to find that
his mother had died. almost literally Of Starvation ana
that boardnghouse keeper had sold ms sister INTO
life NJ shame sfherc was no redress and complaint
would only have sent the poor fellow back TO slDerla
and this time most probably to Eastern siberia u
not TO Yakutsh. in the sub-Arctic circle They SEND
young girls 20 Yakutsk sometimes. but then II must DC
considered that an administration which hogs women
10 death cannot be expected to be squeamish III oef
respects Political exles sometimes made forced
colonists'-tat Is. they are released from Pls'h "
Siberia and ordered to reside ut some village or towh
where they are under close police surveillance. ana
where while expected to earn their own living the! are
prohibited from so many occupations that educa'eo
men ard women find 1t almost Impossible 10 exist
The poticals" who thus conditioned are moreover
subjected to incessant hanssment and humilatoh' a
cruel malicious Ispravnick or local chiei OF ponce
can make an exiles life hell to him. lie may order
him to report at the police Office every day. lie may
arrest him If he strays hundred yards from Inc
village and then report him as having attempted 10
escape; whereupon he will be dispatched TO more
inclement and miserable place, and perhaps ha'o
several years added to his sentence
All these things and many more included In the
potentalties of exile by administrative process. ING
cases given in detail by Mr.. KEENAN, are most MOVING
the tendency of irresponsible power to abuse Ai'er
this moreover it will be impossible for any one to pre-
tend that the Tar personally unaware of the horrors
of siberian exile Mr.. KEENAN, is able TO furnish PROOF
to the contrary from official documents lie eho"s
that the Tar knows all about the system, ana that ne
is as apatetic and careless the worst oil the ONCE
holders lie turns deaf to the representations Oh
conscientious men who implore him to remedy at least
the most dreadful of the siberian abuses. lie gives
full scope to the administrative process oy "inol
thousands of the most intelligent young men and
women of his country are being buried III iorceu
colonies or doomed to more hdeous suerings at the
placer mines of Kara the deep dggngs OF NercnsK'
He is fuy accountable for all the shame and infamy
OF Siberian exile In word, and the knowledge That
this is so must weaken the sympahies Of all the world
for ruler who does much TO create the party OF
terror whose menaces shadow his life. For 1t is mani
fest as Mr. contends that 1t is administrative
exile and all that il involves and includes. that has
made what is called Nhilisn. When Intelligent. high
spirited men and women have passed under the harrow
of that arocious system when they have been torn
from all they loved their prospects blasted often their
property cOnfscaed, and without trial have been sub
jected to the fearful punishment Of march to Siberia
when they have been made to realize that perfect
innocence safeguard against these ourages and
that mere relationship to condemned but untr1ed
person Is held justification for running whole family
when every tie, however sacred, has been rutlessly
broken and every interest, however grave ruth
IeSsly sacrificed: who wonder, it, in their despair
and righteous Indignation, they take to terrorism! IL
will appear to many readers Of this book, imagine,
that If the terrible experiences recited by Mr.. KEENAN,
had been theirs, they would have taken the first
weapons that came TO hand, and being de-
MED Justice, have wrought for vengeance upon
their oppressors. Indeed the most surprising
fact is that terrorism has not spread under
such system Of exile nay, thA the whole nation has
not risen in revolution against situation so intoer-
able vet so persistent. For Siberia looms behind the
moujik as well as behind the university student. the
author, the Of science. All freedom OF thought Is
a deadly offence 10 the brutal and cOwardy autocracy
that makes upon women and children AND
such war Read Mr.. Remnants account Of the "po-
liucals' Of Kara without deep emotion who can
Women stripped naked by prison officials; women
hogged-one to death; women so tortured and insulted
and despefuly used that they driven to hunger
strkes"-that is, to starving themselves until they
secure relief redress educated, tendery nurtured
women reused in the middle of the night stripped OF
their clothes, forced to put on convict clothing
and then marched away foot to another and dis
tant prison. Surely in these facs-for facts they all
are-tlere is material for the making OF Nimlistsi
| Thus are they made, but Mr. KEENAN, asserts that
NhilistSr is not the right word. Terroriss. II you
WILL but not Nihilists. For he declares that there
really Nihilists In Russia that Is OF the popu-
larly accepted type.
The terrorists have nothing in common with the
Anarchists They do not aim at subverting all gov
| eminent, of destroying all institutions, OF reducing
society to chaos They seek to force the Government
into covering by law and not by impossible caprice;
and since all remonsrance and argument have failed
or been suppressed by ferocous penalties since in short
they have found neither mercy, justice nor humanity
in the Government they have resolved to meet force
with force. They have often warned the Government
as Macauay's Roman citizen did:
" Lest when latest hope is fled We taste Of our
And learn by proof in some wild hour how much the
! wretched dare
Mr. Remnants intercourse with the "polfticals" was
in the nature OF the attended with much difficulty
and no little danger. and he appears to have displayed
| In overcoming The one and avoiding the other,
markable diplomatic aptitude and an executive talent
OF no order. 1t was necessary for him to be on
as good terms with the local police everywhere a.
possible He in continual fear Of police search,
which, had it occurred, would have insured his ex
puson from the Empire and the loss OF all his material
TO say the least and might have had more unpleasant
personal consequences; for Government like that
of Russia might not hesitate 10 keep On Siberia. when
IL had him there, an American citizen whom IL
discovered in the act Of penetrating its darkest and
foulest secrets In order that he might expose them
to the world Fortunately the baggage Of the traveller
was searched though several times the danger
| seemed very great.
Maadminlstration is the rule throughout Siberia. and
indeed It might be said throughout European Russia
also and this is of the most formidable hindrances
TO reform. When all the higher officials are practically
irresponsible, and where the administrative system
extends responsibility abuses must be constant and
| fragrant. Circumlocuon hourshes in Russia, too, as
already seen in the matter OF attempted improvements.
The final step, Mr. KEENAN, says in every such attempt
is the appointment of committee Of officials TO visit
the place and personally inquire into the affair This
committee is merely for drawing salaries and
expenses and it does anything practical use
full. Venality is the curse of Russian oiiciadom
| in
ment. An honest official cannot make head against
his corrupt fellows. They combine against and ruin
him if he attempts to check their dishonesty and they
can always effect their purpose because they represent