The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-11-22

Calumny the Fourth: Russia is so very
grasplng OF territory and she seems to
want the world. But what are the facts?
During the last centuary and a quarter,
the Uuited States have taken possession
of every thing between the thirteen colonies
and the 1 aciec Ocean, and England during
the same length of time. has taken pos
session of nearly three million square miles,
and by the extent of her domain has added
2oO,O0O,OUO population, while Russia has
added during that time only one half the
number of square miles and about eighteen
million of population--England advance
of domain by 25O,OOO,OOO against Russias
advance of domain by 1S,OOO,vUO. What Il
paltry Russian advance OF domain by
1S,OOO,UOO as compared with the English
advance of domain by 25O,OO0,0OO! The
United States and England had better
keep still about extravagant and eXtor-
tomato enlargement of domain.
Calumny the Fifth: Siberia is a den of
horrOws, and today people are driven like
dumb cattle; no trial is afforded to the
suspected ones; they are put into quick
silver mines, where they are whipped and
starved and some days find themselves going
do not get so far as Siberia. Women, after
being tied to stakes in the streets, are dis
robed and whipped to death in the pres
ence of bowling mobs Offenders hear
their own flesh siss under the hot irons.
But what are the facts? There are no
kinder people OIL earth than the Russians,
and to most of them, cruelty is an impos-
sibility. nod in my hand card. You
see on it that red circle. That is the gov
ernment's ceal on a card giving me per
mission to visit all the prisons of st.
Petersburg as l had expressed wish
in that direction AS the messenger handed
this card to me, he told me that a carriage
was at the door for my disposal in visiting
the prisons. 1t so happened, however.
that I was crowded with engagements and
l could not make the visitation. But do
you suppose such cheerful permission aud
n carriage to boot would have been afforded
me if the PRISONS of Russia are such hells
on earth as they have been described to
be? / asked an eminent and distinguished
American: Have you visited the prisons
of st. Petersburg and how do they differ
from American prisons! He replied: Il
have cisted them and they are as well
respect as the majority of the prisons IN
America" Are women whipped in the
streets? No; that statement comes from
the manufac:ory Of fabrication, manu-
factorty that runs day and night so that
the supply may meet the demand.
But how about Siberia? My answer is,
Siberia is the prison of Russia. prison
more than twice the size OF the united
States. John Howard, who did more Tor
the improvement of prisoners and the re-
formation Of criminals than any man that
ever lived. his name synonym Tor mercy
throughout Christendorl, declared by voice
and pen that the system OF transportation
of criminals from Russia to Siberia was an
admirable plan. advocating open air punish
ment rather than dungeOnment, and also
also because it taking all Offenders
hundreds of miles away from their evil com
panions. John Hayward, after witnessing
the plan of deportation of criminals from
Russia to Siberia commended it TO Eng
land If a man commits murder IN kuSSla,
he is not electrOcuted as we electrocute hlnl
or choked to death by halter as we choke
him death. Russia is the only country on
earth from which the death penalty has Deeo
driven except i'll the case of high treason
Murderers and desperate williams are sent to
the hardest part of Siberia, buc no man IS
sent to Siberia or doomed to any KIND or
punishment in Russia until he has tar
trial 50 far as their being hustled OH I'D
the night and not knowing why they are eX-
lied or punished Is concerned, all the crlln4-
mails in Russia have an open trial before
Jury lust as we have Ill America. except IN
revolutionary or riotOus times. and you
know in America at such times the witt OF
habeas corpus is suspended. There are 10
Russia grand juries and petit juries, and the
right to challenge the Jurors, and the pris-
Oner cOnfTOnts his accuser, and mark TINS,
as in no other country, after prisoner mas
been condemned by the JurleS and Judges ne
may appeal TO the minister of the INTERIOR
and after that to the senate, and after that
TO the emperor. who IS constantly pardon
ing As | said. the .iOlent and murderous
are sent to the hardest part of Siberia, bit
the more moderate crlmlnal3 to mora pr2-
pitiouS parts of Siberia. and thoS5 who nave
only little criminalty to parts of Siberia
positively genial for climate, for you ought
to know. if you do not know, that Siberia
is so large and wide and long that 1t reach
es from frigidity to torridity, from almost
arctic blast to climate as mild as that OF
Italy. Run your finge- along the map of
the world. and you will find that the lowest
part of Siberia is on the forthwith degree
of latitude, and the richesS parS of Italy is
on the same forty-tifth degree OF latitude.
So that Siberia reaches from the furs at tho
north to the palm leaf fans at the south. 1t
has been demonstrated that 30 per cent OF
the Russian criminals coloniZed into Sibe-
ria go into climate milder than New York
ii land songful with birds ana embrolder-
ed with fora enough manifold to contound
the botanists. Much Of the sod is Il rich
loam and harvest wait for pillow 10 llberate
them When a criminal is sent to Siberia,
in the vast majority OF cases 1t gives him an
opportunity to make new start under the
best possible circumstances. The CRIMINAL
is allowed to take his or her family along,
In the quicksilver mines of Siberia, the
and that is IL mercy no other country grants.
In the quicksilver mines OF Siberia, the
hardest place of expatratlon, only one one
fourth of the miners are criminals. The
other three-fourths go there because they
choose it as a place to earn their living.
After being in IBERIA awhile, the con-
deInned GO to earning q ltNeiuOou, HHu tteJ
come to 0wn their own farms. and orchards
and VINEYARDS. many of these people coming
to wealth. and thousands of them under 10
jn(uccment would leave those parts OF 81
IBERIA which are paradises for salubrity and
Insurance. Now, which do you think is
the hest style Of a prison-Siberia or many
Of our American prisons? When man
commits a big crime in our country. tho
nudge looks into the frightened face of the
culnrit and says: You have been found
guilty: ! sentence you to the peniten-
tiary for ten years" He goes to prison,
He is shut in between four walls NO
sunlight. No fresh air. No bathroom.
Before he has served his ten years, he dies
of consumption. or is so eneryated thai Tor
the rest of his life he sits with folded hands
n wheeling invalid. In preference to the
shut-in life of the average American pris-
oner. give me Siberia. Besides that when
offenders come out of prison Ill America
what chance have they? Ask the poorly
supported societies, formed to get these
people places to work. Ask NE. to whom
the newly liberated come from all the pris-
ons. impioring what they shall DO. No one
viii commend them. The pal or of incarce-
ration is on their cheek. Who wants to en-
plor in factory or store a man or woman
who in answer to the question, Where dld
Won live last?' should make for reply:
Estates prison at Auburn or MoyamensinS.
Now in Siberia they have better chance.