The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-07-16
RUSSIAN POSSIBILITIES.

The Sioux City Journal calls atten-
tion to the fact that while the United
States is accustomed to looking west
ward toward new and undeveloped
country, that Russia's ''great west"
is 'great east" and that Siberia to-
day is as undeveloped as the trans
Mississippi region was fifty years ago.
When one thinks of Siberia he always
recalls cold, dreary waste, and large
portions of it answer this description.
But there is also large section of it
that is not such waste, and will ulti-
mately be developed into fine coun-
try. In commenting upon Russias
possibilities, the Journal says:
''By the recent census of Russia it
was shown that the population of Rus
STA as whole is only 2.5 to the square
mile, while in Poland it is 80 to the
square mile. Even the latter figure
shows sparse population compared
with the population of other European
countries. OF the 9,211, 113 people
in Russia, found by the census takers,
"a, 1873, $50 live in European Russia; o.
442, 500 live in Poland, and 9, 723, 553 in
the provinces of the Caucasus, In
Siberia there are but 5, 73O,732 people,
and Siberia is the largest part of Rus
sia-Americans are fond of showing
their European friends our vast fields
and long lines of railroads, but the
Russians could take us to Siberia and
open our eyes. There are 4,95O,OO0
square miles in Siberia proper, and
nearly 6,500,0OO in Siberia and other
provinces east and south of Russia
proper. The area of the United
States, including Alaska, is only g.
$3.50 square miles. In view of these
figures it will be admitted that Rus
sia's ''great east" has possibilities far
SURPRISING our own boasted great
west," now almost disappeared"
From this it will be seen that those
people who have labored under the
idea that all the fertile country in the
temperate zone capable of develop
ment has been so developed are con-
siderably mistaken. Continuing as to
the chances there, the Journal says:
siberia. much larger than the
whole Uuited States, is the only part
of Europe or Asia that can absorb any
great part of Europe's surplus popula-
tlon. If the Russian government
plans wisely for internal improve
ments and makes it clear to the world
that all industrious persons are well
come to Russian territory, the immi-
grafton movement from Europe will
quickly turn from the Americas,
Australia and Africa in that direc-
tion. Russia has already at hand an
abundance of cheap and comparatively
efficient labor. The government is
spending $4,000. 900 on the Siberian
railroad, and such an outlay would not
be made but in the belief that there
would be compensation. The COM
plant that the Russians are not good
colonizers would disappear the mo-
ment it could be shown to others who
are good colonizers that there are
fortunes to be made in Siberia. There
are mines to be opened, forests TO be
cut, great fields to be cultivated and
great water power to be developed.
Russia's great east" is yet unknown
to the world. Realization of what it
is and what it may become may come
upon the world at any moment: then
will begin transformation of Siberia
unlike anything ever before seen in
the world.
'Less than 100000 people live in
Siberia where 100000 would not be
uncomfortably close. This cannot con-
tinue long. The struggle for SUI
premacy is going on all the time be-
tween nations and between individuals.
Humanity demands that every part of
the earth's surface shall be occupied,
and not only occupied but to be put
to the best possible use. Russia must
cOlonize Siberia with Russians, or the
unused land will be taken by others.
If Siberia should be colonized in a
manner to encourage the mingling of
races, as in America, it would be pos
sible for the seat of power in Russia
to shift eastward into a new and bet
ter Siberia. The possibilities of ST.
IBERIA are past all comprehension. Rus
sia's great east" is the land of hope
for millions Of Europeans"