New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-01
A DEFENCE OF RUSSIA.
HER sLUMs DECLARED TO BE NO WORSE
THAN THOSE OF OTHER COUNTRIES.

THE GOVERNMENT SAID TO MAKE EVERY
EFFORT TO HELP THE POOR AND ouTcAsT-
CLEAN PRISONS AND LIBERAL COM
MUTATIONS OF SENTENCES
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: I feel impeled by strong sense OF du'y
70 call YOUR attention to certain grave errors into
which Won have been led by an article published
IN YOUR columns of March IL. I refer to the article
headed "a Russian Sum-" to which you called at-
,entIon I'm a leader under the heading Ihe "oo
~ Russia" and in which YOU. uninten'iona"y
am sure did a grave injustice to Russia her peo.
ple and her Government, which cahhot uou"'
that YOU will willingly correct upon more mature
consideration and fairer presentation OF the
facts. - . .
Tho rorne OF the writer OF "A Russian Stun Is
not given and we are therefore unable to form
any estimate OF his qualifications Tor oealls VIZ"
the subject except from the substance Oh t'io q"
,i,i. ,ts,lf hut II this il the writer take him 10
he ne well knows that slums OF this kind are "o'
peculiar 10 Russia: that they exist anu nave III
WAYS existed I'm every great city; that everywhere
,h, ara s,pks or vice and iniquity. and that they
have served as the background for sensat'oh"
novels OF all languages. The slum ne depc's oo"'
tains practically the entire vagabond anu ""
rested criminal classes Of St Petersoufe' pu
posoly kept together for administrative
until. with the phenomenal expansion oil '"' w.
hey
this method Of keeping these people under sur'en-
, ,,,d that although as stated by TINS
writer himself the place Is within stone q Univ"
of nm imperial palace. yet II has not peco"' "
!ntocrablo nuisance TO Its neghoors' N'as -,
further that burglary is almost uhRho"" "'''
the city's limits. .L.r
This slum is. as this writer says 70 10 49, 49,
ND within a short time. the houses pe'hs 'ep
nv buildings OF totally different c""'a0
,., ouarter being provided In another part Vi ''o
CITY for this class Of It's inhabitants lie hIi'''''
states tina: the conditions at the ''a]e"Sn' 80,
ara mot much than the ol" w" 80
dives used to be- except that ne ""u' 49,.
crowded while the American Minister anu
o,ter gentlemen who he says accompanied MN
on h,s second visit were unanimous IN 'he op'
ion that tho conditions OF this SUM "s,' "o
,ors, ,han similar places TO be found uhui Cum
norat,velv recently In Mulberry Bend IN Ne"
York" As TO the overcrJwding every wv" 49,.
familiar with the subject well knows 'n"' 90 -
nlaces tho world over are overcfo"'e' !, % ~
OF the very conditions Of their existence. ~ 70 -
,,ltk.rv that in St Petersburg. where tho cn"'"'.o
a,.,,,,o,, :, uin,cr encourage It. the overcrowd-
,, :, u,orse than with u.s. but tho figures gwen,
IN ,,ow of the gross msstatements OF s'a''s.V'''
facts 20 which shall refer further OIL '' ~
accepted "a in any way reliable
OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO THE PUN
Tho writer goes on TO state that at present mere
& hardly another country In the world laying ch,'''
% rococnition as a civllizng force In which III"
,eople are being ground down into Sums OH ac-
count OF their inability adapt themselves to new
,,,,,I,,ors and a higher standard OF NE than IN
puseo D" Al a matter OF fact while II Is true 'hu'
conditions nrc changing In Russia, OWING 10
rar.!lty u dcyolopm.nt unparalle'I IN 'e n,,y
oe nations this very development oieFs oipV ,r -,
ia fSr i1bOr and employ mcnt not 70 be tounu IN
any other equally wsH-estanilsh@d Nero
while In every branch OF trade ana comm vv d,.trI
H. ulcnty o. room for the intelligent ana indu,Il,
ou' Tho merchant classes are areeS a' " 49,
from the peasants. while IN" hVoss ent' snoll
enters upon trade. No monopoIles prev"nt sn NJ,
capital from emhnrkine in Industry whemsr
flcturng or commercial and every encoat az az e'
IS 0aored to those who seek 10 better their con-
- FAR from callous indifference Of the govern
nnrn, ~ the mlsf1rtuncs OF individuals hod.ng
those ouicas,s down tho who'r ppa,erna1 space
docs not permit an en!argemcnt upon 'nia s,,y
bu, tho statement and its application arc e"'"'
certain statistical lasts are given By TIL. , mites
Of a profound and humane thinker on sociological
snhiocts whose remedy FOR the horrors OF ING
an open deld and put them to death Their value
n illustrated by his statement that nve humJ ie
in Russia In point Of fact. of,cal statistic, show
ma, the entire prison population OF RUSSIA ,j
population Of one hundred and twenty-five millions
IL IS tims 20 end these sensational baseIess a.-
piled 70 the mana cement Of her criminal and vaEa-
bond classes study Of her p,na
as f. ,es,inod TO bv many careful Investigators.
American. British and Russian. with whom have
,,renu,liv talked and these reports come. not
alon. from the cities ~ European Russia but rom
al oyer The empire ncnqT ene IS ovsrwhsnns
that tho Russian prison and convict system - mos,
al 80, and m" details Of ,ts management. OF
course Il ls impossible TO ventaie INC entire peha,
r1'" "a n,1 ,tnai c,so ~ ubuse OF power In tina
care OF these unfortunhier
RUSSIAN AND SIBERIAN PRISONS.
The PRISONS OF European Russia In which are
confined persons on short-term convictions, ana
where are assembled tho prisoners for deportation
to the penal settlements OF Siberia. are clean and
wholesome while the older houses OF detention arc
being rapidly replaced. wherever such substitution
has not already been effected. by new and modern
buildings furnished with tho latest devices appli.
rnilr ~ nrlsou management. Tho Same ~ Of
the siberian PRISONS and everywhere the food sup.
piled prisoners Is abundant and or excellent
GnaNS aH "Srai systSm OF comnataions fSt good
behavior. we'll as tho special acts Of clemency
OF thu Emperor issued from ,imo to time. greatly
yIcts who choose TO avail themselves OF them BY
restricted and tho deportcI criminal may take his
family with him into exile II he chooses. although
or remaining behind and she retains the care Of
tho children In either case Every prisoner. wher-
pcnsntion for hts labor. and he may either ex-
pend his wages for increased comforts or IT will DO
capital on which TO start life anew. All these fncts
can be easily verified by any ono who desires to
takc the trouble"
Nowhere I'm Russia is either tho convict or the
yaeabond regarded with stolld Indifference. on tho
contrary much thought and effort arc constantly
expended both 10y official and by private exertion.
upon tho ancloration OF their condition. Nowhere
do ne upper classes engage more In organized
works Of charity and nowhere does such charity
obtain more effective governmental support and
cncoura cement
We owe to tho Russian Government more than
one debt Of gratitude. 1.-THE Domestic Condition ot
Russia" Is n book open to all to read. and appeal
to your sense Of fairness TO fbstan from STRUCTURES
upOn Il until you have pernscd that book. When
YOU have done you Will find that Russia IN not
"a darkened empire does II resemble In tho
least IAN inferno" HERBERT II. d. PIERCE.
s. Petersburg April 3 1898.
o. AND W. PASSENGER RATES REDUCED.
M AZ. Ynr D,.tn md RnllN,nv