New-York tribune., 1899-06-11

sand men and women have been foisted upon the
country by means Of exile
do not propose 10 go into the entire question
OF Siberian banshment here. 1t will be suffi-
cent to state briefly that there have been until
now three species Of Siberian exes In the first
place there are those condemned thereto by the
courts after due trial These constitute the
minority. Then there are those who are ban
ished 'administratively" that is without any
form OF hearing or trial on the mere authority
Of provincial Governors, even Of ordinary
police officials. In this category are to be found
the largest number Of cases Of abuse of power.
Of persecution and Of terrorism. people being
frequently seized by night and hustled off to
Siberia for no other reason than that they have
declined to pay blackmail to some OF the local
authorities. have incurred the i'll will OF the
gendarmes, or else have been made the object
Of some anonymous denunciation. Finally. there
are those who have been banishel by the mir"
or the village commune to which they belonged
According to the communal system in European
Russia, the elders Of every rural community. like
the municipality Of each town and city. have
the right TO deport to Siberia without recourse
to the courts. or even TO the Local magistrates
any one Of their fellow citizens whose presence
they choose to consider Instantaneous to
the community 1t is estimated that nearly one
Siberia are indebted for their banishment to
the Mrs. or village communes, TO which they
belonged.
WHAT HAS BECOME OF THEM?
In spite Of the immense numbers Of people
who have thus found their way TO Siberia against
their will. that is to say. by means Of exile-it
is estimated that nearly two million have been
thus deporte1 since the beginning of the CEN
Cd he
population Of Russia in Asia as they have TO its
prosperity and development Banished on the
plea that they were not desirable citizens for
Russia west Of the Crals, they a general
rule not Of a material suited for the building up
Of a new country east Of that great mountain
range. and We're ii not that the figures are Off
cial ! should hesitate 20 give currency TO the
recent official returns. according 10 which no
less than 60 per cent Of the people eXiled during
the last ten years and distributed among the
various towns and villages Of Siberia have to-
tally disappeared. without leaving the slightest
trace. Their fate only be a matter Of spec
ulation. Many Of them have perishe Of want,
others are perhaps earning decent livelihood
under q different name while many have doubt
less escaped from the town or village to which
they were exiled and have endeavored to reach
home once more.
II speaks well for the Russian people that
although voluntary immigrants and settlers suf-
fer terribly from these eXiles at whose doors
may Dee laid nine-tenths Of the crimes COM
mitted in Siberia and are forced TO contribute
10 the support Of these outcasts assigned by the
authorities 10 compulsory residence IN their
village or town. they nevertheless maintain a
kindly and sympathetic heart toward the un-
fortunate people. From the depths Of Asia u
the borders Of Europe. in every vlllase-nay IN
almost every house and cottage there is at
night one single window illuminated boy lamp
or candle from dusk to daybreak and in that
window alongside Of the lamp or candle there
is a plate and jug Whenever the evening
meal begins. no matter how humble il be, one Of
the family places some Of the food On the plate.
a piece of everything, in fact, is set on the
plate and the jug is filled either with spirits or
with tea.
These delicacies are for the fugitive exiles
md convcts When they stealthly creep into
2 village at night and see that light, they know
that on the same table as the lamp or candle
are food and drink. They have only to push the
window and it opens so that they may take
the plate and jug and refresh exhausted nature
The people Of the house DO not wish TO see
them. II is better for them not 10 do so. But
when they see the plate aud jug empty In tue
morning they ere pleased, and feel that they
have in the words ot the Scripture cast bread
up9n the waters" which will return to them
perhaps in another form, after many days
PRUssIA's EXILES TO SIBERIA.
recs noonle are aware that until about fifty
wears aeo-in fact, almost UP to the days OF
Bismarck-Siberia was used as place OF exile
Of