The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-18
END OF slsERIA's EXILE SYSTEM.
Car Decides to Close a Disgraceful Chap
ter of Russian History

Three hundred and eight years have
elapsed since the first decree of Danish
ment to Siberia was pronounced In
that time $500, 900 persons have been
sent on the long road, many of them
hardened criminals, others outcasts
or ne'er-dO- wells. often more I'M
fortunate than criminal, and still many
others the victims of their religious or
political opinions. Dssenters from the
orthodox faith, the advocates of con-
stitution for the state and cranks have
Teen mingled by the scores of thou
sands with those whose offenses
against society deserve the severest
punishment. All marched in the COM
mon chain gangs over the bleak route
that became a two-years' journey by
the time Russia reached the eastern
ocean. The first arrivals after an ad-
vance of the frontier were gangs of
cCnvicts. If one asks where the ST.
berian eXiles have been chiefly kept
the answer is Anywhere in that vast
domain where Russian soldiers have
carried their flag" Whether sent away
for their country's good or the victims
of their governments injustice, the ex-
lies have marked by their presence ev
cry successive stage of Russia's ad-
vance to the Amur.
The present ear has decided to close
this long chapter of Siberian history
as penal colony. He shares the opin-
ion which his father and grandfather
held, that this degrading use should no
longer be made of vast and splendid
territory. There is plenty of honest
labor now with which to build the
roads and fortresses. work the mines and
till the governments lands, services
for which the compulsory labor of chain
gangs has been employed. When Rus
STA is inviting millions of her subjects
to spread over Siberia and make the
N-il h oh
scarcely continue to send among them
the refuse of the western quarter of
the empire. The tramp class, COM
posed chiefly of escaped convicts, have
already treated some of the new set
Elements to very unpleasant expert
ences. Russia is on the point of reliev-
ing Siberia from the odum of being a
penal colony, just as long ago she re-
lieVed the governments of Perm and
Orenburg from it and as England re-
lieVed Australia.
The progress of Siberia. due to the
great railroads now twO-thirds com
pleted, the Improvement of river naVi-
cation. the opening of large areas to
farming and mining enterprises and the
influx of hundreds of thousands of set
tiers has brought about a new era. The
population this year lis over 100000
and 100000 emigrants have poured into
the country since the beginning of 1896.
80 large a tfaHSfefenre or settlers from
one part to another of the same Coun-
try has never been witnessed before in
so short time. These pioneers are
Russian peasants. and many of them
have been assisted by the government
to remove to virgin lands where they
may secure larger farms. They are be-
ginning to develop the vast resources
of the country. Last year there
was more wheat for export than
found transportation, though econom-
lists do not count upon Siberia as a
worlds wheat producer believing that
as the country fills the wheat-growing
area will be fully taxed to supply the
home demand. Industries are keeping
pace with agriculture. They are MAX
ing and refining sugar at Semipolat
insk, they are turning out pig iron
near the iron mines and in the Tomsk
government in 1898 about $4,000 men
were employed in a large number of
establishments manufacturing SO kinds
Of commodities.
The czar'S commission to devise
plan to relace the transportation of
criminals to Siberia by other punish
ments held it's first meeting on June
u. The details of the proposed change
require much attention. For some time
the foot journey of the convict bands
has been greatly shortened by the rail
road. The time seems near when the
journey will not be made at all.-New
Work SIM