The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-12
PRESENT B|Ilf BIE.
Bx-ATTACaE D8sCnInEs sONB or
ruE rENAL CoLOxlEs.


THE FEyAL COLONIES.
Cssr ana sahesso-Hss Prsposaa e
Abolish Exile 10 Pronahly sta
eeRe TAis Tine-Dlee On The
Frsaeh-Cenvsets Das Laka sheep.
So often during the last thirty years
have statements been published TO the eff
feet that the Russian government was
about to abolish deportation 20 siberia
~ means of panishment that one might
report 70 this effect were il not for the
fact that tho car has organized COM
mission for the purpose Of devising some
other method Of dealing with offenders.
and has made arrangements for visiting
the various penal establishments In tho
Astatfc portion Of his dominions next
month In order to make q personal inves-
ttgation Of the entire matter.
There are two reasons which are actu-
ating the car in taking steps TO bring
about this great work OF reform. In tho
frst place he realizes that Siberia has
reached q stage OF development at which
Il can no longer be utilised as the dump
ing ground for people who for one Rea.
son or another are not wanted in Euro
pean Russia. and that the time has come
to remove from Siberia the ssigma in
separable from its employment by the
Official world a. a penal colony. And
then. too. Nicholas. who II an enlight-
ened and progressive monarch. In spite
Of all the reports to the contrary. Is elev.
er enough to understand that penal trans
portatton IL form Of punishment which.
dating from three and four centuries ago.
should have no place In modern civiiiza-
ton. and that Il has by the march Of
events been reduced to an anachronism.
Although In former days exile to 81
IBERIA was regarded AZ a living death. and
It's horrors were painted In such vivid
colors that the name Of this huge section
Of the empire Of the car WAS calculated
to cause q shudder. yet today. thanks TO
the opening up Of the country by meane
of railroads. telegraphs, a. we'll as steam
ships and postal communications, II has
gradually come to be recognized an .
land OF extraordinary natural wealth and
Of magnificent resources-indeed. az an
ideal region for immigration. To such ar
extent has It recently grown to be looked
upon as land OF promise that the Rus
sian authorities have been compelled to
devise special means to restrict and to
migration Of Jews ana especially Of those
German settlers who are regarded In
European Russia much In the same way
- were the Yankees In the Southern
states prior to the civil war-that Is to
say. strangers who by their Industry, en-
tcrprise. and thrift secure possession OF
all the good things OF Q district at the
expense OF the natives OF the locality.
In many respects residence In Siberia has
vvNnS IL - ~ An
Trial range. For. owing to the vast ex-
tent Of the country and the compara-
tive paucity OF ofnciais. people enjoy far
more liberty and are less subject TO irk.
some supervision on the part Of arbi
trary police authorities In Siberia than In
Russia proper.
Obstacle 70 Development.
One Of the chief obstacles to the devcl-
opment Of the resources OF this land of
promise has been It's use a. penal COL
cny. Experience has shown that there n
no more disastrous blight cast upon the
progress and prosperity OF country than
an attempt to colonixe Il with conyicts.
The almost fantastic growth OF tho
wealth and Importance Of the Australia
sian colonies OF Great Britain dates only
from the time when the latter ceased 70
ship her criminal classes 20 the anti
podes by way of punishment. while tho
grandeur OF the United States OF North
America may be said to have been estab-
iished when England. France and Spain
were prevented from dumping any longer
upon these shores the dregs Of their jailf.
In order to realize the extent to which
Siberia has suffered from penal trans
portation. II may be mentioned that with
In the last twelve months alone some
twenty-five thousand men and women
have been foisted upon the country BY
means Of exile.
do not propose to go into the entire
question OF Siberian Punishment here. II
will be sufl1cient to state briefly that
OF Siberian exiles. IN the first place
there are those condemned thereto BY
the courts after due trial. These consti-
tute the minority. Then there are those
who are banished .administratively''-
that is, without any form Of hearing or
trial. on the mare authority OF provincial
governors. or even Of ordinary police ofn-
Gals. 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 of to Siberia for no other
reason than that they have declined 20
pay biackmail to some Of the local au-
thorities. or have incurred the III will Of
the gendarmes. or else have been made
the object Of some anonymous denuncia-
ton. Finally. there are those who have
been banished by the mir" or the village
commune TO which they belonged. Ac-
cording to the communal system IN Euro
pean Russia. the elders OF every rural
community like the municipality Of each
town and city. have the right to deport
20 Siberia without recourse 10 the courts.
or even to the local magistrates, any one
Of their feilnw-citizens whose presence
they choose to consider as disadvantage
Gus tn the community. 1t Is estimated
that nearly one-shird OF the total number
Of people exiled to Siberia are Indebted
for their Punishment TO the mfrs. or VII
lage communes. 10 which they belonged.
what Has Become 81 Thems
In spite Of TIE immense numbers OF pee
pie who have thus found their way 20
Siberia against their wiil-thas Is to say.
by means of exfie--it II estimated that
nearly 1nneo6 have been thus deported
since the beginning OF the century-they
have contributed as little 20 the popuia-
ton OF Russia and Asia as they have 10
its prosperity and development Banished
on she plea that they were not desirable
citizens for Russia west Of The urais. they
Il. ~ rH