Smyrna times., 1900-08-08
RUSSIA'S GREAT REFORM.
Effect of the Edict AbOIishing Exile to
Siberia.

The stirring events in South Africa
and China have diverted public atten-
tion from reform of far-reaching con-
sequences recently instituted by the
Czar. In history the closing year of
the 10Th century will be made memora-
BILE by the edict abolishing exile to
Siberia. That vast region will no
longer be associated with memories of
long and painful transportation and
rigorous punishment inflicted upon
political offenders and other criminals,
as well as cruelties made possible by
its remoteness from civilization. The
Trans-Siberian Railway has forced
upon the Russian Government the alb
clifton of the penal colony, for rail
way means immigration and popula-
tion, and the two are not possible in q
country given over to a convict settle
ment.
Henceforth Siberia enters upon a
career of industrial prosperity to be
developed by the combination of
farming and mineral industry. The
problem of its population will be solved
by relieving the congested districts of
of Russia and moving the peasants
who will not be averse to the change,
as they will have no sea to cross and in
their new homes will find no change
either in daily methods of life or in po-
litical administration. while the great
railroad will keep them within easy
touch of their old homes.
The London Spectator, discussing
this subject, calls attention to the abo-
lition of one of the most striking Incl
dents of Siberian exile which is in
cluded in the Czar's edict of reform.
In future the criminal will be SEN
fenced to Imprisonment, not to exile.
He will lose his freedom only for the
term of sentence, and when he comes
out of prison will resume the ordinary
relations of life. The sentence of exile
carried civil nd social death with it.
'"The property of the criminal went
to his heirs; the wife or husband of
the criminal was free to marry again;
whatever provision he might have
made for the guardianship Of his chill
dren came at once into effect. The
sense of impossible distance lay at the
root of all these provisions. Family
relation imply the possibility of physi-
cal contact, and Siberia was so far off
and the m cans of intercourse with its
inhabitants so wholly wanting that it
seems natural to assume that the Grim
nal has actually passed out of the
world"
The Czar's edict abolishes system
which has been in operation for over
200 years. A nOn-conformist priest,
Avvakum, was the first to go into
exile in chains, and since those faraway
there has been a long and sad process
sion of deserving and undeserving
criminals who have followed IN his
steps. In the first years of this CEN
tury nearly 2,00O persons were trans
ported to Siberia every year. This fig
ure reached an average of 1880 in
1873 IS, and in 1882 rose above 90, 900.
In 1904, 1,104 were transported, fol-
lowed by l, 752 women and 8, ,631 children
who chose to share the exile of husbands
and parents. The total number be-
tween 1923 and 1877 was 600, 900 dis
tributed between East and West ST.
IBERIA, or confined at hard labor in the
salt and coal mines, where they and
their crimes were soon forgotten by
the world.
The opening of the great railroad
has ended the injustice and brutality
of this system, and a free working pop
ulation will soon fill the place of the
unfortunate victims. AS the Specta-
tor says: "Though Russian prisons
may have terrors of their own, they
are less remote as regards situation
and so far less removed from the pos
sibility and improvement"