The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-26
THE PEOPLE OF SIBERIA,
Not Four Per Cent. of Them Con-
victs or Political Exiles. Siberian
Cities Like Our Western Boom
Towns,

| Anna n Benjamin, in Ainslees.
Statistics have their value when
given comparatively. In following up
the analogy which was always pres
ent in my mind in crossing Siberia,
the analogy between that country ana
| the United States, it is interesting to
| compare the area and the population
of both Siberia has 5000, 900 square
miles to our 3,500,0OO, while our popu-
lation of 70.0OO,0OO overshadows the s.
100000 of Russia's Asiatic possessions.
Ot this number .siXty-five per cent,
are Russians, the rest INDIGENOUS.
But this average is brought down by
the low per cent. of Russians in the
extreme north which as in Northern
Canada. is left almost entirely to the
aboriginal Eskimo, and to the hardy
fur trader, while in Southern Siberia
from sixty to ninety per cent. are Rus
slams. Not four per cent. of all the
Russians are cOnVicts or political ex-
lies. The number of convicts varies in
the different sections. In the govern.
ment of Tomsk, in the west, they only
amount to one-siXth per cent, which
necessarily makes much higher aver.
age in some of the other provinces.
These facts are fatal to the theory
that the Siberian population is com
posed mostly of criminals and the sons
of criminals.
The Russians find the great northern
steppes as bleak and as inhospitable
as do the Canadians. Yet the mineral
deposits and the fur trade attract a
certain population. 1t is extraordi-
nary to read of the early conuuests
of the Russians in this country, and
of their first settlements here, though
there We're no visions of an El Dorado
to draw men on.
LIKE OUR GREAT WEST.
None of the country north of the
Amur ever belonged to China. though
that is the popular idea. 1t was in
habited by independent tribes, some
of which We're subject TO the Chinese
throne in a very rounda bout way. pay
ing tribute to Manchu tihan. who, in
turn. paid tribute to the Son of
Heaven. In finally obtaining possess
sion of the region, the Russian govern
ment was urged on by its Individual
representatives there. not by it's own |
avowed policy, as 1t is today. The |
chief of these was Nluravieff whose |
name viii ever be connected with ST. |
IBERIA as the name Of Washington is |
with our own country. In 1888. in a |
treaty drawn up at Aigun, where the |
Russians and Chinese have recently |
came In conflict. the Chinese relin-
quished all claim TO the left bank of |
tho great river. From that time dates
Siberla's mushroom growth. Vladi-
Nostoll is one of the fruits of II: Khab-
arof3sk, at the end of this eastern sec
tion of railroad, is another. Each city
is less than fifty years old, and each
bears striking resemblance, as do
all the Siberian cities, to our centers
Of quick growth In the west. Only
large garrison creates a military So
ciety, which element of the population
these cities from ours.
Absent, too, Is the atmosphere of ner-
yous enterprise and business push, the
result OF what the Yankee terms
"hustling." The American city owes
It's birth and life to the energy of the
the Siberian city owes it's
and, its continued existence
70 the government. A site is not se-
ected in accordance with the eceno-
mics of business. but on account of
exigency. The city's tenure
1f life does otSdepend upon a boom.
Dut on the convenience of the govern-
nent. Private individuals may follow
n the path automatically blazed, and
urn whatever Is possible to their own
advantage. but the city is not there
or them, but for, the government In
'pite of this fact, business thrives, and
non are making money, which speaks
veil for Siberia.