The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-06
RUSSIAN EMPIRE BUILDING.

RUSSIAN EMPIRE BUILDING.
| What the Pacific railroad lines did for
our Western empire during the last twen-
| ty years, the Trans Siberian railroad is
row doing for Siberia. Within thirty
days the great Russian line will be COM
pleted and through trains from ST:
Petersburg to Vladivostock will be no
longer dream. The Atlantic and the
Pacific will be bound together by steel
track. across Urasia. The completion Of
this line marks an epoch not only in
Russian development but in the history
of the cid world. There are many points
| of similarity between the physical aspects
| of Siberia and the great West of the
United States. In about the same lati-
tude. it possessed similar climate. with.
a similar soil with similar productions.
Forest and steppe alternate with desert
and mountain. Into this vast region the
emtsr tien from Russia has been pour
ing. fora quarter of a century. Difficult
has been the path of the emigrants. but
Il Ivy ca ny EtOOPAO csti1 IhO oiAUAO-
| ments OF the land rich in natural re-
| sources, has been sufficient to sustain
| them in the struggle against the obstacles
of nature. Now that is all over. From
I the day In 1895 when the first thousand
miles Of the Trans-Siberian road was
opened to the public a constantly in
creasing stream Of pioneers has poured
into Western Siberia. The one-time penal
colony has become the mecca of the Rus
IssiaR@.fertune seeker. Siberia is a gold
mine" is the expression used to convey
the proper idea of the wealth of this
region to the Muscovite west of the Ural
| mo antains.
- The Russian emigrant seeking new
home in Siberia will have decided adj,
vantage over the New Highlander who
desired to go West in the early eighties
He had to pay from to cents
per mile for passage, while the Russian
taking passage over the Trans Siberian
road is asked to pay but one-tenth of q
cent per mile. For instance from Moscow
to Omsk, a distance of nearly 1900 miles,
the emigrant fare is 81, and to Tulun
a distance of $3.50 miles the fare is not
road and is interested in Siberian imni-
grafton. A whole family desiring to set
tie in Western Siberia, distance from
home of say 5000 miles, will have to ex-
fro, Cow
including the expense Of two weeks on
the road -s.4
Russia does everything thoroughly. In
Siberia she sees a field which will enable
her to rival the world in the production
of foodstuffs. Siberia will be the granary
of the Eastern hemisphere. 1t is long
diplomatic look, but we doubt not that
the Russian diplomats see the time when
Europe will be obliged to look to the
empire of the White Car daily for food.
In this Siberian colonization there is
no cant about assimilation or autonomy,
Siberia will not be a colony with theories
Oh Individual and community rights. It
will be a part of Russia and will be SO
governed as to add to the glory Of the
empire. In the fields of diplomacy and
colonization an autecracy has marked adj
Vantages over the mixed governments of
more advanced nations. Policies can be
maintained and systems inaugurated
which would be impossible in the case
of either England or the United States.
In the development of Siberia. the.
United States has field of unlimited
commercial possibilities. From this coun-
try must come the mechanical means to
build this empire. Drawn and bone thew
have, but they lack machinery. It is in
this respect that the development of this
Russian rival of our agricultural COM
munity interests us. Will American
craftsmanship be equal to the occasion?
Or will it follow the idiotic lead of the
head of the treasury department. and cut
off our commercial nose to spite our in
dustriar face? We will see what we will
see. - n