Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-10-12
KEENAN, RETURNS HOME.
Writer and Lecturer Driven From
Russia Talks of His Journey.

Boston, Mass. -Disappointment at his
failure to spend a few weeks IN the
country Of his most famous exploits,
Russia, George KEENAN,, the traveller.
lecturer and writer, returned to Bos-
ton on the steamer Commonwealth last
Friday. Mr. KEENAN, set out last June
to revisit Russia, which he had not
seen since the time OF his famous in
yestigation into the horrors OF the
Siberian exile system.
For week or so he made his head
quarters IN HclsIngfors the principal
center of Finland, and. after satisfying
himself that the present state Of mind
Of the Firms is an unhappy one, set out
for 81. Petersburg.
Mr.. KEENAN, made no concealment Of
his Identity. He had every reason TO
believe that he would not be consId-
cred persona non grata I'm Russia. and
was therefore both surprised and dis
appointed 10 receive an official uoti6-
cation that his room would be consla-
cred preferable 10 his company. He
made no protest TO United states Min
lister Tower and the latter made no
Offer Of official assistance.
Having spent so little time in the
country he had started out 10 revisit,
Mr. KEENAN, really aid not have an on.
portunity OF observing Just how far
social and political conditions there
have changed since his former visit
u was In Finland long enough TO
learn that the feeling there is exceed
ingly bitter toward the Russian govern
ment,' said he.
'The Firms have always been a
peaceable and Contonted people, but the
wrongs they have suffered from Russia
have been too much for them to bear
In patience, and there Is a widespread
and growing feeling OF resentment
against their oppressors.
1.-THE treatment Of Finland by Russia
has been, to my mind. one Of the most
deplorable episodes In the history OF
that despotic country. The pledges
made 10 the Firms by every car from
Alexander !. Ia the present one, that
no changes were TO be made in the con
stltution OF Finland without the con
sent OF the local diet, have been ruth
lessly broken
AS far az | can see, too. the outlook
for Finland Is hopeless. / was some
what surprised az not being able to
stay In Russia and was particularly
disappointed because the edct Of eX-
pulsion prevented me from calling on
Count Tost0i, who Is doing such an
able work for the uplifting Of his coun-
trymen,
~ did not remain in the country long
enough to learn just how far the leav-
en- of democracy Is working among the
Russian people but ! really discovered
that the masses there are universally
devoted 20 Tolstol Everywhere you
will find his photograph. particularly
on the postcards that are Just now such
a popular institution In Europe
Although communicated by the
Russian church, which ne has so unre-
lentingly assailed and although under
the high dlspleasure Of Russian official
dom itself Tolst0i remains the ideal Of
the people and his teachings are having
a great influence among them. His let
tiers and articles are being widely read,
some OF them being circulated by
stealth and others In eXpurgated form
with the consent Of the censor. Prac-
tlcally everything he writes, no matter
how radical In criticism Of official meth
DDS and policy. Is printed in the Rus
sian language.
This great man has not many more
years 10 live, and IL is likely that he
realizes this himself, and Is making
every effort to appropriately round out
his life work Of reform. There Is
scarcely any possibility that be win
ever visit this country. when he dies
he viii undoubtedly be accorded the
greatest funeral ever given any Rus
sian"
Referring to the strong letter sent by
Tolstoi 20 the ear last year Mr. Ken
nan said that Il undoubtedly reached
the czar, but there lg ~ easy means of
ascertaining just what the cars pres
ent feelings toward Tolstoi are.
Referring to Siberia and the Russian
convict system. Mr. KEENAN,, said that
conditions there had unQuestionably
changed for the better since he visited
that country fifteen years ago -Chlca-
81 Tribune