Evening star., 1902-08-04
RIGID CENSORSHIP
Exercised Over the Entire
Russian Press.
ALL NEWS SCANNED
LIBERALS HAVE ABSOLUTELY
NO SHOW TO cRITIcIsE.
Government officials See Every Article
Before It is Put in
Type.
ALL NEWS SCANNED

Correspondence Of the Associated Press
ST. PETERSBURG, July 1S.-The pro-
gressive terro.ization of the Russian press,
which characterized the regime of NJ. Sipia-
guin. the minister of the interior. who was
| assassinated last April. appears to have
been adopted as a settled policy by his
successor NJ Won Piehve.
NJ. Sipiaguin closed the Northern Courier
and the Rossya. After their extinction the
only newspaper in st. Petersburg which
maintained an independent attitude toward
the government was the St. Petersburg
Viedonosti. an old journal, which, since it
passed into the control Of Prince Oukh-
| tomsky. has been characterized by the hon.
orable and straightforward manner in
which it was conducted. That it was not a
liberal newspaper, according to western
notions. needs scarcely to be emphasized.
A liberal newspaper is absolutely impossi-
| bic where the censorship is as vigilant and
exacting it Is in Russia. Owing to the
impossibil!ty of expressing it's own views on
either domestic or foreign affairs, consist
emily and regularly. the Viedomosti alb
stained, except on rare occasions from any
comment whatever. Its original news arti-
cies were also couched in the most guarded
and matter-of-fact language, and were
based scrupulousiy on official data.
Press Censorship is Rigid.
1t must be explained that outside of st.
Petersburg and Moscow the daily press is
subje to preliminary censorship; that is,
no article may be published which has not
been sanctioned by a governmental official
assigned especially to review it's matter.
The press of the two capitals is free from
this burden. but may be, and is called to
strict accounting by the censorship for
any matter that may be found objectiona-
Bile, but it is regularly warned against
handling certain subjects at all.
In spite of this censorship, the St. Peters
burg Fiedomosti always has been charac-
terized by its interesting excerpts from the
provisional newspapers 1t alone, of all
st. Petersburg newspapers, has attempted
to keep it's readers informed about what
was going on in the interior of Russia. 1t
now appears that this department of the
Viedomcsti has become an eyesore to the
government.
Prince Oukhtomsky Lectnred.
Minister Won Plehve summoned Prince
Oukhtomsky to him July II and lectured
him severely on his management of the
journal, which is leased from the govern
ment. He told the prince that the Vie
domosti had become the organ of the lib
erals and revolutionists, particularly in it's
provincial departments.
He peremptorily demanded the immediate
dismissal of the editor of this portion of the
paper and warned him that after two
months his lease of the paper, which had
several years yet to run, would be can
ceed
M.-von Plehve concluded. by saying he had
seen the, czar on July 8. and had received
his majesty's permission to take these Sc
we're measures Prince Oukhtomsky has
long enjoyed measure of imperial favor.
After he accompanied the czar, when heir
apparent, on the princes famous journey
around the world, he was made president
of the Russo-Chinese Bank, and his, un-
I Fivaletf knowledge of China and Chinese
affairs has certainly been of great service
RI Dny iS 11y dor
stood that heretofore when pressed or
threatened by the late Minister Sipiaguin
Prince Oukhtomsky has been able to save
himself by personal appeal to the czar.