Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-13


worlds great places. The Pacific coast Of
the other is as desolate and as wild as 1t
was a century ago. with only few poor
towns set on Its shores.
No Reason for Russia's Failure.
Climate and other natural obstacles do
not explain this. In the interior of Siberia
lies land as rich as our prairies. bottom
land as fertile as any of ours mountain
country as rich in gold and coal and iron.
And where ours could be reached only by
weary professions of wagon trains. beset
with hostile savages for every mile of road.
the Siberian country has been safe to travel
for centuries-more, it has been easy to
traverse. for great. rivers offer water high
ways in all directions, north, east south
and west.
Russian trading expeditions went down
the Amur $50 years ago. one and half cen
turtles before the source OF our own MissiS-
sippi river was discovered.
Russia never lacked explorers. adven-
turers fighters and traders to pierce 81
IBERIA. They went into 1t In plenty. But
Russia did not press after her pathfinders
So when America, was building her first
railroad in California Russias California
still was country SO remote that the gov
ernor general Of Eastern Siberia. Mura-
wtoff, required year to reach it from st.
Petersburg. A year afterward. in 1856.
when America completed her Chicago. Bur-
lngton and Quincy. her Chicago and Al
ton. her Penobscot and Kennebec railroads
and began her HooSac. tunnel, Russia held
her claims on the Gulf of Tartary with
eight marines In Mariinsk, three in Alex
androffsk, eight in Konstantinovsk and
eight in Ilinsk. 10 s
She stirs Herself Wondrously.
In the spring Of 1857 Russia began to
make truly vast improvements in Siberia.
Along the left bank of the Amur the gov
eminent established q transportation serv-
ice which was maintained partially by
horses and partially by dogs.
In that same year the Milwaukee and
Prairie du Chem railway, the Pittsburg
branch of the Baltimore and Ohio and the
Memphis and Charleston railways were
finished. Baltimore ind st. Louis were
connected by direct railroad trains In that
same year The faying Of the Atlantic ca
BILE was begun -
At the same time that Russia at last
made it's first great attempt at opening up
Siberia by sending 500 Immigrants a; mo st
Louis were In regHsr r. receipt of mails
from San Francisco, carried by the over
land pony express
Columbus was born, explored before Amer
lea was discovered, conquered pe1ore
America was settled. remained primeval
wilderness while the American colonies
Formed, TciudlilCu a
thew became the United States. remained
a wilderness while the United States be-
came a world power and Is mosti! VIII
derness today. ,.. T.
Russia's failure as an empire builder. is
explained when the history OF her conquest
Of Siberia is considered. Where the Anglo
Saxon conquered America to upbulld IL.
lighting only in order to settle down IN
peace, the Russians fought for the sake OF
conquest, and, having once MADE the lano
tributary, pressed on to seize more iaho.
For centuries the Russian governments were
content with a petty annual tribute OF
skins and robes and gold and rugs wrested
from vassal chiefs by Russian swords.
when millions of acres Of land lay waiting
to pay tribute ten thousand times as great
to Russian plows.
Jermak, the First Conqueror.
The first conqueror of Siberia was typical
Of Russia. Vassili Timofewitsch was his
real name. Jermak is the name that has
gone down into history. even the history Of
the church. for he Is now saint OF the
Russian Church.
Jermak was a nickname. 1t means mill
stone" and was given to the present saint
because he was boatman on the Volga
during his boyhood and one of his duties
was to grind the meal.
Jermak was CosSack. At that time the
COssacks were much rivermen as plains
men. They were in steady feud with the
Tartars and when there were no Tartars
to fight they levied tribute on ships that
piled the Volga. Jermak led the worst
band of pirates and at last the merchants