The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-20
CENSORSHIP IS
ABOLISHED IN RUSSIA
News Matter Going Abroad to Be
Untrammeled Henceforth-Do-
mestic Embargo Remains.
CAR TOOK INITIATIVE

ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 19.-The Rus
sian government to-day abolished the cen
sorship on all news and other kilograms
going abroad.
The lifting of the embargo, which has
existed for generations on the free trans
mission of news from the Russian empire,
came as a direct result of consideration Of
the subject by the Car himself, and in
some respects this abolition Is regarded
here as the most important act since the
emancipation of the serfs. Under a regime
press it is believed that Russia will soon
cease TO be constantly subject to under
ground attack, and that she will see her
self through honest spectacles.
For years. said a prominent official 10
the Associated Press to-day. Our country
Islander and misrepresentation because it
was known hat kilograms addressed to
foreign news sources went through the
hands of the Russian censor. Any story,
no matter how baSeleSs or exaggerated,
that was sent surreptitiously across the
border was greedily accepted abroad. espe-
clally by the RussophObes, as true, be-
cause the government would not put its
official stamp upon it. Regular Russian
news factories have been in operation In
Berlin, Vienna and elsewhere, and these
have spread the most absurd and prepOs-
Russia. Every act of the government has
been twisted and distorted. insignificant
student affairs and workmen's riots, such as
would not attract general attention else
where, have been magnified into great
of popular discomfort until GER
tain portions of the world have been led to
believe that Russia was perpetualiy on the
eve of a great revolution.
Some English newspapers especially
have conducted systematic campaigns
against Us. Moreover, the fact that dis
patches were censored has often been IN
terpreted as semi-oficial authorization
when perhaps they in no sense represented
the views of the government. Hereafter
the correspondents of foreign newspapers
will be untrammeled. We expect to see
Russia presented in her true light. The
opening of the foOdgates may result in
the evilly disposed stirring up as much mud
as possible, but we feel confident that in
the end truth will prevail. We are not
afraid to have the light turned on. We are
proud of our country and we are entitled
to faithful and honest presentation OF our
current history"
Foreign kilograms, until recently, were
subject to censorship at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. but since the death last
fall of NJ. Crotch, who was at one time
connected with the Russian embassy at
Washington, the censorship has been tenn
porarily under the Ministry of the Interior,
where the permanent censor bureau of
plays, books and newspapers in Russia is
located. News kilograms addressed TO for
eign sources, originating in the most dis
tant parts of the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, for
example, or OdesSa-were formerly tele-
graphed to st. Petersburg to be passed on.
NJ. Plehve, minister of the interior, and
Count LamsdOrf, the foreign minister, both
joined in the recommendation that the
censorship be abolished.
The internal censorship is to be retained,
but foreign dispatches are to be entirely
free. Inasmuch as a state of war exists,
kilograms from the theater OF hostiities
will be subject to the same kind of military
censorship enforced in all countries under
similar circumstances.