The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-20
CENSORS REMOVED
Russia Lifts Embargo From
Press kilograms.

ST. PETERSBURG, Feb 19.-The
Russian government today abolished
the censorship upon all news and other
kilograms going abroad. The lifting
of the embargo, which has existed for
generations, upon the free transmits
sion of news from the Russian empire
came as direct result of considera-
ton of the subject by the czar hirn-
self, and in some respects this aboli-
ton is regarded here as the most i'm
portant act since the emancipation of
the serfs.
Under regime allowing perfect
freedom to the foreign press it is be-
lteved that Russia will soon cease to
be constantly subject to underground
attack, and that she will see herself
through honest spectacles.
For years." said a prominent Off
cial today, "our country has been the
victim of every imaginable SANDER and
Misrepresentation because it was
known that kilograms addressed to
foreign news sources went through the
hands of the Russian censor. Any
story, no matter how baseless or ex-
aggerated, that was sent surreptitious-
ly across the border, was greedily ac-
sophobes, as true, because the govern
ment would not put it's official stamp
upon 1t. Regular anti-Russian news
factories have been in operation in
Berlin, Vienna and elsewhere, and
these have spread the most absurd and
preposterous nbels supplied by the enc
mics of Russia. Every act of the gov
eminent has been twisted and distort-
ed. insignificant student affairs or
XVOrRrann'S riots n would mt n r
tract general attention elsewhere, have
been magnified into great movements
of popular discomfort until certain por-
lions Of the world have been led to
believe that Russia was perpetually on
the eve of a great revolution.
Some English newspapers, espe-
cially, have conducted systematic. cam
that dispatches were censored has
often been interpreted as semi official
authorization, when perhaps they in
no sense represented the views Of the
government Hereafter the CORE
spondents of foreign newspapers will
be untrammeled. We expect to see
Russia presented in her true light. The
opening of the flood gates may result
in the evilly disposed stirring up as
much mud as possible, but we feel con-
1dent that In the end truth will pre-
vail. We are not afraid to have the
light turned on. We are proud Of our
country and we are entitled to faith
full and honest presentation of our
current history"
Foreign kilograms, until recently,
were subject to censorship at the min
istry 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 temporarily under the minis
try of the interior, where the perma-
nent censor bureau of plays, books and
newspapers in Russia Is located.
News kilograms addressed to foreign
sources originating in the most distant
parts of the empire, Vladivostok, for
example, or Odessa, were formerly tele-
graphed to st. Petersburg to be passed
on. M. Plehve, minister of the interior,
and Count Lamsdorff, the foreign min
lister, both Joined in the recommends
ton that the censorship be abolished
The internal censorship is to be re-
tanned, but foreign dispatches are to be
entirely free. Inasmuch as q state of
war exists kilograms from the theater
of hostilities will be subject to the same
kind of military censorship enforced in
all countries under similar circum-
stances.