Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-21
Evidence Of Progress.

The 100000 natives are not only pro-
ducing valuable crops. but are beginning
| to use foreign goods. At the time of the
Russian invasion they were almost en-
tirely self-dependent, excepting that the
| caravans from China brought tea and
those from Constantinople and Smyrna
brought cotton goods, hardware and
other merchandise. Today the wearing
apparel of the entire population comes
chiefly from Moscow and other Russian
| manufacturing towns. Very little except
| silk scarfs and wooden coats are woven
in the country The owners of fiocks get
more money out of their wool by ship
ping it away than by working it up at
home. And the machine-made goods
from Russia are clever limitations of the
native towns now handle very few do
nestle manufactures Tourists who want
examples Of Turkestan weavings and en-
broideries are compelled to search dill
gently for them. and even then are like
ly to be deceived by Moscow limitations.
Although there are 100000 Russians
in Turkestan the policy of the govern
ment is against immigration. 1t does not
permit foreigners to come in, and Rus
slams are not allowed to compete with
patives in the lines of business which the
latter were pursuing before annexation
AS an eminent official explained the pol
icy to me. immigration is not encour-
aged, but is permitted. New Russian
towns have sprung Up along the railway
There is Russian city distinct but adjoin-
| ing every native city Of Importance. and as
many Russians as please can take up
their abode and engage in business with
| in their limits. but they cannot settle in
| the native towns or engage in business
there. Newcomers may open up new
country, but they cannot buy land that
| is being cultivated by the natives.
Large Area Of Unoccupied Land.
| millions and millions Of acres-unoccupied,
| which immigrants may purchase at a
| nominal price and settle upon, but it is
necessary for them to provide new irri-
CATION systems. This means the invest
ment Of large capital and the introduc-
| ton of much labor, which the govern
ment encourages, and the emperor him.
self has set an example In developing
the cotton industry around Merv, where
he has an enormous plantation.
One of the grand dukes has been very
enterprising in the same direction and
several companies have been organized
at st. Petersburg and Moscow for the
construction of irrigation systems, the
establishment of colonies and the Guilt
walton of cotton on large scale with
the ultimate hope that the Russian man
ufacturers shall not be dependent upon
the United States or any other foreign
country for their raw material. The sue
cess of cotton culture in Turkestan by
the Russians has been very much greater
than have the attempts of Germany and
Great Britain in Siuth Africa, and today
nearly one-half Of the agricultural popu
lation of Turkestan is engaged in the
cotton fields. and nearly one-half of the
raw cotton consumed by the Russian
mills comes from this source.
Water and kerosene oil are the largest
items of freight on the Central Asia rail-
way. Tank cars are filled with refined
petroleum from Baku for the illumina-
ton of the houses, and tanks of water
are hauled from pumping stations on the
banks of the two or three rivers that the
railroad crosses for the locomotives and
the people to drink. Raw cotton is the
next item in volume on the freight list
and after that wool and hides.
Autocracy Made Useful.