Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-04-17
SIBERIAN REFORMS.
Russia Introduces More MercifuI
Penal System.

Crlminals VIII No Longer Be sent TO
Colony but VIII Be Imprisoned Near
Scene Of Their Crime and
UsefuIIy Employed.
The world moves In Russia, per.
haps not at as rapid q gait a. In more
favored lands. but still It moves. Rus
sia may not be gaining the civic-po-
litical level of other great European
nations by gigantic strides" but 1t
is taking long steps forward. Recent
ly its government has instituted pris-
on reforms. which, when in full opera
ton, will deprive the term "exiled to
Siberia" of its currency. When Rus
STA has completed the great system Of
modern, up-to-date prisons which it
is now planning, criminals will no
longer be sent to Siberia. They will
be imprisoned near the scene of their
crime and will be usefully employed
either at some trade or calling or on
public works while serving their SEN
fences. In q word, their condition will
be similar to that of convicts in most
European prisons. The British system
has been chosen as Russia's model.
and as Britain more than half cen.
fury ago gave up dumping criminals
into Australia, SO Russia in 1913 de-
termined not to penalize Siberia with
swarms Of murderers, robbers and the
small fry Of lawlessness.
In coming to the conclusion that
Criminal exile" to Siberia no longer
pays Russia has been assisted by the
criminal exiles themselves. The Rus
sian criminal code Ia the reverse OF
Draconic. Only treason felony Is pun
ishable with death. For murder and
other felonies criminal exile" to ST.
IBERIA has been the commonest form of
punishment. The theory of the law
has been that when the sentence OF
the criminal exile" In Siberia had ex-
PRED he would settle down on the
/ tract Of land awarded him. Russia
dreamed that the convicts TN Siberia
would follow the example Of those
sent to Australia, and become in time
thriving population. The practise
was different. The convicts took the
land and then took French leave"
The return to Russia was not din.
cult, and In so vast an area it was
easy for the refugees to secure con-
cealment and sympathy. Russia never
used the death penalty to deter e.
cape from criminal exile" thereby re-
fusing to take q leaf from the British
book. ~
The failure OF the Russian expert
ment has been complete. Siberia has
made great progress, but not by the
criminal exile" system. The political
exiles," men and women Of superior
character and ability. have developed
Siberia to the point OF prosperity It
has attained. They would have accom-
plished much more had there been no
criminal exiles" to bother them by
their vice and their general shiftless-
ness. Today Exile to Siberia" 10 no
longer inflicted on political offenders.
Those who think aloud thoughts the
government condemns are sent to un-
dergo cooling incarceration in Russia,
The cars government still possesses
q power similar to that the Bourbons
in old times exercised by ''lettres de
cachet." Its executive decree" Is SUI
ficient to consign Z political offender
to prison, without trial and without
appeal. So long as this relic Of bar
barism survives the Russian code will
be viciously unlike the codes Of Eu.
ropean nations, but the progress of
prison reform gives ground for hope
for progress in individual freedom.
The abolition of criminal exile" to
Siberia ought to send more sunshine
into the lives Of the Siberians. Siberia,
though but sparsely populated for its
area, Is by no means "a great lone
land" 1t has population Of between
100000 and 100000, and at least
one Of it's cities has passed the 100,-
900 mark, with others pressing it
close. The schoolmaster II not exactly
abroad in Russia, is becoming active.
There are in the public schools Of
Siberia not far from 100000 children,
almost as many as are found in the
schools of Russian Poland. Railroads
have opened up Siberia, its products
reach European marts, notably its but
ter, which commands ready sale. Al
together there Is q boom on In ST.
IBERIA. and its progress will be &C.
CELEBRATED by the removal Of the stig-
ma which has given q, region not
unfair In itself a black mark in the
political geography Of the world.