Show fl prussian how projects for la the service are billed the reason why changes that are manifestly desirable that amenthe aren the direction of economy and ahat apparently would injure no one are not made in russia is one of the most puzzling and exasperating things that are forced upon a travelers attention in every branch of the administration one is constantly stumbling upon abuses or defects that have long been recognized that have beba commented upon for years that are apparently patently ly prejudicial to the interests of everybody and that nevertheless continue to exist it you ask an explanation of an official in siberia he refers yon to st petersburg if you inquire of the chief of the prison department in st petersburg be tells you that he has drawn up a project to cope with the evil but that this broj act has not yet been approved by the minister of the interior if you go to the minister of the interior you learn that the project requires a preliminary appropriation of money even although its ultimate effect may be to save money and that it cannot be carried into execution without the assent and co opera tion of the minister of finance if you follow the project to the minister ot finance you are told that it has been sent back through the minister of the intend to the chief of the prison department foi modification if yon still persist in your determination to find out why this thing is not done you may chase the modified pro act through the prison department the minister of the interior and the minis lei of finance to the council of the empire here you discover that inasmuch as certain cross and ribbon decorated senators and generals who barely know siberia by name have expressed a doubt as to the existence of the evil with which tho project is intended to deal a special commission with salaries amounting to a year and mileage has been appointed to investigate th subject and make a report if you pursue the commission to siberia and back and search diligently in the proceedings of the council of the empire for its report you ascertain that the document has been sent to of the interior to serve as a basis for a new project and then as ten or fifteen years have elapsed and all the original projectors are dead everything be gins over again at no stage of this cum process can you lay houi hand on a particular official and say herel you aro responsible tor this what do you at no stage probably can you find an official who is opposed to the reform 01 who has any personal interest in defeating it and yet the general effect of the process is more certainly fatal to your reformatory project than any amount of intelligent and active opposition the various bureaus of tha provincial governor generals office the chief prison department the ministry of the interior the ministry of finance the ministry of justice the council of ministers and the council of the empire constitute a huge administrative maelstrom of ignorance and indifference in which a project revolves slowly month after month and year after year until it la finally sucked down out of sight or perhaps thrown by a fortuitous eddy of personal or official interest into the great gulf stream current of real life george keneau in century |