124 SIBERIA 



We found that there was competition for labour, and 

 that if our mining competitors were to fill up proper 

 returns they could not pay the wages they were then 

 paying. The price of labour has risen recently ; the 

 building of the Siberian line helped to raise it 

 teiiiporarily, and afterwards, when the railway was 

 completed, the butter industry helped it to keep its 

 level. It is my opinion that gold-mining in Siberia 

 is only played with and that the earth is scratched or 

 skimmed rather than worked, as a result of which 

 the mine soon becomes unprofitable and is abandoned, 

 whereas with good machinery it would work out 

 very profitably. Many of the mines which were 

 once closed down have since been re-opened and 

 are working at a profit. There are a number of 

 mines in several places where gold is known to 

 exist, but there is no capital in the country to work 

 them. As soon as American capitalists get to know 

 that the Government is specially favourable to them 

 there is sure to be a rush." 



I asked : " But how about English capitaUsts? " 



" Well, you see the Russian Government gives si 

 decided preference to us Americans as compared 

 with Englishmen, the reason for which is that we 

 understand the Russian Government and its policy 

 better than the English people seem to do and we 

 have no papers that systematically run down every- 

 thing that is Russian. If I judge the British aright 

 they seem to be trained from youth to regard the 

 Russians with detestation and to lend ready belief 

 to all the exaggerated exile stories that may be 

 invented for them." 



" But," I said, " how about the American people 

 and exile stories? " 



" Well," he replied, " there is a small percentage 

 of people in America who really would not think 

 much of Siberia were it not for the imaginary convict 



