Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 July 1885 — Russian Official Life. [ARTICLE]

Russian Official Life.

I wonder if the reports of the corruption of Russian official life are all true. I remember a gentleman connected with an enterprise having an establishment in a Russian Pacific port telling me of the miserable condition of the place and the people. “Does the Government do nothing for them ?” I asked. “Yes; that is, the Government gives an appropriation, but the place never gets the benefit of it.” “Who does?” “The officials. There was Governor there once who received an appropriation of 3ome 60,000 rubles to be devoted to the improvement of the towns. He had no place to keep it —no safe; so he built a brick kind of mausoleum in the garden or back yard of his official residence, which was completely closed with brick or stone. It was never opened.” » “I don’t understand.” “Another Governor came out and took this one’s place. He did not dare to open that mausoleum, so it remains closed till this dav.” “Why?” “Because the money is not there. It never was put in, and the officials have to Btand in with one another.” —San Francisco Chronicle.