V. I.

Lenin

The liberal newspapers recently published or favourably
reported K. Arsenyev’s appeal for greater attention to be paid to the
collection of information on summary exile.

“ Although numerous cases of arbitrary and lawless acts
on the part of the Administration are reported in the newspapers,” wrote
K. Arsenyev, “others, no less numerous and outrageous, pass unnoticed and
unobserved. This omission could be rectified to a considerable extent if
some sort of system were introduced in the collection of information on the
subject. The reasons for summary exile and arrest, which are being widely
practised to this day, especially among the workers, become known only by
chance and, therefore, in a fragmentary way. Similarly, news about the
condition of the exiles in their places of exile finds its way into the
press only by accident.”

What is true is true! The liberal parties, the liberal members of the
Duma, the liberal lawyers, the liberal journalists, various groups of
liberals, and so forth, could very easily collect and publish legally and
illegally, very full and systematic material on every one of those
cases which “are being widely practised, especially among the workers”.

Rech , for example, “heartily welcomed the advice and the
appeals coming from that highly respected public figure” K. Arsenyev.

Then why don’t you go ahead, gentlemen? Surely you, of all people, have
every opportunity and means of organising the proper collection and
publication of information about this “everyday feature” of Russian life,
which you all protest against and condemn, and about which you are always
talking! But see, not a single liberal newspaper, which is a thousand
times better “provided for” (in all respects) against all kinds of
obstacles and barriers, collects precise information about all
cases of exile and arrest.

We are obliged to say that our liberals are past masters in the art of
expressing good and pious wishes, but when it comes to publishing the names
of all those who have been exiled or to publishing information about them
and systematic reports of how they are faring, in Arsenyev’s own
Vestnik Yevropy , or in Russkiye Vedomosti , [1] or in Rech , then nothing is done.

Evidently, it is much easier (and safer) to “support” appeals in word
than to do something in response to those appeals....

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Notes:
[1]
Russkiye Vedomosti (Russian Recorder) —a newspaper published
in Moscow from 1863 onwards. Expressed the views of the moderate liberal
intelligentsia. In the eighties and nineties writers of the democratic camp
contributed to it (among them V. G. Korolenko, Saltykov-Shchedrin, Gleb
Uspensky) and the paper published articles by liberal Narodniks. In 1905 it
became the organ of the Right wing of the Constitutional-Democrats. Lenin
commented on the fact that Russkiye Vedomosti was an unusual
combination of “ Right Cadetism and Narodnik overtones”. (See
present edition. Vol. 19, p. 135.) In 1918 the paper was closed down
together with other counter-revolutionary newspapers.