The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-26

same fight in another way. I refer to the
expulsion of OF the Jews. An old law pre-
scribes that Hebrews may resided in but
twenty eight of the imperial provinces and
that permits to reside elsewhere must be OBJ
tanned. AS becomes modern civilization, this
law had of late grown to be dead letter
After the earliest riots that law was raked
up and while the mobs were glOating over
their work, the municipalities ordered Its
rigorous enforcement Committees to ascer-
tain the rights of domicile were appointed
in the towns, and did stringent duty. New
laws were also issued further limiting the
number of Jews capable of residence. Under
the old and the new statutes there were
many hundreds of offenders, and the remedy
was expulsion. About five thousand persons
were al once expelled from Kieff, "Go, or
the knout!' was the rule. I had some little
experience with these laws of expulsion:
Refused employment in Kieff, my husband
had removed us to 0rel. No riot had ever
touched Orel and, good work being had
there, everything seemed to conspire to make
it pleasant. Our countrymen who resided
there were gentle folk, who had dealt peacea-
bly, with their neighbors, and had the good
will of all of the Christians thereabouts
good class OF Jews as ever named Jehovah.
One day in the latter part of the
summer, the Governor ordered that all
Jews must quit the town by Sept. l. On
that day eight weeks further grace was al
lowed. With tears we anticipated the 25th
of October, and when it came for the last
time we met in our synagogue, and in mourn
ing left it and the town. Three or four hum
dred of the poor had not the means to pay
their fares out of the city, and dared to re-
main. The heartless officers heard of their
temerity, and thrust them all out 1t was
cruelty of heavy weight, for the time was
night, the weather was cold and snow was
on the ground.
1t is almost food for wonder that the Rus
sian Jews are not Nihilists, after the cruelty
that they have felt. The Gar might have
ordered that the petitions of the Jews for
to all such calls an ear that has been deaf too
often. He might have decreed that all
damage to Jewish property should be
chargeable to the communal fund of
the town or village. He might have
declared by an edict that the lives and
property of Jews are sacred as the posses
slons OF Christians. More than all else, he
might and should have been noble enough
to have gained the honor of his subjects and
of the world by ukase that should have
prevented the spread of the riots. Only a
short time before the coronation the Gar did
do something. In an answer to a strong ap-
peal, he said that the imperial hand should
deal with the evil. So he sent commission
into the south-a commission "to ascertain
the sad condition OF the Christian inhabit-
ants brought about by the conduct of the
Jews" The report of thai commission SOL
emily set forth that the Jews were found to
be trying to monopolize trade and farming
that they are guilty of thousand frauds,
and that they have become Cypress
sors. This conduct of the Jews"
says the report, "has called forth
protests from the people, as manifested in
acts of violence" This was what the Gar
did! This, when he should nave been pro-
tectng the lives of Jews and the honor of
Jewish women. No reprimand to those
guilty of violence That imperial thought
fulness was just the refinement of cruelty.
The documents in the matter show clearly
that the Gar shares the prejudices of the
populace, and does not favor the Jews. The
commissioners report strange recommends
tons They advise that Jews should not be
permitted to reside in villages. nor to own
houses and lands, nor to build synagogues
and schools, nor to lease factories. All this
will initiate against our race, and tend to
doom the Jews of Russia to total expulsion.
The three and one-half millions of Jews must
go! That is all there is about it.