Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-07
THE JEWS IN RUSSIA.
Sixteen Thousand Turned Out of
Their Homes.
From he Boston A drertiser,

From the Boston 4 dceftfSer.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3.-An act OF in
justice toward the Jews is just now being
perpetrated by the Russian government,
which has practically bsnished and pau
perized about 10000 Of that prosecuted
race belonging 70 the cities of Rustou and
Iaganrog. These places recently con-
tanned Jewish population OF over 10000.
They were annexed for some political
reason to a military district in which
anti-Jewish regulations are in force, but
it was decreed that those Jews above a
certain grade of wealth could remain I'M
mQlested. By this decree aDout 1000 Jews
are permitted to buy the right to remain
! their homes, while the others must
either perish or tind for themselves ne "
homes without, or friends in some other
part OF the world.
The laws and regulations affecting the
rights Of Jews in Russia are not general
ly known in this country, and therefore a
recent report on this subject from Consul
General Young, Of st. Petersburg, be-
comes very interesting reading. Mr..
Young says: The number OF Jews in
the world a. the present time IS quite
IO,OO0,UO0, OF whom there are is Russia
%, 100000. Foreign Jews are prohibited
from living in Russia unless they avOw
edly come for the purpose at entering
into commerce on an extensive scale.
The only exception to this rU.e Is en-
braced in the ukase of 1881, whereby
rabbits ana men of letters OF foreign
natlonaities, sent in behalf Of their
governments, and graduates, such
as persons who are graduates In
some branch of science, are ex-
cepted; and those are permitted to live in
Russia by the ukase OF 1913. The numer-
GUS laws for Jews are so vague that their
rights and sojOurn in the empire depend
upon their conduct, so that if 1t any
time seems good to the authorities
OF the province IN which they live they
may be removed from the country
''As to the legislation for Jews, the en-
pire 10 divided into two great divisions,
one where Jews may reside and the other
where they cannot. The Russian govern
ment does not admit that the commercial
treaties concluded between her and
foreign powers give the right to demand
That their Jewish subjects, or citizens,
should be treated on the same footing as
the Russian Jews. AS lar as | have been
able to investigate, / find that nothing
concerning Jews is mentioned in any Of
the treaties between Russia and other
nations except that of Austria, which is
not important to American Jews. For
eign Jews have TO submit to all legal re-
stTictlons stipulated for the Russian
Jews, as, for instance, the payment Of
special tax. They cannot enter the no.
bllity, and their children must attend
special Jewish schools. Within the last
year commission has been appointed by
the Russian government to reform and
arrange legislation tor the Jews in this
empire. l am informed that this commits
sion has not as yet agreed upon code Of
laws and regulations, but 1t is probable
that more lenient code will be proposed
than now exists. 1t Is claimed by Rus
slams that the Jews have often taken part
in the revolutionary proceedings in Rus
sia in the past, and hence the prejudice
that exists against them"