Smyrna times., 1890-08-20
Russia's Persecution of the
Jews.

Russia has just written the heading
of another chapter in there vOluminous
annals of cruel despOtism and barbar-
GUS tyranny which give rise to the con-
viction that Europe ends as Asia be-
gins, on the banks of the Vistula rather
than on tn Ural range. The terrible
programme of statutary persecution of
the Hebrews in the Czar's dOminiOns,
which we publish in to-day's issue,
reads more like a record of the media
eval ages than the resume of acts con
templated by a civilized and Christian
Government in the latter portion of
the nineteenth century. The laws in
question were enacted in May, 1882,
at the time when storm of anti-Sem-
itic fanaticism swept over the southern
portion of the empire, devastating the
homes of thousands of the Hebrews
whose offence was less their race and
creed than their wealth and intelli-
gence. No attempt had, however,
been made to put these laws into force
but within the last twelve months the
the Gar has dec red a 'jehad," or re-
ligiOus war, against all who fail to con-
form to the Orthodox Church. The
Lutherans have not escaped, nor vet
the Roman Catholics, and large num-
ber of ecclesiastics of both churches
have been banished to Siberia-nOt by
any court of law, but on the mere ad
ministrative order of the local police
authorities. 1t is, however, against
the Jews-always a scapegoat of relig-
ious fanaticism-that the principal ami
mostly of the Imprial Government is
directed. The barbarOus laws of 1882
are now about to be applied for the
first time in all their stringency, and a
persecution to begin that is almost
without parallel in history.
Involving as it does the expulsion
from hearth home, as we'll as that de-
privatiOn of means of livelihood of
several millions of Hebrews, it neces-
sarily follows that many hundreds of
thousands will attempt to seek refuge
in foreign countries from Russian Op-
preston. An irruptiOn of paupers on
this enormous scale is an event, how
ever, which no Western nation can
look forward to with equanimity; and
both the Austrian and German Gov
ernments have been forced in sheer
selfdefence and in the interest of their
labOring population to stretch strong
Gordon of troops along their eastern
frontiers to prevent the incursion of
the unhappy but unwelcome victims of
Russian tyranny.
What can be done to save the Rus
sian Israelites from the fate that hangs
over their heads, is a question that is
absorbing the attention of the great
Jewish banking houses, as well as that
of the Governments of Western Eu-
rope. If popular rumOrs on the sub
ject are to be believed, Emperor Will
liam proposes on the occasion of his
approaching visit to St. Petersburg to
constitute himself the mouth-piece
OF the Foreign Powers in the matter,
and to make representations to the
Gar, both on the score of policy and
common humanity. His representa-
tives will, however, be of little avail,
unless he is able to give the Car to
understand that Europe is ready to
enforce her rremonstrances. Should the
Gar continue Obdurate even after such
a warning, Emperor William would at
length have an opportunity of attain
ing the crowning ambition of his life,
namely, military glory, and that, too
in the cause of humanity and as a
despised and prosecuted race which
claims to be nnder special Divine pro.
tectiOn.-N. Y. Tribune.