Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-31
A MILLION TO BE EXILED.
Russia's Harsh Edict Against Her
Hebrew Population.

A cablegram from London says: Civilized
Europe is shocked at the receipt of the full de-
tails Of the Russian persecution Of Jews. The
Russian edicts are of the most cruel character.
The first edict says: mo Jew is any longe, per-
mitted to own or even farm lands" All Jewish
land owners, farmers and agricultural Iaborer.
are thus expelled from their village homes
Unless they have saved means enough for their
sustenance they will be reduced to beggary.
To intensity the severity Of this edict the gov
eminent officials have included hundreds of
small towns in the category Of country villages,
and expelled Jews from them by tens of thou
sands, who will thus be rendered homeless.
These laws. known as the May laws. were
promulgated in 1882, but never enforced
until now.
The second edict provides that all Jews, mum.
bering many thousand families, settled outside
the sixteen specified counties shall be expelled
An equally large humble. Of the artisan class
will be rendered homeless by the enforcement
Tue third edict withdraws permission for them
to reside outside these sixteen counties All
jews are precluded by the fourth edict from
holding mining shares or connecting them
selves In any way with the mining industry,
and the fifth still further restricts their par
ticipating in the educational advantages. The
Jewish scholars in the past we're not allowed to
exceed per cent among the students at the
universities, and this proportion is now further
reduced, the result being their Wholesale ex-
pulsion from the higher institutions.
The sixth edict imposes upon the Jewish
students another disability by closing the legal
profession aginst them, while the seventh edict
excludes them from the engineering, naval and
medical professions and from all government
offices.
The cruel part of these prohibitions is that
an enormous proportion of the Jewish popula-
ton are skilled agrlcultursts, artisans and pro-
fessional men, who were all adding largely to
the wealth Of the empire. All these will now
be ruined 1t is estimated that nearly million
people will be expelled from their homes
under these most tyrannical and reactionary
new laws NJ OF ,nn /
The consequent migration causes- q eonkes.
ton among the starving fugitives in the cities
where the Jews are still allowed TO DWELL bis
dangerous and may possibly result in pesti-
lence. But only one object can be contem-
plated by the instigators Of the persecution
namely. the total determination Of the four mil
lion Jews in Russia.
The troubles which afflicted the Jews in Rus
STA seven years ago arose from breaches eff the
law A certain number of perpetrators were
brought to justice and punished. In the pres
ent case the government legalizes the persecu-
ton. The Jews have always been subject to
exceptional laws, which, however, did not rem
der their living impossible.
They, in fact, increased in numbers wealth
and intelligence; were industrious, thrifty, law.
ABIDING and sober. and were successful as mer.
chants, traders, artisans and agriculturists. "A
few were permitted to enter universities and
later became distinguished as lawyers, physi.
clans and men Of science .,, -.
All this is now changed. Such perseouti or
involves refinement of cruelty for which his
tory furnishes no parallel 1t is rumored tina,
the victims Of this Russian oppression will, az
in 1882, break through the Gordon on the Aus.
trian and Prussian frontiers and find an asylum
in free England, to the injury Of its overstocked
labor market