The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-30
THE JEW EXCEPTED"
Russian Hate Shows Through
ALI Legislation.
OLD uKAsE RECENTLY REVIVED.
Statements Made by American Minister
Charles Emory Smith Said to
Be Misleading.
Translated from the AIlgemeine Zeitung des
Judcnthums.

JuHcutuufns.
Charles Emory Smith, the American
minister to Russia, ia signed communi-
cation to the Philadelphia Press, OF which
he was formerly editor, alleges that the
reports 30 widely circulated in Europe and
America regarding the inhuman treat
ment of the unhappy Jews in Russia are
based upon mere falsehood, or at least
monstrous exaggeration, and are aDso-
lutely not deserving OF the least credit.
A large portion of the Russian press
makes the same utterance, pretending 10
echo the official declarations ofthe Russian
government. Such utterances, however,
which appear to bear some sembiance OF
plausibility, are nothing less than an IN
suit to humanity and justice, an insult OF
which q free American citizen, even
though he be minister 10 st. Petersburg,
ought not to have been guilty.
The assertion that the Russian Jews are
not subjected to any kind of persecution is
based upon the alleged fact that the Rus
sian Jews, like all other Russians, are
treated in accordance with the existing
laws. This may, indeed, be granted, but
the question is: Are the same laws APP
piled in the case of the Russian Jew as in
that of every other Russian citizen? Has
not the phrase, "the Jew excepted" be-
come a regular fixture in the Russian code?
Is not the Russian Jew throughout the OBJ
ject of exceptional legislation? What else is
this exceptional legislation but the very
embodiment of lawlessness? Is it possible
TO conceive of worse and more cruel per-
secution than that which now impends
when it is proposed TO exhume and give
effect to all those old regulations which
were never put into operation, which were
dictated by blind hate and brutality, which
have been long forgotten and allowed to
moulder in the archives-regulation
which even in the barbarous times in
which they were enacted the human con-
science shrank from enforcing?
Let us begin with the ukase which it
pleased his gracious majesty, the Emperor
Nicholas, to formulate in one of his mo-
ments OF wrath: "No Jew shall be permit
ted to reside within fifty versts thirty
three miles) of the frontier" This ukase
is in existence, but until quite recently not
the slightest attempt has been made to
give it effect, as its enforcement would
mean the expulsion of half million Jews
from their homes. Its provisions have
now been brought into operation in the
frontier districts bordering on Austria and
Roumania. Hundreds and thousands of
Russian tnot foreign) Jews have been ex-
PEELED from Luck, Kremenez and other
places, and told TO seek home somewhere
in the state ghetto where Jews are allowed
to reside.
Many, if not most, of them are still wan
dering about with wife and family without
having found dwelling place. Almost all
of them betake themselves, destitute and
wretched, TO the Russian-J ewish towns of
the border governments to swell the num-
Der of those who receive public support
and charity, class estimated in some
places to embrace 10 per cent. of the popu-
lation. This is nothing less than appall-
ing.
1t is not proposed to expel all the Jews
from the strip of land in question, but
only those who have settled there since
1854; but these embrace the great majority.
And what is the motive of this expulsion?
If the Emperor Nicholas, in moment of
indignation, in order to put a stop to the
extensive smuggling operations of the
Jews, issued the ukase, the enforcement of
which he himself prevented, he imagined.
at least that his action was in a measure
justined. At the present time, however,
this ground for complaint no longer exists,
as smuggling has ceased almost entirely, il
being attended with great danger and
scarcely any profit. What is the object
then OF having recourse TO this old regula-
ton, which until now has existed only on
paper? l. is nothing else but the rage for
persecution.
In no less ruthless manner has effect
been given to another disinterred regula-
ton, that prohibiting Jews from acduir-
ing lands or holding them in lease or in
fact to settle IN the, open country. The
slight extent To which this regulation had
hitherto been enforced is evinced by the
circumstance that the farmers and other
rural classes among the Russian Jews are
numbered by hundreds of thousands.
Farmers, mill owners, small cultiyators.
mechanics, and tradespeople have been
forced TO sell their land, to
abandon their homes, To give
up their occupations, To sacrince their
property, and, as a general thing. TO with
draw in an utterly impoverished state
within the imperial ghetto, where, in con-
sequence OF the oppressive restrictions to
which business Is subjected, everything Is
IN proverty-stricken condition. Even
Jewish manufacturers, whose establish
ments were situated without the limits of
the cities, have been forcibly compelled TO
suspend work and To sell their factories.
The Russian Jew has a taste for agricul-
ture and makes good farmer, and the
landed nobility, barons, counts and princes
have in preference leased their estates
TO Jews, as they managed them best, took
good care OF the buildings and cattle, and
improved the soil. There are still large
numbers of these Jewish tenant-farmers.
some of whom hold estates marly miles i'm
extent. We shall not mention any names.
ms these excellent and, in fact, model agri-
cnlturists are constantly exposed to yexa-
tlous prosecutions on the part of the Rus
sian officials, and, with this threat of ex-
f4f4A "a ms
protection against violence only through
the support of their powerful land
lords. such Russian-J ewish tenant
farmers arc to be met with also i'm
Prussia. One of them is member of the
synagogue congregation of our "circle. -
The tenant farmer, simon, about ten years
ago, obtained from the Prussian govern
ment the lease OF the domain of Iindenhof.
situated close 10 the Russian frontier, and
he has placed this very extensive but SADLY
neglected estate In a giourishing condi-
ton. II was but fair that this active
and intelligent agriculturist should
recently have been rewarded by
being granted naturalization. We
give this example merely in evidence of
the quality of the Jewish tenant-farmer in
Russia. The present regime in Russia falls
most heavily upon the ''Jewise colonies. "
The arst steps toward the establishment
Of such Jewish agricultural colonies were
made in the year 1876 by Alexander /,
Nicholas l., the brother of Alexander, who
came to the throne in ISIS, sought 10 pro-
mote and extend the work of his predcces-
sor.
Both monarhs were inspired with the
most benevolent feelings TOW ards Tho Iexvs
but INSCRIPTIONS officials thwarted The
good work, oppressed the poor colonists.
ruined them by their exactions. and
made their existence a misery. In spite of
this some of the Jewish colonies havs