St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-29
RUSSlA'S MEANNESS.
Or. Kempster Recites a Story
Of Infamous, Wanton
Persecution.
German Roman Catholics, in
Despair, Sacrifice Their
Homes and Flee.
The Report Of the Immigra-
ton Commission Will Be
a BombsheH.
Prof. Smyth On Top in the
Andovep Case--Bishop
Conseerated.

NEW YORK, Oct. 2S.- Among the pas
Sengers on board the Majestic to-day
was DIR. Walter Kempster. special i'm
migration commissioner, who has made
an exhaustive investigation of the Rus
sian phase of the subject. Concerning
his trip and the results of it DIR. Kemp
ster said he could say nothing until the
official report was made.
81 will speak on one subject, how
ever" said he. sit is with reference to
the Germans who are being expelled
from Russia in great numbers. This is
being done in spite of the fact that
there has been no ukase issued ordering
expulsion of Germans. They are being
forced out by system which people
in this country cannot understand. A
great many Germans live in the neigh
= borhoOd of Odessa and Kieff. They have
lived there for the past hundred years.
1t is one of the best farming cammuni-
ties in Russia. Hithsrto these small
villages have been allowed to elect their
own president. The petty affairs of the
communities have been allowed TO pass
through the bonds of these presidents
without objection. They have been
permitted to do this until last autumn.
After the election all order was issued
that hereafter all persons having been
elected to such positions should, before
proceeding to enter on their office,
kiss the Russi an CE,rist.o
'All these Germans being Roman
Catholics, have naturally defined 10 do
this, hence they are being debarred
from exercising their time-honored
functions because they refuse to enter
the Greek church. Another Illustration
of persecution is this. These COM
munitieS have always been permitted
TO build their own churches and repair
them. About the time the first Orde.'
was issued another came out which re-
quired the Germans to submit all plans
of new buildings and repairs or alter
ationS i'll old, first to the holy synod,
which, in these communities is repre-
sented by the priest OF the Russian
Greek church, for approval.
This is the method pursued. The
plans are submitted to the holy synod.
If ii is the intention to build church
Dr. anything costing 500 or $500, the
synod recommends that a building be
erected costing $1,000 or $1,000. If re-
pairs to the extent of 500 are required,
the estimates are required to
reach $1,000. This. of course, puts
an effectual stop on anything like pub
lie improvement. Then here is another
point. The Germans living in Russia
have always taught their children in
the Russian language, but a part of the
curriculum has been devoted, an hour
day, to the German language. There
are no public schools in Russia, may
mention, by the way. An order has
now been issued that hereafter no Ger
mans should be taught in the schools.
This is the method of persecution.
1t IS the same method by which the per-
secution of the Jews commenced. 1t is
, nothing more than religious persecu-
( ton. The consequence is the Germans,
who are wretchedly poor, are selling
out their small buildings at any price
and leaving Russia by the hundreds.
Manyare going to the Argentine Re
public. Willie others are coming here
1t is most desirable class of immigra-
ton, these prosecuted Germans. They
are all brawny farmers, hard-fisted men.
saw great many of them and stayed
with them. Ii they are put on land in
khe West they will make it blossom"
Speaking of the forthcoming report of
the immigration commission, Dr. Kemp
Ster said: when our report is pub
liShed it will be a text for every news
paper, text for every pulpit i'll the
land. 1t will contain material | cannot
tell you anything about"