The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-02
RUSS[A'S EXILED JEWS,
TIE MATTER LAID BEFORE THE
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.


Pos stion Of ths United States.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-Simon Wolf and
Lewis Abraham, of this city, on behalf of
the union of American Hebrew congrega-
tons. have addressed to the Secretary of
the Treasury a communication on the sub
iect OF immigration of Russian Hebrews
TO the United States. In their address the
writer's, while deploring the arrival in
this country of so many of their
exed people, maintain that the
statutes of the United States should
not be so interpreted as to class them ss
paupers or assisted emigrants, "when
hands of help and welcome are outstretcbed
TO elevate them to the exalted position of
American citizenship, without demanding
any contributions from the national
or local taxes" THAT the refugees
are generally in distress" say the writer's
lis not denied. Circumstances have placed
them in situation that is recognized
throughout the civilized world as resulting
from the greatest crime of the so-called en-
lightened century, and this distress their
brethren are untiringly striving to al
leviate To close the avenues of this
free and liberty-loving country, that
has always opened its gates to the down
tro1den aud unjustly prosecuted, would be
against the underlying go1ius and theory of
our glorious aud loved constitution.
Neither the letter nor the spirit of the laws
OF our country require us TO close the gates
OF mercy on mankind"
NOT A PUBLIC BURDEN.
The writer's refer to the large influx of
Russian Hebrews into this country about
ton years ago, and state that 50 far as can
be- ascertained not a single one of them has
rHa 4
this, and the further fact that large num-
Der Of organizations have been formed
throughout th3 country, having for their
object the general care and elevation
oi the exiles, the writers maintain
-'Ategon il they have their "pasSage paid
A money OF another" they cannot be
mated as paupers, but rather come
D.. 't Jhe exceptional clause Of the law, viz:
'n'n it is satisfactorily shown that such
a does not belong to the foregoing ex-
cuiad classes"
SECRETARY FOSTERS REPLY.
To this address Secretary Foster has re-
piled as follows:
beg to acknowledge the receipt Of your
communication Of July 27, with its Enclosures
as stated. You call my attention to the bitter
hardship suffered by many thousands of
Hebrews by reason of their forcible expulsion
from their homes in the Russian empire and
you state among other things that there is
which assists or encourages desti-
tute Hebrew refugees to come to
TINS country; chat you deplore this form Of i'm
migration; that efforts of several Hebrew soc.e-
ties represented by you are confined to ameli-
orating the condition OF these unhappy people
after their arrival at American ports by re-
lievlng those IN distress, and aiding all to avoid
massing in seaboard cities and TO distribute
themselves to widely separated localities where
they may, as soon as possible. become self-Sus.
tanning. You state that you have no complaint
to make in connection with the official treatment
of The refugees who have already arrived and
that you do not apprehend any future cause for
complaint in this regard, but you urge consid-
Grafton that practically enforced immigration
OF this nature cannot be classed as assisted
immigration within the meaning Of our laws;
and finally you declare a readiness of the people
and associations for whom you speak to give to
the government in all cases a satisfactory bond
guaranteeing that none OF these refugee
immigrants shall become q public charge. Be
assure : gentlemen, that fully concur In your
s7iuua'l Of the magnitude of the Or SO t ca
Iamtt which has BETA len so many of your race
as well as in your hope that an early mitigation
or cessation of the current measures of
expulsion may render unnecessary any
general migration OF Russian Hebrews to
America or elsewhere. Unquestionably great
ana SUD ien influx of eXpatriaued and destitute
aliens Of any race would be grave misfortune
u any country, and American Hebrews act
both patrioticaly aud humaney when they ad-
Else the Jewish refugees against coming hither
but at the same time endsavor to render self
supporting those who finally come. Obviously
support OF great numbers of dependent persons
Is a tax upon the resources of the country even
though paid from private funds
and. quite as plainly, the industrial
conditions here might be seriously disturbed by
sudden arrival and enforced competition of
multitude OF needy people Hence IT is i'm
portant TO the last degree that the volume OF
TINS expected refugee Immigration be not ex-
eessye or threatening, and that with entire
certainty it be promptly and widely distributed
80 as TO supply the real want in scattered COM
nuhlties and interfere as little as possible with
5tio,e tng existing moral and industrial con-
utlohs. The apparent scope aud
thoroughness Of your plans for securing
tuis immediate and wide distribution
Oh expected refugees are most gratifying, and
upon the success of your associations in carry
Jug out these plans will largely depend the
possibility Of the government meeting your
@ re~s In other respects. While the inmi-
slauon laws of the United States must
mat these laws were never enacted in
Ierosaton of the plsiuest requirements of
aiIiLutahlty' aii and no worthy immigrant, who in
m stl other respects, meets the demands OF our
Satules, should be excluded from the country,
because, through the action of others, he is for
iG I .iine being homeless and without property.
v SlaL rely upon your voluntary assurance that
E EEUu WIN actively urge upon your brethren in
;ElIope the attitude of our laws toward assisted
s ration also beg to remind you that
aly tendency abroad to defect toward this coun-
Wy the movement of destitute refugees
~, TO stimulate their migration
er n'oEer would be distinctly hostile to the spirit
49, III your letter and TO the spirit in
n1ou the government OF the United States de-
es ne 70 treat this difficult aud delicate problem
dauanAlhg You Tor your expressions Of conf
irfe iuce mat this department, while executing the
t5Ig ration laws efficiently will also execute
ei' uulnanely, am, respectfully yours
CHARLES FOSTER, Secretary.
ANOTHER UNJUST DECISION.
copyright, 1891, bv the ~ Y. associated Press.
D BERLIN, Aug. l "A fresh decision of the
ousslan government concerning its policy
Lo"ard the Jews debars children of He
P,u',s Pe"s not having the right of soiourn in
us s.,sla or residents of any Russian district,
(n1 Tnl'nout permit, from admission TO the mid
Tto and higher schools. The Noroe
thL,en'ga to-day, in announcing that
oF oF's oraer will take effect at the beginning
Dio.in tIe next scholastic year. praises the reg~
tlaglon ~ .ao as assisting to reduce the Jews
Saelr natural social level
M, due inhux OF Jewish emigrents into Ger
oISiIy. lapy Is rapidly abating This is partly
U%iing to the strioter official super-
v1S' ,-Sion' Hundreds of these emigrants
sem @no S succeeded in reaching Thoru have been
bnd Tn1 tn Dack to Russia on the ground that they
rot fraudulent passports or that thev did
dss,i poSsess the means to proceed to their
u9'ion outside of Germany.