The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28
RIGHTS OF RUSSIANS.

George Kennsn, the Great Traveller, Shows
the Injustice of the Now Treaty.
Boston Globe.
George KEENAN,. the writer and lecturer
who has made it his lifewOrk TO bring 10
the knowIedg and attention Of the CIVIL
ICED world the wrongs of the Russian poo
pie. returned from Europe to-day. where
he has been accumulating material tor
future publications.
Mr.. Kennan left for Washington shortly
after his arrival here. When asked his
opini0n concerning the Russian treaty, he
said:
1T Is manifestly unfair to the United
States, because ii forces our country, or
possi bly, may force her, to do great wrongs
In this country there are courts where JUS
tice is meted out. In Russia the courts
ere different There are not the chances
for publicity there. nor the chances for APP
peals.
"Supposing O Russian fugitive were ar
rested here on some charge specified in the
treaty as extraditable. He would be taken
to Russia.
..As soon as he left our shores this coun-
try's interest would end. 1t would have
no right TO interfere. because the treaty
had said that 1t must give the prisoner mp.
and our country had agreed to 1t.
The prisoner would be taken to Russia.
tried in court, but of what real value
would the trial bel He might die in prison,
he might be executed or might be sent for
life TO Siberia.
"Our country would never know 1t. be-
cause the ewspa psrs Russia areiu nder q
censorship of the most rigid kind. Ii any
of them speak unfavOrably of Russian
Justice they would be forced to suspend
publication.
while the treaty cannot of course prove
retroactive, there 10 q strong probability OF
its proving nearly so. AS understand the
treaty. a man who has lived in England OF
in any other country in the world besides
the United States during the past ten
years. and il Russian refugee, could be
claimed by the Russian governments, in
case he comes to this country after this
treaty has been accepted by both countries.
"All over Europe there are hundreds
of fuRitives from Russia. If any of these
should come here they could be demanded
ss prisoners by the Russian government.
Another disappointing feature about
the treaty is the fact that il does not In
terfere with the Russian belief that once
Russian always Russian. A Russian who
had secured naturalization papers in this
country might return to Russia. and bis
rights of American citizenship would not
be respected. He would be considered q
Russian and probably arrested.
"fhe question of forgery in the
treaty. of course, covers passports. To-day
there are thousands of mon living In Rus
STA under false passports. Whys Because
they have beep exiled. and the police have
| their rlght names In order TO prevent be-
ing arrested they either forge or get forged
passports.
I'm this country we do not need pass
ports, but in Russia they do. They say
there that a Russian consists of three
things, q body. soul and a passport.
"Here q man changes his name and COM
mits no crime by so dong. There seems to
he little difference between changing q
name and fcIginga passport. Neither are
riaht, but neither are rs bad as the forgery
| of notes convertible into cash. To me. at
least, the treaty Is very unsatisfactory"