The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-06-21
JEWS IN RUSSIA.

Whether the coronation of the youthful
! Gar Nicholas IL. who IS reputed a mon
| arch Of generous and humane instincts,
will prove 10 be the precedent event to a
I general amelioration OF the represslve re-
| str1cuons which are steadily and rapidly
making the so-caued Pale unendurably
congestive, remains 10 be seen. The Rus
sian Jews are here represented by a depu-
tatton consisting OF the chef rabbis OF ST.
Petersburg, Moscow. and Warsaw and
two civil delegates. and they have been
very gractously received by their majeS-
| ties In the meantime the following
sketch of the Russian Jewry. collated
from an official paper. may serve 10 show
the relations Of the Jews with the Rus
sian government
The Jews occupy quite a special and
peculiar position among the heterogeneous
races in Russia In the Moscow period
Jews were not admitted into the country
During the reign of Peter the Great no
general laws concerning the Jews were
passed, but the ulza-se Of I7Z1 decreed the
expulsion of all Jews from Russia and
forbade than to return thither This
ukase was subsequently confirmed in 1742
by the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, but
IN the reign of Katherine II. the Jewish
question assumed a different form, owing
10 the auneXaCon OF several provinces
OF Poland where the policy OF King Casi-
mir the Great had led 10 the permanent
settlement of a very large Jewish popu-
latton. 1t was then that q. delimitatioa
OF territory for the residence Of the Jews
was first Established. and they were con-
fined, in respect OF permanent residence,
to certain provinces. Later, IN 1SOi, dur
ing the reign OF Alexander l., there was a
general enactment with regard TO the
Russian Jewry, the man object Of which
was TO induce them to engage IN pro-
ducttve labor. To this end each Jew was
obliged TO Join one OF the existing IN
privileged classes. and Jewish landown-
ers were accorded certain rights, but
were strictly prohibited from keeping GIN
shops and mrs in villages and settlements
In 1875 new eS1ict respecting the Jws
and of a similar nature. was promulgated;
but, at the same time certain other mea-
sures calculated to accentuate their ex-
clusfveness were adopted. Thus. by the
enactment OF 1885. they were permitted to
have elected boards or cabals for the as
sessmeht OF rates and taxes These Of
served to cover the existing and ancient
system Of the cabal. Subsequently. In
1874. a new ulase was issued, establishing
Jewish schools by means of a special
''Korobotchnoi'' tax levied on the Jews
On the accession OF Alexander II. the
measures adopted by the government re-
garding Russian Hebrews were again
modified and directed towards removing
the hitherto existing restrictions of their
rights, with the object OF assimilating
them with the native population. The
chief object OF these measures. it IS Of
fcially said, was to induce the Jews 10
engage in productive labor
According to existing laws, Jews are
permitted to reside In all the ten pro-
vinceS Of Poland, and in Bessarabia, Vii |
ma, Grodno. YeL1aterinOsiaff. Kovno,
Afinsk. NIohileff. Podolia, Poltava, Tcher- |
nigeff, Kien. Kherson and the Taurida, |
with the exception of the followini towns |
in those provinces: Kieff. Yalta, Nicol- |
eief. and SebastopoL where only Jews |
who are merchants are permitted 20 re- 1
side. In Courland only such Jews as have
settled there before 1875 have the night Of /
residence. Jews are also prohibited from
within a. distance of fifty versts
or the trOnUer, a measure adopted. OSten-
ssbly at least, TO stop smuggling. BY |
the law OF 1882 they are likewise forbidden
TO settle or acquire or lease or acquire,
any real estate outside OF towns and ham
lets. IN all other parts OF the empire
Jews are only permitted 70 remain tenn
porarily for purposes OF business. A very
large number, however, are permitted
freedom OF residence; they are those who
belonged TO the first guild OF trading mer-
chants for not less than five years, thoss
holding learned degrees or who have /
passed tho curriculum OF the higher elu-
,at}0nal establishments. and students fl
such establishments. As q general rule. |
Jews may not enter the service Of the
state. except those who possess learned
5egrees. ard medical men in places as
i gDs1 for s-sssdence Of Jews. Further
more. they are not permitted 20 take part
n the election OF communal and munich
pal representa- tives
II must be noted that a. these restrfc-
sons apply only % the rabbinicai Jews:
he Karainns have enjoyed all civil rights
70 native Russian subjects
since the time q Katherine II The
iumber % rabbilical Jews IN RUSSIA Al
he present time amounts 20 over FIVE
Million souls-London Daily News