New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-03
HENNONITKS IN WESTERN KANSAS.
THEIR SINGULAR HISTORY AND THEIR Az IN.
SION TO MILITARY SERVICE
From The Chicago Post.
From The Kansas city Journal.

From The Kansas city Journal.
The apparent immincncc II war has hoen the
cause OF a somewhat remarkable procedure IN
several u the counties In Western hAnsaS
which are thickly settled by Mcnnontes Those
Il this scot who are Of military age are hurry
ing 10 tho office OF the County Clerk, whore they
make the following affidavit:
Il DO sol~mrly. sincerely and truly declare
and affirm that am 4 resident Of " County,
state Of Kansas. and member x IN" reiglous
society or Church known and called hy be name
of Mcnnonites and that. according - ihe cIeea
and discipline ~ said society. the bearing OF
arms IL forbidden. and this do under ihr pans
and penalty If forgery"
The Mcunouitcs who live In Kansas i'r ne
greater part. came from Russia between lN'I
and 1850 They are not Russians. but Germans
and are the descendants Of a colony OF y. lat
ter people who cmigrated to Russia u"i'r
treaty with Catharinc II. the brilliant out DIS
sulutc woman who ruled that country from
1862 10 1895 Under this treaty the Immigrants
ard their descendants were exempt from NM
tary duty for a hundred years, and 1t was upon
the expiration OF this period that thr Men
nOntes left the empire o. the Car ana spuSh'
new homes in America The exemption from
military duty was not restricted To the Men
MONTE colonies from Germany. It extended 10
all German immigrants. and induced the setue-
mcnt OF large colony Of German Cathohcs
along the river Vo.ga These. too. left Kussia
at the expiration CT the treaty. and the greas
colony Of so-called Russians In Ellis County
are the descendants Of the Catholic Germans
and still adhere to that religion.
In speaking or the McnnOniteS VINO nave HIuc
the affidavit In Harvey County. THE Newton
Republican," says they leave the Office OF the
County Clerk happy in the belief that they are
now exempt from military service in any form.
In this they mistaken. for the United states
has never waived the right TO call every abic-
bodied citizen TO the defence OF the common
country. and man cannot escape military uu'!
on the plea that he does not believe military
duty to be right. number OF the states nave
exempted those who have religious scruploS from
service in the militia. hut state laws are oi no
effect In the Of a National war. PennsyI-
vana led OFF with this kind OF legislation IN ne
half OF her Quakcrs. and Connecticut and oth'r
States followed her example. Early In IN" ms
tory o. Kansas n law was passed eXemptng III
from military service who had religious scruples
against IT. but II was aftcrward repealed. sun
later the McnnOntcs petitiOncd the Icgisltture
to rc-cnact the law and il done and SUI.
stands. II provides that or before May
each year every person having religious scrupies
against bearing arms may exempt himself from
service by appearing before the County C'cth
and making the required affirmation. II IS uH-
der this law that the Kansas Memories are
now proceeding.
The Russian Catholics OF Ellis County have
no such religious scruples and number of thes
young men have already served enlistnenS "
the Regular Army.