The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-18
Secretary Hay Writes Letter
to European Powers
Asking That They Look After
ROumania's Behavior.
TREATMENT OF JEWS
Is Objected to in Name Of HUI
mainly and U. s.
Horde of Paupers Driven to This
Country by OppressOrs.

Washington, Sept 1S-With the dou-
BILE purpose of protecting the long suner-
ing Jews of the Balkan states and OF
ayerting the ever present peril or the
immigration into the United States OF
a horde of paupers, Secretary Hay has
adopted the unusual course OF appearing
to the powers of Europe to force one OF
their children to observe the Obligations
of humanity in case of the Jews. Inc
appeal takes the form of a state paper
remarkable in several respects, Whicn
has been dispatched in Identical form
to every ambassador and minister OF the
United States residing in one OF the
countries in Europe which were parties
to the famous treaty at Berlin OF 1873,
namely, Great Britain, France, Ger
many Russia, Italy, Austria and Tur-
key, marking the termination or the
Turko-Russian war and the creation by
the direct act of the powers OF the IN
dependent Balkan states. Because the
powers are thus responsible Tor the ex-
istence Of Roumania, the culprit in this
case. the secretary of state has direct
ed the note to him in the hope that they
will bring this government to sense OF
its duties toward civilization at large as
well as to cause it to amel1orate the
frfRhtfuI condition of the Roumanian
Jews. In a measure this action by the
department of state may be traced TO
numerous petitions from Jewish societies
and humanitarians generally, as wen as
to the warnings of publicists respecting
the growing dangers of the immigration
of degenerates. The document says:
I'm the course of an instruction re-
Gently sent to the minister accredited TO
the government of Roumania, in regard
to the basis of a negotiation begun with
that government looking to convention
Of naturalization between the United
States and ROumanlan certain cOnd1-
lions were set forth for the minister's
guidance concerning the character of
the immigration from that country, the
causes which constrain it and the con-
sequences so far as they adversely al
feet the United States.
'It has seemed to the president ap-
propriate that these considerations re-
tered into by the signatories of the
treaty of Berlin of July 13, 1873, should
be brought to the attention of the gov
ernments concerned and commended to
their consideration, in the hope that, If
they are SO fortunate as to meet the
approval of the several powers, such
measures as to them may seem wise
may be taken to persuade the govern
ment of Roumania to reconsider the
subject of the grievance in question.
THE United States welcomes now as
it has welcomed from the foundation OF
its government the voluntary immigra-
ton Of all aliens coming hitherto under
conditions fitting them to become
merged in the body polite of this land
Our laws provide the means for them
to become incorporated indistinguish-
scribed their absolute equality with the
native born, guaranteeing to them equal
civil rights at home and equal protec-
ton abroad. The conditions are few.
looking to their coming as free agents,
SO circumstanced physically and moral
ly as to supply the healthful and in
tellfgent material of free citizenhood.
The pauper, the criminal, the contag-
iouSly or incurably diseased are exclud-
ed from the benefits of immigration only
when they are likely to become a source
of danger or burden upon the COM
munity. The voluntary character Of
their coming is essential, hence we shut
out all immigration assisted or con-
strained by foreign agencies. The pur-
pose of our generous treatment of the
alien immigrant is to benefit us and him
aike-not to afford to another state, a
field upon which to cast its own objec-
tionable elements.
1.-The foregoing considerations while
pertinent to the examination of the pur-
pose and scope of a naturalization
treaty, have larger aim. 1t behooves
the state to scrutinize most jealousy
the character of emigration from a for
eign land and If 1t be obnoxious to ex-
anime the causes which render it so
Should these causes originate in the ACT
of another sovereign state to the detrl-
ment of its neighbors, it is the prerog-
alive of injured state to point on,
the evil and to make remonstrance, fol
with nations as with individuals, the
social law holds goods that the right OF
(dCAi ID DooLQc0 w liiC LIZ III Va LIN
neigAbors.
1.-The condition of a large. class of the
Inhabitants of Roumania has for many
years been a source of grave concern
to the United States / refer to the
Roumanian Jews, numbering some 400,.
900. Long ago while the Danubiar
municipalities labored under oppressive
conditions which only war and a gen.
eral action of the European powers sui.
feed to end, the persecution of the in
digenous Jews under Turkish rule called
forth in 1872 the strong remonstrance OF
the United States. The treaty of Der
lin was hailed as a cure for the wrong
In view of the express provisions of its
forty-fourth article, prescribing that in
Roumania the difference of religious
creeds and confessions shall not be al
for exclusion or incapacity in matters
relating to the enjoyment of civil and
political rights, admission to public en-
Payments, functions and honors, or the
exercise of the various professions ant
industries in any locality whatsoever
and stipulating freedom in the exercis.
OF all forms Of worship to Roumaniar
dependents and foreigners alike, wei
as guaranteeing that all foreigners in
Roumania shall be treated without dis
tfnction Of creed on footing of perfect
equality.
with the lapse of time these just
provisions have been rendered nugatory
In great part, as regards the native
Jews, by the legislation and municipal
the arbitrary and controvertible prem
Use that the native Jews of Roumania
domicted there for centuries, are
aliens, not subject to foreign protec-
tion,' the ability Of the Jew to earn even
the scanty means of existence that suf-
flee for a frugal race has been con
tracted by degrees until nearly every
opportunity to win a livelihood is de.
MED and until the hapless poverty Of
the Jew has constrained an exodus OF
such proportions as to cause genera
concern
The political disabilities of the Jews
of RoVmania. their exclusion from ths
public service and the learned profes
sions, the limitations of their civil
rights and the imposition upon them OF
exceptional taxes. involving as they dc
Of liberal modern peoples, are not SC
directly In point for my present purpose
as the public acts which attack the in
hoRent right OF man as a bread winner