The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1902-09-27
" ashington Letter.

The noe which the Secretary OF
State has addressed to those Euro
pean powers which are sIgnatories
to lhe treaty of Berlin. protesting
at The cruel aud unjust treatment
OF the Jews by the government OF
RoumauIa, in absolute violation ot
the provisions Cf that treaty, must
prove a source Of qualification to
every fairminded citizen of tins
country. The condition of these
unfortunate people numbering
about 400, 600, or about one-twelfth
the entire population, is not only
deplorable, but it is a disgrace to
the civilization oT Europe. At the
same time, it Is doubtful If this
government would have felt author
ized to take this step were 1t not
for the fact that American immi-
grafton is being seriously affected
| by the persecution, thus directly
interesting the United States In the
affair. While the dictates of hu-
manity would seem TO amply war
rant the step taken by Secretary
Hay, the policy of the United States
has been and is to avoid, IN so far
as may be, all international com
pllcations, especially in SO far as
they effect other continents, but in
this instance the proscrlptlve laws
enforced by Roumania against so
large portion of It's population are
operating to drive to the shores OF
the United States a class of people
whom the Secretary describes as
necessarily likely to become bur
den to the community on which The
fugitlves may be cast.
That there is a precedent for th'
action of the Secretary may not b.
generally known, but it ls matte
of history that 50 long ago as 1872
the treatment of the Jews IN Rou
mania, then under Turkish domlu
ion, called forth protest from tb
United States, protest which ma
at least be regarded as having bee
, contrlbutary factor IN producin
Afthat sentiment which led eventuall
to the covenant known as the treat
of Berlin, adopted six years later
and which, 1t was anticipated
would serve TO ameIiorate the il
sufferab'e conditions then existing
This it did temporarily, but subs
quently u strong anu-semitlc fee
ing developed among the RoumaI
ian authorities, resulting in the col
diuons against which the Unite
J. States now protests.
Space will not permit the graph
description which the Secretal
. gives of these conditions, but Il
y following is important. He say
y "Granting that in better and moi
Y healththl surroundings the morb
y conditions will eventually chang
= for good, such emigration THAT
= thu oppressed Jews) is necessaril
' for time, a burden to the comm
! luity OH which the fugaives may
Y east. Self rc!iaace and the know
Y edge and aliliy tha' evolve t
Y y}poyer OF self-suppo,t MT be dev
lope6 AID, n the sin time, avenu
of employment mnei be opened
auartegs leie competition Is
sIready keen aad opportunities scar
Z The teachings of history and
experience Of our own nation sh'
that the Jews possess In high
gree the mental end moral quail
cations of CONSCIENTIOUS citiz
@ hood. No class of immigrants
more welcome to our shores wi
J coming equipped in mind
body Tor entrance upon the strug
for bread and inspired with
high purpose to give the best
vice OF heart and brain to the la
which they adopt of their own
+. will. But when they come as
casts, made doubly paupers by :
I sical and moral oppression IN Il
native land, and, thrown upon
long suffering generosity of n
- favored community, their mi
( uon lacks the essential condlt
" winch make alien lmmigra
either acceptable or beneficial .
tE. Ii Is further gratifying to |