The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-09-18
Powers Asked to Force Her to Be More
Humane.
A DOUBLE MOTIVE LIES IN THE APPEAL
The Jews Flying From Oppression in Roumania
Land Upon 0u- Shores Robbed of
Much That Would Make Them
Desirable Citizsns,
(By the Associated Press.o

-
purpose of protecting the long suffering
Jews of the Balkan States and of avert
ing the very present peril of immigra-
tion into the United States of horde
of paupers, Secretary Hay has adopted
the unusual course of appealing to the
powers of Europe to force one of their
children to observe the obligation of hu-
manity in the case of the Jews The
appeal takes the form of State paper.
remarkable in several respects, which
has been dispatched in identical form
tc every ambassador and minister of the.
United States residing in one of the
countries of Europe which were parties to
the famous Berlin treaty of 1878, namely.
Great Britain, France, GERMANY Russia
Italy, Austria and Turkey marking the
termination of the Turko- Russian war.
and the creation by the direct act of
the powers of the independent Balkan;
States Because the powers are thus
responsible for the existence OF Rou-
rnania, the culprit in this case, the Sec
retary Of State, has directed the note to
them in the hope that they will bring
this government to Il sense Of its duties
towards civilization at large as we'll as
to cause it to ameliorate the frightful
condition of the Roumanian Jews In a
measure this action by the Departmont
OF State may be traced TO numerous pc
titions from jewish societies ard hui
manitarians generally. as we'll as 70 the
growing dangers of the immigration
of degenerates.
The document. which is dated August
11th, says, in part:
"The United States welcomes now, as
it has welcomed from the foundation of
its government, the voluntary immigra-
tion OF all aliens coming hither under
conditions fitting them to become merged
in the body polite of this land Our
laws provide the means for them to be-
cCme incorporated indistinguishably in
the mass OF citizens, and prescribe their
absolute equality with the native born
guaranteeing to them equal civil rights
at homo and equal protection abroad. The
voluntary character Of their coming is
essential, hence we shut out all i'm
migration assisted or constrained br
foreign agencies. The purpose of our
generous trea tment of the alien immi-
grant is to benefit us and him alike
not to afford to another State q field
upon which to cast it's own objection
able elements. 1t behooves the State to
scrutiniZe most jealously the character
of the immigration from foreign
land, and if it be obnoxious to
examine the causes which render it so.
Should those causes originate in the aot
oe another sovereign State, to the detri-
ment of it's neighbors. it is the preroga-
tive of an injured State to point out the
evil and to make remonstrance; for with
nations rs with individuals, the social
law holds good that the right OF each
is bounded by the rights of the neigh
bor.
.'The condition of q large class of the
inhabitants of Roumania has for many
years been a source of grave concern to
the United States. l refer to/the Rou-
manian Jews numbering some 100000.
Long ago, while the Danubian principali-
ties labored under oppressive conditions
which only war and general action of
the European powers sufficed to end,
the persecution of the indigenous Jews
under Turkish rule called forth in 1872
the strong remonstrance of the United
States The treaty of Berlin was hailed
as a cure for the wrong, in view of the
ticle. prescribing that in Roumania, the
differences OF religious creeds and con-
fessons shall not be alleged against any
person as a ground for exclusion OR in
capacity in matters relating to the enjoy
ment of civil and political right, admis-
sion to public employments, functions
and honors. or the exercise of the vari-
Gus professions and industries in any
locality whatsoever.
"With the lapse of time these conscrip-
tions have been rendered nugatory in
great part as regards the native Jews,
by the legislation and municipal regula-
tions of Roumania Starting from the
arbitrary and controvertible premise that
the native Jews of Roumania domiciled
there for centuries arc aliens, not sub
iect TO foreign protection, the ability of
the Jew TO earn even the scanty means
of existence that suffice for a frugal race
has been CONSTRUCTED by degrees. until
nearly every opportunity to win livli-
hood is denied; and until the helpless
poverty of the jew has constrained an
exodus of such proportions as TO cause
general concern.
"The political disabilities of the Jews
in Roumania. their exclusion from the
public service and the learned profession,
the limitations OF their civil rights and