The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-07-04
GZlR MUST DECIDE
Alexander III Would Reject
Such a Petition
LIKE CASE is RECALLED
America Would Resent an
America Would Resent an
Anti-Lynching Rebnke

ST. Petersburg, July 3-President Roose-
velt's decision to forward to the Rus
sian government the petition in behalf
OF the Russian Jews is not published
here. The foreign Office made the fol-
lowing statement:
The czar alone can decide whether the
petition will be received, but Alexander
III would never have received such a pc
tition. The petition from the Guild Hall
meeting, called by the lord mayor of
London in 1891, was returned through
the foreign office, al being inconvenient.
The foreign oce hopes the Americans
will not invite such a slight. They
would resent an anti-lynching petition.
The foreign office has no special interest
in the question, except a desire that in
ternational relations remain unframed
sincce the matter is purely domestic and
belongs in another ministerial depart
ment."
In an article which in official circles
is declared TO be inspired. the Novo
Vrep1ya combats the claim of the Unit
e. States government that Russia should
grant American Jews free access to Rus
sian territory"
The Novoe Vremya declares that if all
American citizens were admitted TO Rus
STA ct would not be long before thou
sands of Jews who have left Russia for
various reasons would refock 10 Russia
in the guise of American citizens just as
they are doing in Roumania, Bulgaria
and Turkey. If Russia acceded to the
United Staes wish she could not refuse
to grant similar privileges in the case OF
other countries and would soon undergo
a perfect invasion of foreign Jews"
The Novoe Vremya also refers to the
United States restricting immigration.
and concludes:
while Russia in no way assumes the
right OF criticising the internal measures
Of the United States. she on the other
hand will not tolerate the least interfer~
ence In her private affairs on the part Of
Americans"
Washington, July 3-Acting Secretary
of State LOOMS has been notified that
the petition in behalf of the Russian Jews
will probably be delivered at the state
department or at Oyster Bay in about a
week. without delay and Immediately
upon the receipt OF the petition by the
United States government it will be dis
patched to Mr.. Riddle, United States
charge at St. Petersburg. 1t viii be ac-
companied by a note of transmittal in
structing Mr. Riddle exactly what dis
position to make of the petition; for there
is no intention here to place any undue
responsibility on the charge in this mat
ter. The department does not at present
expect to publish that note. so that its
nature is a matter of speculation, the
weight of opinion being that Mr. Riddle
will be instructed to inquire of the Rus
sian government whether il is willing to
receive a petition the nature of which
will be plainly indicated by him. If there
is a negative response, Mr.. Riddle will so
notify the state department and that
probably will end the efforts of the de-
partment with the petition. The presi-
dent. through Secretary Hay, informed
his Jewish callers that he could not tell
what reception the petition would meet
with at the hands OF the Russian gov
eminent, and should the petition fail of
reception after Mr. Riddles efforts it
would absolve the president from further
pursuit of the matter.
Meanwhile, ana until Ine petition Is re-
ceived here, there is nothing more to be
done it is said. Through the newspapers
in an unofficial but quite adequate man
ner the governments of the United States
and Russia have acquainted each other
with their respective attitudes concerning
the Jewish petition, and al that remains
is to wait the working out Of the pro-
grams
Count Casini the Russian ambassador,
called at the state department today TO
present Theodore Hansen as charge dur
ing the absence of the ambassador. The
count expects to sail from New York
July Z, accompanied by the countess and
his personal attendants The counts stay
at the department was very short and
after the formal introduction of Mr.. Han
sen. in his new capacity, he conversed
briefly with Acting Secretary LOOMS,
touching upon the matter Of the petit
ton in an informal way.