The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-17
Russia Refuses to Receive Kishinef
Petition Government Will Take
No Further Action.
President Roosevelt, It Is Said, Is
Not Surprised at the
Outcome.
The Full Text of the Petition Was
Cabled to st. Petersburg, but
to No Avail.

says the incident created by the question
OF the presentation Of the Jewish petition
to Russia Is closed. The state department
to-day made public the correspondence
that has taken place respecting the petit 4
ton.
1t consists Of an instruction to Mr. Rid
Ole, United States charge at st Peters,
burg, reciting in detail the petition and
directing him to present the same to the
foreign office If it should be willing to
receive 1t. Mr.. Riddle replied that the
foreign office would not receive it under
any circumstances and Secretary Hay SO
informed the B'nai Birth committee in q,
brief telegram.
The Official Statement.
The official statement Of the facts is
rs follows
The Russian government has declined to
receive or to consider the petition In re-
lation to the condition of the Jews in
Russia signed by several thousand citi-
zens and cabled to ST. Petersburg by d.
rection of the president.
At the conference on Tuesday, the 18th
of July at Oyster Bay, the president con-
ferred with Messrs. Leo n. Levy, Simon
Wolf and Oscar S. Stratus in regard to the
presentation of the petition, and decided
to send the following dispatch to Mr..
Riddle, the American charge d affaires in
st. Petersburg.
Department of State, Washington, D. c.,
are instructed to ask an audience Of the
minister Of foreign affairs and to make
to him the following communications:
"Excellency: The secretary Of state
instructs me to inform you that the presi-
dent has received from large number of
citizens Of the United States, and all re-
ligious affiliations and occupying the
highest positions in both public and pri-
waite life, respectful petition addressed
Ito his majesty, the emperor, relating to
the condition of the Jews in Russia, and
running as follows:
(Here follows the text Of the petition,
printed in he urn a Wednesday,
II am instructed to ask whether the
petition will be received by your ex-
cellency to be submitted to the gracious
consideration Of his majesty. In that
case the petition will be at once for
warded to st. Petersburg.
II avail myself, ETC."
You will report at the earliest possible
moment your execution of this instruc-
ton. Hay
Declined to Receive 1t.
J This was sent on the 10th of July ard
4 on the same day Mr.. Riddle was informed
by the Russian minister for foreign at
fairs that, in view of the publications
which had appeared in the newspapers,
the Russian government wished to notify
him that the proposed petition would not
be received under any circumstances and
that this resolution Of the Russian gov
eminent was taken independent Of any
consideration of the substance Of the
terms Of the petition.
President Not Surprised.
Oyster Bay, L. l., July 17.-President
Roosevelt was not surprised that the Rus
sian government should decline to receive
the B'nai Birth petition or any other rep
reservations regarding the Kishinef mas
sacres The action of Russia has been
forecasted unoffcially. The information
Of Russia's declination was received here
late last night in a long telegram from
Secretary Hay. Toward midnight 1.-THE
president sent to Secretary Hay an ex-
tended reply. The contents of neither Of
the messages are disclosed altho 1t is
known that the president requested Sec
rotary Hay to make public the action of
this government respecting the incident.
President Roosevelt has no statements
to make at this time. Whatever infor-
nation the administration may care te
make public concerning it will be given
out by the state departments In Wash
angton. It can be said to be absolutely
unlikely that further efforts will be made
to induce the Russian government to re.
ceive the petition. 1t is certain that after
so frank and unequivocal a refusal to re.
ceive the petition Russia would regard the
bringing Of pressure to bear upon her t
induce her acceptance of the represen
No visitors are scheduled to be at Sag
amore Hill to-day Plans have been per
fected quietly to prevent Mother" Jones
and her so-called army of textile work
ers, from visiting Oyster Bay. The mat
ter is In the hands of the secret service
and the New York police department.
On the receipt of this information tn
secretary of state addressed the following
letter to Messrs. Strauss, Wolf and Levi:
"sirs: I am directed by the president t
acquaint you that this department is in
formed by the American embassy in ST
Petersburg that the imperial government
of Russia has declined to receive or con
slider the petition In relation to the condi
ton Of the Jews in Russia. which wa
addressed to his majesty the emperor, b
large number Of citizens of the Unite
States, and which this department, by dl
rection of the president, and at your re
quest, undertook to transmit to its hig
destination.
81 am. sirs, very respectfully yours,
John Hay,