The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-16

ternational conference, TO consider
prosecutions growing out of racial and
religious prejudices and to protect
civilization from the evil effects of
such.
A tentative draft of the petition to
the Gar was presented, reciting in
some detail the recent outrages against
the Jews in Russia, and declaring that
they were due to race and religious
prejudices.
1t, therefore, petitioned THAT by a
gracious and convincing expression
your majesty will proclaim, not only
for the government of your own sub
jects. but also for the guidance of al!
civilized men, that none shall suffer
in person, property liberty, honor or
life, because of his religious belief;
that the humblest subject or citizen
may worship according to the dictates
of his own conscience and that gov
eminent, whatever it's form or agen-
cies, must safeguard these rights and
immunities by the exercise of all its
powers.
In reply to the memorandum, secre-
tary Hay said:
mo person of ordinary humanity can
have heard without deep emotion the
story of the cruel outrages inflicted
upon the Jews of Kishineff. These
lamentable events have caused the pro-
foundest impression throughout the
world but most especially in this coun-
try, where there are so many of your
co-religionsts who form such a de-
srable element of our population, in
industry, thrift, public spirit and COM
mercial morality. Nobody can ever
make the Americans think i'll of the
Jews as a class or as a race-we know
them too we'll In the painful crisis
~. aesufN
the Jews of the United States have
given evidence Of the highest quail
ties-generosity, love of justice, and
power of self restraint.
THE government of the United
States must exhibit the same qualities.
l know you do not doubt the seuti-
ments of the President. No one hates
more theoretically than he does such
acts of cruelty and injustice as those
we deplore. But he must carefully con-
slider all the circumstances and then
decide whether any official action can
be taken in addition to the impressive
and most effective expressions of pub
lie opinion in this country during the
last month.
You will have observed that no civil
lized government in the world has yet
takensofficial action--this consideration
alone would bid us to proceed with
care The Emperor is Untitled to our
respect, not merely as the ruler of
great and friendly nation, but as man
whose personal character is even more
elevated than his exalted station. We
should not be justified in assuming
that this enlightened sovereign, who
has given so many proofs of his devo-
ton to peace and religious federation,
has not done and is not doing all that
lies in his power to put stop TO these
atrocities, to punish the guilty, whether
they belong to the ignorant populace,
or to high official circles, and to pre-
vent the recurrence of the outragcs
which have so shocked humanity. In
fact, all we know of the state of things
in Russia tends to justify the hope that
even out of the present terrible situa-
ton some good results may GOMEZ that
He who watches over Israel does rot
slumber, and that man, now as so
often in the past, shall be made to
praise Him"
The call on the President at the
White House followed. and there
President Roosevelt, after the memo
randum was laid before him, said in
part:
MFR. Chairman: / need not dwell
upon fact so patent as the wide
spread indignation with which the
American people heard OF the dread
ful outrages upon the Jews in Kishi-
neff. ] have never In my experience
IN this country, known OF a more inn
mediate or a deeper expression Of SYM
psthy for the victims ana Of horror
oyer the appalling calamity that had
occurred. ~ ~ natural that while
the whole civilized world should ex-
prefs such a feeling, u should yet be-
mCat intense and most widespread m
the United States for. 0f eii IT, great
Powers. ] think ! may ray that Sac
Gnliea States ~ that country in Rhlcn
from the beginning ~ ife national oo.
ei, most haH been done in fhe way
n acknowledging the debt due 40 the
Jewish race, and ~ endeaEofug ~
% tBttiee ~ fR9fs Alneriean eiilaeas