Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-07-17
The Incident
Is Nov Closed.
That Cseaed by The Question Of Presenting 10 hRe Rus
sian Government The JewHR Petition Regasding The
SNasSacres al KShinef-Setseiasp Of Stale Hay So In
fosned The Committee Having dRe Matter in Charge

Washington, July 11.--It Is stated by
the secretary of state that the incident
created by the question Of the presenta-
ton Of the Jewish petition to Russia
is closed The state department today
made public the correspondence that
has taken place respecting the petition
It's substance has already been fore
casted IN the press dispatches, The cor
respondence consists of an instruction
to Mr.. Riddle, United States charge at
ST. Petersburg. reciting I'm detail the
petition ana directing him to present
the same to the foreign Office II It were
willing to receive II, II is stated by Mr..
Riddle that the foreign office would not
receive It under any circumstances aud
secy. Hay so informed the committee In
brief telegram
The official statement OF the facts Is
as follows:
The Russian government has declined
To receive or 10 consider the petition In
relation to the condition Of the Jews In
Russia, signed 10y several thousand cit
aens and cabled to st. Petersburg by
direction OF the president
Al the conference on Tuesday the
llth of July. al oyster Bay the pres
ldent conferred with Messrs Leon Levy.
simon Wolf and oscar $, Strauss, In
regard to the presentation Of the pc
titlon and decided TO send the following
Dfd11a the nRrl0nn
charge in 81 Petersburg;
DISPATCH TO RIDDLE.
state Department, Washington July
10. 1903 Riddle. st, Petersburg You
are instructed TO ask an audience OF
the minister of foreign affairs and to
make to him the following communica-
tiOn.
Excellency: The secretary Of state
instructs me 10 inform you that the
president has received from large
number Of citizens OF the United states.
of all religious afiiations, occupying
the highest positions in both public and
private NE. a respectful petition ad-
dressed to his majesty, the emperor
relating TO the condition of the Jews
In Russia and running AS follows'
THE PETITION.
"To His Imperial Majesty the En-
peror Of Russia.
"'Crue outragcs perpetrated NJ
Kishineff during Easter Of 1903 have
excited horror and reprobatiOn
throughout the world Until your
majesty gave special and personal d.
rectiOns the local authorities failed to
maintain order or suppress the riot
ing
"'The victims were Jews and the as
sault was the result Of race and re-
ligious prejudice.
Rioters violated the laws Of Rus
STA.
THE local officials were derelict in
the performance Of their duty
The Jews We're the victims Of in
defanslble laWlessncss. These facts
are made plain by the official reports
and by the official facts following the
riotng.
"'Under ordinary conditions the aw-
full calamity would be depiored with
out undue fear OF a recurrence. But
such % not the case In the present in
stance Your petitioners are advised
that millions Of JeWs-Russian subjects
dwelling In southwestern Russia are
In constant dread OF fresh outbreaks
They feel that ignorance, superstition
and bigotry. as eXempitled by the riot
ers are ever ready 10 prosecute them
that the local officials, unless thereto
specially admonished. cannot be relied
on as strenuous protectors Of their
peace and security thai a public sem
tirnept of hnstilftv has hpan engendared
against them and hangs over them as
continual menace.
Even II Il be conceded that these
fears are to some extent exaggerated
II Is unquestionably true that they ex-
list, that they are not sroundless and
that they produce effects Of great i'm
portance,
THE westward migration Of Rus
sian Jews which has proceeded for over
20 years is being stimulated by these
fears. and already that movement has
become so great as 10 overshadow In
magnitude the expulsion OF the Jews
from Spain. and to rank with the exc
dus from Egypt
"'No estimate Is possible Of the mis-
cry suffered by the hapless Jews who
feel driven 10 forsake their native land,
to sever the msot sacred ties, and 20
wander forth 10 strange countries.
Neither Is It possible 10 estimate the
misery suffered by those who are un-
willing or unable 10 leave the land OF
their birth: who must part from friends
and relatives who emlgrale who re-
main In never ending terror
Religious persecution Il more sinful
and more fatuous even than war. War