The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-07-03
STATE DEPARTMENT WILL FOR.
WARD JEWISH PETITION.
A COLD RECEPTION LIKELY
Very Probable That Russian Govern
ment Will Refuse to
Receive 1t.

Washington, July 2.-Acting Secre-
tary of State Loomis has been notified
that the petition in behalf of the Rus
sian Jews will probably be delivered
at the state department or at Oyster
Bay in about a week.
Without delay and Immediately up
on receipt of the petition by the
United States government, it will be
dispatched to Mr.. Riddle, United
States charge at st. Petersburg. It
will be accompanied by a note Of trans
initial instructing Mr.. Riddle exactly
what disposition to make Of the petit
tion, for there is 40 intention here
to placesaany undue responsibility upon
the charge in this note, so that it's
nature is a matter of speculation, the
weight of opinion being that MI. Rid
die will be instructed to inquire of the
Russian government if it is willing
to receive a petition, the nature OF
which will be indicated by him.
If there is a negative response, Mr..
Riddle will so notify the state depart
ment and that probably will end all
efforts of the department in connec-
ton with the petition.
The president, 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 government and should
the petition fail of reception after
Mr. Riddles efforts, it would absolve
the president from further pursuit OF
the matter.
Meanwhile, and until the petition
is received here, there is nothing
more to be done, it is said. Through
the newspapers, in an unofficial, but
quite adequate manner, the govern
ments of the United States and Rus.
STA have acquainted each other with
their respective attitudes concerning
the Jewish petition, and all that re.
mains is to await the working out of
the programme. M..
Count Cassini, the Russian ambas-
sador, called at the state department
today to present Theodore Hansen.
as charge, during the absence of the
ambassador. The count expects to
sail from New York July z, accom-.
panied by the countess and his per-
sOnal attendants. 5... ..--N +
The counts stay at the department
was very short, and after the formal
introduction of Mr.. Hansen in his
new capacity, he conversed briefly
with Acting Secretary LOOMS, touch.
ing upon the matter of the petition
In an informal way.
1t developed during the visit of
Count Casini at the state department
That he was discussing with Mr..
Loomis the statement issued last night
relative to the Jewish petition and
Manchuria, not by an instruction from
his government or in any formal way
and Mr.. LOOMS remarks were under
the same conditions, so that the SUBJ
stance OF the conference was a. SIM
PIC repetition of the published state.
ments of the probable course and at
tltude in the two countries regarding
the petition and Manchuria. rather
IN the way of furnishing information
imam with the intent of binding either
party to an understanding. Thus, it
appeared that Russia still consistent
~ held to the theory that she. like
the United States, held that there
should be interference in the interna
t1onal affairs of nations. However
DOH parties parted in the greatest
good humor, which was a source oil
qualification, as it will probably be
their last meeting before the ambas
sador sails for Europe.