The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-28
MR. CLEVELAND SPEAKS
CONDEMNS THE MASSACRE IN BESSARABIA.
Says Americans Should Inform Gov ernment That the Recent Out rages at Kishinef are Alb
 horrent to Our Ideals.

New York, May 26.-GroVer CleVeland tonight addressed a large audience In Carnegie Hall on the situation of Jews in Bessarabia since the massacre of Kishineff. MT. Cleveland 1aid
 T have only a word to say; but I wish to be counted among those who are in hearty sympathy with the purpose of this meeting This demonstration furnishes cheering and reassurfng evidence that our American sympathy for the abused wherever they may be, our American love of humanity and our attachment to justice and right. are still active and un- impaired. There Is another American trait in woven warp and woof of our national character, which is here ex- hTbited in most gratifying freshness and strength Our people. when their sym pathies are touched. when their humane instincts are challenged and when their hatred of oppr ssion Is aroused, are not afraid to speak; and In such circuna- stances 1t Is not their hahit to srriosa 1T or cauttodAiy softer their words.
 "Every American hunane sentiment has oeen sil .lxed by late attack on the Jews in Russia, an attack nurd rrous. atroctHus and fin every way revoitiag. As membe s of the family of mankind and as citizens of a free nation, we are here to give voice to the feeling that should stir every true man and every American worthy of the name. There IS something intensely horrible in the wholesale murder Of un-
 erarding dcfens .lsss, men, women and children, who have been taci'ly, If not tx- pressly, assured of safety under the pro- tection of a professedly civilized govern ment Such things give rise to a dis dressing fear that even the enligb'e'lm ont of the Twentieth Century has neither destroyed nor subdued the barbarity of humane nature, nor wholly redeemed the civilized world from Mans inhu n.inity to man.
 "We, and all our countrymen, protest in the strongest language at our com mand and with the moral force which our American citizenship gives us, against these murders and outrages and we in- sist that swift and condign punishment ought to be visited upon their barbarous perpetrators. Nor is this all. We will, fin a fashion quite American and with open handedness. always displayed when human distress appeals to us, assist the families made headless and robbed Of support by murder and those who wound- ed and terrorized and in hunger and want have been driven from their homes
 q know how easily our indignation prompts us to the use of strong language and know how naturally we are tempt ed to indulge fin overdrawn statements and extravagant demands on such occa- SiOnS as LnlS anu l dHA SuAC bii0t III NNA characterization of the crimes We here contemplate and in expressing our detes- tation of the criminals. we cannot go too far I desire to avoid sounding dis cordant note but yet I cannot refraln from the suggestion that the moral effect of our protest and the usefulness of this demonstration will not be lessened if we reouire indubitable proof before We &C., cuse the government of Russia with gull ty complicity in the crimes committed within her borders; and it seems to me we may well consider the proper relation ship by nations before we demand more profound interference on the part or our own government I do not say that the Russian government may not, by sins or omission or commission. be justly deserY- ing of our condemnation. but we should not he swift to assume this when we re- alize that we ourselves have found It im- possible to prevent mob violence ana murderous assaults in wyoming anu on Italians in Louisiana.
 II am distinctly and unequivocably in favor of informing our Government in unmistakable terms of our indignant and deep condemnation of the late outrages on the Jews in Russia: but hope that Tn obadience to the dictates of American conservatism and moderation, which are never long ohscured. we may be even now just and fair; and that we Will De content to fOreRo peTpleNlHS anu eNlAShiO demands on our Government for violent action. Our public servant should hear us speak; but we certainly ought to be justified in trusting the care of our na- tional honor and duty in the premises and the enforcement of the humane in- stincts of our people so far as this way be within governmental action to those charged with the responsibility of man. aging our public affairs.
 President J. G. Schurman of Cornell University denounced the massacre and said he saw no permanent security for the Russian Jew except the opportunity now denied him, of being man and Q citizen.
 The Rev. Robert S. McArthur and Ed ward M Shepard also spoke.
 Mayor Low presided. He was delivering the opening address, expressive of the hope that Russia would give the more liberty to her Jewish subjects, when MT. Cleveland entered, amid a tumult of cheers
 William H. Baldwin, Jr., read letters and telegrams sympathizing with the ob- feet of the meeting from Lyman Abbot. John Dillon, Carl Schurz Senator Platt, William D. Howells and the Rev. W. c. Biting.
 Mr. Baldwin also read resolutions which denounced the massacre. urged the claims of the Jews in Russia to just treatment and protection.