The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-10-14
JEWS IN RUSSIA

There is little need to repeat that the lot
! of the Jews in Russia is a particularly
| hard one But there is constant need TO
recapitulate the facts as TO their situa-
ton. They are subjected orestrictions
that would be intolerable 10 race less in
ured TO oppression The government re-
CARDS them as a foreign element in the
body polite and makes every effort TO
prevent their influence from permeating
| the general mass. In regard TO the other
races under her rule Russia pursues a
1 policy of assimilation, and in the case of
/ the barbarous tribes of General Asia the
policy may be regarded as successful. al
though Firms. Armenians and even Geor-
! gians have proved TO be less traetable ma
/ terial, and offer a good deal of resistance
to the methods employed to extinguish
/ their national life. Whatever the nature
! of the methods, the one object of the pol
/ icy is to make every subject race an inte-
/ grail portion of the Russian Empire. In
! the case of the Jews Russia has departed
! from this policy. Instead of giving them
! every opportunity of becoming united
with the general population of the En-
pire lit emphasizes the natural tendency
territorial barrier beyond which, with
! few exceptions they dare not pass Fiji
/ teen western provinces OF the Empire
/ form the Jewish pale. Here. at any rate.
/ Jews have the right to exist. But even
within the pale they are subjected TO
harassing restrictions. They are confined
| to the towns by law which prohibits
! their purchasing land in country districts.
| They are not permitted to own property
in belt of land extending fifty versts
! from the border. They are permitted the
exercise of their own religion, but may
not proselytize. though the Orthodox
Church has perfect liberty to proselytize
among Jews. They are allowed to carry
on business on Sundays or church festi-
walls And their rights of residence within
the pale are further restricted by the
prohibition of live in the cities of Yalta,
Seyastopol, Kieff and Nikolaieff.
A limited number of privileged Jews are
| permitted to reside in any part of the
Empire. These are members OF the first
guild of merchants and persons who are
in possession of an academical diploma.
Such persons are allowed 10 keep not
more tina ntwo servants of their avn per-
suasion. Their children share the par
ents rights of freedom of movement, the
sons until they are of age, the daughters
until marriage An academical degree,
however. is beyond the reach of all but
a very few. The doors of the secondary
schools and universities are strictly
guarded so that the smallest possible
number of Jews may enter. and the re-
strictions in this respect are baing made
more severe. In the ST. Petersburg Uni
versity. for instance the statutes former
ly provided that the protection of Jews
admitted to the university may not ex-
coed 10 per cent of the whole number of
students. During NJ. Bogoliepoff's term
/as minister of public instruction the pro-
vision was altered so as to limit the pro-
portion Of Jewish students TO 10 per cent
Of the number Of students in any one
faculty.
The peculiar hardship of this regulation
will be understood when it is remembered
that Jews. owing to the impossibility Of
their entering the service of the state as
teachers or professors, are practically de-
barred from inscribing themselves in any
faculty except that of medicine.
striction; it is an instrument of persecu-
ton. The police take advantage of every
legal technicality 20 harass the Jews. The
spirit of the law is one of uncompromis
ing ant-Semtism. Often enough the zeal
of thu police goes beyond the utmost per-
Missile bounds, and decisions of lower
courts against the Jews have to be re-
versed by the senate. The one loophole
of escape from the rigor OF the law is TO
be found in official corruption. In Kieff
for instance. numbers of Jews reside with
in the boundaries of the city unmolestet
in spite of the prohibition. \ bribe
closes the eyes of the police, and the
bride has become so muc ha matter OF
course that it is often included in the rent.
In ST. Petersburg and Moscow the law
is evaded in similar way But in the
case of the Jews bribery has its limits
and they have 10 resort to stratagem
The story is told OF a young Hebrew
physician who, in order to secure for his
parents the right 10 reside near him in
St Petersburg, had to register his father
his valet and his mother as his cook
At first sight II seems inexplieable that
the government should pursue such
policy Of repression. IT would seem more
reasonable 10 allow the assimilative power
OF the Russian race to do its work to
grant the Jews the privileges OF other
Russian citizens and by permitting HON
a wider sphere OF activity diminish their
natural tendency 70 exclusgveness The
present policy fosters the growth Of q
bitter anti Russian sentiment. a reversal
81 the policy might transform the Jews !
into patriotic Russian citizens The -
PLANTATION Of The anomaly lies to large
extent = the peculiar relation existing be-
tween the Russian government and the
Russian people II Is mistake ~ sun-
pose that the government Is Hndepend-
ent q public opinion. In order no; "a ere
ate excessive Fiction II the prosecution +
O. is own peoples he.rzapol khohn0jththa-
81 its Own OBJECTS q, must make certain
concessions 10 popular feeling II pops
lar feeling makes deeilesl Demonstration
IN favor Il certain rsforras. the govern
rnent wiil make a shaw Of introducing
chem. ALWAYS provided shat such reforms
O. rot enGange~ the existence u TIRE au-
tocraCy and 4 pepuiar f@ellug s. rnor@d
b. unreas0nfng preiulioe the govsrrrneri +
IS willing To- maze certain concesssons 20
such prejudice FIR tn sake Or cnrcilf- I
ating IN some degree the main body q iis
subjects This consideration partly ex-
plains The attitude Of shs ~ore-umeu, % /
she Jews. TIE average Russian has a
vio.sut racial antipsthy % the Jew. TIE I
cause II This antipaths 81 - needless - &
investigate i s one q the irrational !
elements In popplzr life that plsv SUCH n
important tart N polifirs TIE main .