The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-06-02
THE JEWS IN RUSSIA.
story from Berlin That the Russian
Government Encouraged the Anti
Semitic Prejudice to Distract the
Attention of the People from the
Government.

Berlin, May 3O.-The part which the
Russian interior minister. NJ. Won
PIehwe took in the Kishineff massacre
described by person behind the scenes
in Russian court life, in u communica-
ton To DR.. Bath, leader of the Radical
Liberals and editor Of the Nation. The
writer says:
Won Plehwe, who was the assistant
OF General Ignatieff (when the latter
was chief minister) in 1881, at the time
the Jewish persecution took place, de-
sired TO impress the czar with the un-
fitness Of the common people TO have
any share in local self-government by
q spectacular outbreak in the provinces
in which the primeval character of the
loyal people could be shown. Parallel
with this object was a desire to di-
vert the attention of the people from
the government by giving their pas
sions an outlet against the Jews. Won
Plehwe chose as his agent his political
friend, kroushevan, who is known as
the most extreme anti-Semite in Rus
sia. proprietor of The Bessarabyetz a
newspaper of kisheneff."
In krouShevanS interest he suppress
ed The Bessarabyetz Westinik. the rev.
olutionary paper in Kisheneff, giving
krOushevan the exclusive field.
= AS showing the close relation between
the two, Won Plehwe obtained for
kroushevan a government subvention
of $4,000 roubles, with which he found
ed the anti-Jewish paper Snam ia at
St. Petersburg. Won Plehwe. at coun-
Gil of the ministers, asked for a further
subsidy, but NJ. Witte, (the finance
minister) objected, on the ground that
the state did not get sufficient return.
kroushevan then got the amount ne
asked at the state bank, on his unSe-
cured personal note.
Kroushevan prepared the minds of
the people of Kisheneff by publishing
anti-Jewish articles. A rumor was
started that a Golden Ckase' OF the
czar had arrived, commanding the
death of the Jews at Easter. Governor
Won Raaben refused to deny the rumor,
and the vice governor, Ustrugoff. was
the censor and a contributor to The
Bessarabyetz so even the intelligent
people Of the town credited the report
that the government was willing to ex-
terminate the Jews. After the maSsa-
ere Won PlehWe Informed Governor Won
Raaben that he had permitted the out
break 10 go too far and that the bar
| barites of the drunken robbers was in
eXcuSable.
The czar was deeply displeased with
! Governor Won Raaben and directed Won
! Plehwe to remove all the officials of the
| city and province. Won Plehwe urged
| that an inquiry first be made. and the
| cZar agreed 10 this. He said he would
| send one of his own adjutants but Won
| Plehwe suggested that Lopuchin one OF
| his assistants. be selected TO inquire
| into the matter. Lopuchin returned
| with a mild report which was too dark
! Won P.ehwe revised it before its sub
| mission 20 the czar. Won Plehwe still
| retains possession of the cars mind
| His position is completely unshaken.
| and it will continue unshaken so long
| as Won Plehwe has daily personal ac-
cess to his majesty.
Won Plehwe'S ambitions were ex-
| pressed 10 a small party of his friends
| on one occasion when he pantomimical-
| y held up a baton, as if leading an
| orchestra