The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-07-15
NOTE TO RUSSIA HELD UP.
PRESIDENT MAT NOT FORWARD
 KIsHINEFF PETITION.
IntImatton to This Effect Divuiged at Oyster Bay After Important Confer. ence-Jowish Representatives Present Apparent D,sposition Not so I'm peril Friendly Relations.

Oyster Bay, l.. L, July 14.-After an l important conference at Sagamore Hill to-day between the president and repre- sentative Jewish citizens of the Society lof B'nai Birth. who placed in his hands the petition to the Russian gov lernment in the Kishineff massacre, the intimation was given out that the petit ton may not be forwarded to the Rus ! sian government.
 The desire of both the president and Secretary Hay. it was said, is that the
 Kishineff incident should be closed as
 as soon as possible. as further delay in its consideration might prove em- lbarrassing to this government in other | diplomatic negotiations with Russia.
 Inasmuch as the Russian government has indicated by the adoption of severe measures a genuine disposition to pun ish adequately the perpetrators of the l Kishineff murders and in addition those who instigated them, it is a problem for
 the President and Secretary Hay to solve whether representations concern | ing the incident now are either desirable l or necessary.
 | It is suggested that the whole matter may be resolved into a brief statement | through diplomatic channels to the Rus sian foreign office that such a petition is l ill the hands of the United States, thus | leaving it to Russia to say whether 1t iwould or would not receive the docu-
 ment if it were presented It would close the incident without subjecting l the United States relations with Russia
 to a strain, and, it is. regarded, would
 be quite as effective as the actual pre-
 sentation of the petition
 Besides the president. the parties to
 the conference were simon s. Wolf of Washington and Oscar s. Straus and Leo IN. Levi Of New York.
 Members of the Jewish committee, to-
 gether with pr. Albert Shaw, editor of
 Neview Of Reviews. and his friend
 from England, Maurice Sheldon Amos,
 were the guests of the president at
 luncheon. Secretary Root left at $50 a.
 m. to-day for Washington. He said that he could not sail for England before
 August 23, because it was desirable that | he should see the general staff in full
 operation before he left the country. Messrs Wolf. Levi and Straus con- cluded their conference with the presi-
 dent and left for New York by the AIS
 train. Prior to their departure they an- < nounced that. while their conference
 had been erninently satisfactory, they
 were not in position at this time to
 discuss the result of the interview. The
 petition in its modified form was pre- tsented to the president, but it is under
 stood that signatures to it are yet being
 added and probably will continue to be added for several days. While many lcitizens of Jewish faith have signed the petition majority of the signatures
 are those of persons of other religious faiths It is learned that a statement }soon will be made by the state depart Ement in Washington which will disclose 1.-the steps taken and to be taken by this government, but there are reasons why
 publicity at this moment should not be
 given to the precise method of pro-
 cedure. .-aj