The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-08-27
RUSSIA AND
THE JEWS
Won Plehye's Declaration to the Con.
gress Of ZiOnists.
ENCOURAGES EMIGRATION.
Gar would De Glad to Help Set
Up Hebrew state In Palestine TO
Get Rid OF His Israeiitish
Subjects.

New York, Aug. 90. = The Jewish
Daily News Of this city has received
the following dispatch from Jacob de
Haas, secretary Of the American Fed.
Grafton Of Zionists, who is attending
the Zionist congress now IN session at
Basel, Switzerland:
During a discussion regarding DR.
Herbs statement that the Russian gov
eminent would hereafter tighten the
burden OF the Jews and favor Zionism
and would allow it to be propagated in
Russia Professor Richard Gottheili
president Of the American Federation
of Zionists, questioned DR.. Herzl in re
gard to his authority for making such
statement and asked for some docu
mentary proof OF the accuracy Of his
information. The Interpolation OF
Professor Gottheil was seconded by Cy.
rus sulzberger, treasurer of the United
ebrew Charities OF New York city
who insisted on the importance Of the
interviews which DR.. Herzl had recent
ly at st. Petersburg with number Of
prominent Russian officials and asked
whether the assurances which he had
received We're verbal or written. DR.
HerzI. in reply, presented the following
document, written in French and sign.
ed by Minister Won Plehve, to the Zion
| list congress:
You have expressed the desire t.
retain proof of your interview with me
I agree to this willingly in order tc
avoid all which might arouse exagger
4 ated hopes or doubts and anxiety.
have had the occasion to make known
I to you the point Of view from which
the Russian government at the present
moment regards Zionism. This point
of view could very easily inspire il
with the necessity OF exchanging its
policy of tolerance for measures die
| tated BY its Safeguarding Of national
1 interests
Doesn't Want Jews.
$50 long az Zionism consisted in the
desire to create an independent STATE
In Palestine and promised to organize
| the emigration in Russia OF a certain
number Of its Jewish subjects the Rus
sian government could very well be fa
vorahle to it. But from the moment tina
this principal object Of zionism is aban
doned IN order to be replaced By a sim
| pie propaganda Of the national concen
tration Of the Jews in Russia it Is nat
ural that the government cannot il
any case tolerate this new departure 0
Zionism. II would not have any othe
result than to create groups Of individ
uals. perfectly strangers to and eve
hostile to the patriotic sent .ments whie
constitute the strength Of each state.
This Is why faith could be place
IN Zionism only on the condition tina
it return to its old programme Of az
ton. 1t could in that case count upo
moral and material support for certai
Of its practical measures which wou
serve to diminish the Jewish populatio
in Russia. This support might consis
in protecting the mandatories of tn
Zionists TO the Ottoman government
! and In facilitating the work Of the EN-
! grafton societies and even IN assistin
these societies, evidently outside th
resources Of the state, by means 0
4 contributions levied on the Jews
"I think it necessary to add that th
Russian government is obliged to al
I form its manner OF acting toward til
/. Jewish question to the interests Of tn
. state. but it has nevertheless never de
4 waited from its great moral principle
4 and the interests of humanity. Quit
: recently, besides, it has enlarged ID
: rights of residence in the confines c
\ the localities set apart for the JEWS
. population and nothing prevents. th
hope that the development Of thes
measures will serve to ameliorate II
conditions of existence Of the Russia
/ Jews, especially if emigration dimil
ishes their number