The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-18
LEO LEVI IS NOT
 SURPRISED AT RESULT
Petition Bears the Names of Many Distinguished Men and Will 7e
 Preserved as an Interesting
 Relic at Washington. .

Washington, July 17.-It Is stated by the secretary of state thta the incident creat- ed by the question of the presentation of the Jewish petition to Russia Is closed. The state department today made public the correspondence that has taken place respecting the petition Tits substance has already been foreeasted in the press dis patches.
 The correspondence consists of an in- struction to Mr. Riddle, United States charge at St. Petersburg, reciting In detail the petition and directing him to present the same to the foreign office if 1t were willing to receive 1t. It is stated by MT. Riddle that the foreign office would not receive 1t under any circumstances, and Secretary Hay so informed the B'Nai B Rith committee in a brief telegram.
 It is believed this petition was al- most unexamped in the weight and dig nifty of the signatures attached to 1t. Among them are:
 The Slgners.
 Andrew D. White and Clifton B. Breck- inridge formerly ministers to Russia. Carl sehurz. Whitelaw Reid. John G. Carlisle. Rufus W. Peclkham. United States Supreme court; Senator Thomas c. Platt, Edward M. Sheppard. Senator Hopkins of Illinois. Mayor Seth Low, Cornelius N. Bliss. Congressman John Sharp Williams of Mississippi, Herman Ridder, John G. Brisbane, the governors of Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi, North l Carolina, Louisiana and Nebraska, the chief justices of all the states from which returns are in; a great number of congressman, publieists, bankers, Pro testant and Catholic ministers, mayors of leading cities, prominent educators. lead CTS of the bar physicians scholars and manufacturers.
 i When the petition reaches Washington the various pages will be bound together | in magnificent style in one volume and delivered to Andrew Allen, chief of the bureau of rolls of the state department, for safe keeping.
 Levi Not Surprised.
 New York July 17.-Leo N Levi. when informed by a representative of the As- sociated Press of the action of Secretary Hay regarding the petition to the Czar of Russia against the massacre of Jews. said he had not yet received MT. Hays | telegram. However. on the strength of the information brought to him by the Associated Press he made the following statement:
 "The answer made by Russia to Secre- l tary Hays note Is surprise to me. l While, of course, it was within the range of possibility that the czar and his min- isters would be moved by considerations of humanity and expedience to courte- f ously receive petition from the Ameri- | can people, 1t was well understood that | the probabilities were all the other way. 1 The movement. however. has had all the | good effects that were in contemplation. and even more. It has enabled tho Ameri- can people and the government to make l an enduring record of their views of the Kishineff horror. It has brought the em- phatic expression of those views home, not only to the people of Russia. but to | the Russian emperor and his ministers. | They have become acquainted with the | contents of the petition, not only by sec | ing 1t in the press, but also because it's 1 full text was communicated In the note which asked if the original would be re- l ceiN cd.
 1 Testimony of Peoples Humanity. "The petition being now official doc- ument and preserved in the archives of the United States. will forever testify to l the lofty humanity of the people which Is so splendidly represented by the sigma l lures of the President and of his official advisers.
 "The petition will remain as a witness | that the friendship of Russia for the United States was not strong enough to | permit a respectful appeal for religious liberty. made by citizens of this country. 1 T am convinced too. that the influence | in Russia of the petition and of the agita- | ton which preceded 1t has been powerful | and good.
 "The number and character of the sig natures to the petition stamp 1t as an expression of the religious tolerance and sympathy of the American people. It is | doubtful if there has ever been in this | country such a written expression of opin- ion. The people, without regard to racial. religious of political affiliations, have stood behind the President in his manly and humane activity.
 country's Interests Considered.
 ''rhe precise method of conveying the petition was never regarded by us as of controlling importance. and when Russia | indicated extraordinarily that it would be unacceptable we deemed 1t best for the interests of this country and of the Jews | in Russia to avoid a course that would produce unnecessary irritation. It was, | therefore, that we upon our own initiative, and without suggestion whatsoever, sought President Roosevelt to alter his de- 1 cision to send the signed petition and to | transmit its text instead. I cannot be l too emphatic in declaring that at no time | has there been any disposition on the | Presidents party to change the original | plan Every step taken was most satis- | factory to us and in accordance with our | requests
 | ---s--- | Three Boys Drowned. |