The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1903-03-20

abrogation Of restrictions which per-
NIT only portion of the Jews to enjoy
the advantages Of school and univer-
sity education. 5l
'The rescript, then, as it does not
touch the kernel of the Hebrew ques-
ton in Russia, can in no way affect
them. It has been our hope since the
accession Of Nicholas II. that this czar,
who is reported to have high aspira-
tons, would do something to lift the
terrible burden from the shoulders of
the more than 5,00O,0OO Hebrews who
serve him with devotion. We may
hope for some amelioration Of their
condition when q rescript appears abol-
ishing the pale of settlement and adj
mitting the Hebrews to all educational
and commercial advantages enjoyed BY
other races living in Russia"
Ernest n. Crosby does not see much
In the cars decree to arouse enthusi-
asm, says the New York American.
From the report OF the decree, as he re-
ceives 1t, he is prone to see its vague
ness and apparent weakness. Edu-
Gated to a certain extent upon Russia,s
conditions by trip through that coun-
try, and an enthusiastic friend Of Toll
stoi, the famous writer and reformer,
Mr.. Crosby is in position to gather
the real Import Of the cars decree.
'"The freedom the czar offers to the
nonorthodox creeds,' said Mr.. Crosby,
"'has been theirs for some time past.
The orthodox creed and so called inter
ference with it has been the excuse for
the tyranny of the past. Yet the de-
cree says nothing except by implication
on this score. aj se.s
PROMISES, mere promises" !" he said
when the civil reforms mentioned in
the dispatch were taken up. ''The gov
ernment has been making promises and
appointing commissions for reform for
years, but nothing ever comes Of it.
The commissions live for awhile, then
pass out of existence without doing
anything and are forgotten. Then 9th
ers are appointed, and SO the promising
and the appointing keeps on.
"The report on the cars decree is SO
brief that it is impossible to judge of
Its character, but it does not seem to
be farreaching. As for the decree TO
grant freedom Of religion to all Rus
sian subjects who profess nonorthodox
creeds, that freedom, / believe, exists
already. For instance, the Catholics in
Poland and the Protestants in Finland
being tolerated, the only thing the Rus.
sian government objects to is the con-
version Of orthodox Russians to other
creeds, and, so far as can judge from
the cars decree, it does not affect
them.
Gift is the intention Of the decree to
permit the entire freedom Of change of
creed, it will be indeed a distinct ad-
vance, but doubt that the decree will
prove so farreaching. The economic
measures covered by the decree seem
to depend upon a future examination
by various commissioners, and, as such
commissions drag along for years in
Russia and frequently come to moth
ing, it is much too early to make much
prophecy.
.gTolstoi is mainly interested in the
material welfare Of the people of Rus
sia, and when I talked with him in
Russia he had much to say upon the
| life and needs of his people. n remem-
Der an amusing remark he made. If
( + was the autocrat Of Russia he said,
4 would call d ma tional parliament, en-
act Henry Georges single tax and then
abdicate. 1 = n NJ ~ .s n N