Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-07-17
Russia Refuses to Re-
CeiVe Protest From
Jews.
AS TO KISHlNEFF
AS Sent By Roosevelt
Administration is
Hun1i1iated.

Washington, July 17.-It is stated
by the secretary of state that the in
cident created by the question of pre-
sentation of the Jewish petition to
Russia is closed. The state depart
ment today made public the CORE
spondence that has taken place re-
specting the petition, the substance
of which has already been forecasted
in the press dispatches.
Washington, July 17.-Russia has
officially declined to receive the Kish-
inetf petition. Word to this effect
was received last night by Secretary
of State Hay from Mr. Riddle, charge
daffaires of the United States embas-
sy at St. Petersburg. Mr.. Riddle re-
ported that Russia would neither re-
ceive nor consider the matter of the
Jewish petition. He is the official to
whom was committed the delicate
task of inquiring of the Russian gov
ernment what its attitude was with
respect to the presentation of the pc
titiun.
This refusal is taken to mean that
President Roosevelt has suffered a
severe loss of prestige. When the
president announced with a flourish
of trumpets that he would transmit
the Jewish petition to the car the
present outcome of the affair was
feared by the presidents advisers.
Republican leaders could not see any
reason for placing the administration
in position that would probably
subject it to a most unpleasant snub
hfa Pot mt
1t was not long before the president
himself discovered his mistake and it
became known that he would recon-
mend to the Jewish committee that
the petition be withdrawn. These
men, however, wanted to have the
document sent to the car and the
president was forced to stand by his
promise, at least so far as to obtain
from St. Petersburg an official refus-
al to accept the petition.
Trying to OvershadOw 1t.
The official refusal of Russia to ac-
cept the Kishineff petition was eX-
pected, especially since that govern
ment has agreed to the opening of
two new treaty ports in Manchuria.
Although admins tratiOn officials in
sist that there is no connection be-
tween the Manchurian and Kishineff
questions, it is regarded as curious
coincidence that the agreement as to
treaty ports in Manchuria and the
final closing of the Kishiueff issue
should occur so closely together. An
understanding between Russia and
the United States was reached where
by Russia would concede treaty ports,
at the same time reserving to herself
the right to turn down the Kishineff
petition.
\ great parade of the so-called Rus
sian concession in the Manchurian af
fair has been made, it being the de
sire of the administration to attract
attention thereto as a victory for
American diplomacy and thus keep
the Kishineff 'turn-down' in the back
ground.
1t is said by persons familiar with
the Manchurian question that it
would have been only a question of
short time before the cars govern
ment would have been forced to aban-
don its opposition to the open door in
Nanchuria iii any event. This fact
was seized upon as a good opportuni-
tv bv Russia to escape good deal of
odium growing out of the Kishineff
massacre by graciously cOnceding
treaty ports in Manchuria. The ad-
miuistration conceals its chagrin over
tbe snub administered to it by the
car in rejoicing over the successful
outcome of the Chinese treaty nego-
tiations.