The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-28
FOR RUSSIAN JEWS
INDIGNATION MEETING is HELD IN
NEW YORK.
GROVER CLEVELAND SPOKE.
ADVISED AGAINST ANY PRECIPI-
TATE JUDGMENT.

Cleveland Received n TUmuIt of APP
plnuse as He Entered the Meet
inS-He DcpIOred the outrnges
Committed Upon the jews in
Russia-COunseIed Against Haste
in Concluding That Russia Was
Officially NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
of Protest Adopted by the Meeting.
New York, May 27.-There was a
great and representative gathering at
Carnegie Hall tonight, called to pro-
test against the massacre of Hebrews
at Kishineff. The announcement that
ex-President Grover Cleveland would
speak loaned additional interest to the
gathering.
While Mayor Low was delivering the
opening address. expressive of the hope
that Russia would give more liberty
to her Jewish subjects, Mr.. Cleve-
land entered and was greeted with a
tumult of cheers.
w. H. Baldwin, Jr., read the reso-
lutions, which were received with
great applause, and adopted. They
denounced the massacre, urged the
claim of the Jews in Russia to just
treatment and protection, and declared
that the people of the United States
should exercise such influence with the
government of Russia as the ancient
and unbroken friendship between the
two nations may justify to prevent the
recurrence of outbreaks such as have
amazed the civilized world.
Speech of Cleveland.
Mr.. Cleveland said Il have only a
word to say; but l wish to be counted
among those who are in hearty sym
pathy with the purpose of this meet
ing. The influences which have called
us together tonight grow out of our
recognition of the promptings of Chris
tian civilization and our dutiful deVo-
ton to the best and deepest of our ma
tional characteristics. This demonstra-
ton furnishes cheering and reassuring
evidence that our sympathy for the OPP
pressed and abused, wherever they
may be- our American love of human
ity, and our attachment to justice and
right are still active and unimpaired.
There is something intensely horri-
BILE in the wholesale murder of unof-
Tending, defenseless men, women and
children, who have been tacitly, If not
expressly, assured of safety under the
protection of professed civilized gov
eminent. Such things give rise to a
distressing fear that even the enIight-
eminent of the twentieth century has
neither destroyed nor subdued the bar
barity of human nature, nor wholly
redeemed the civilized world from
mans inhumanity to man.
I'VE and all our countrymen, pro-
test in the strongest language at our
command and with the moral force
which our American citizenship gives
us, against these murders and out
RACES, and we insist that swift and
condign punishment ought to be visit
ed upon their barbarous perpetrators.
Cites Instances mt Home.
81 desire to avoid sounding a dis
cordant note; but yet cannot refrain
from the suggestion that the moral
effect of our protest and the useful
ness of this demonst ration will not be
lessened if we require indubitable
proof before we accuse the government
of Russia with guilty completely in
the crimes committed within her bor-
ders; and ii seems to me we may well
consider the proper relationship be-
tween nations, before we demand too
pronounced interference on the part
of our own government.
II do not say chat the Russian gov
eminent may not, by reasons of omis-
sion or commission, be justly deserv-
ing of our condemnation; but we
should not be swift to assume this,
when we remember that we ourselves
have found it impossible to prevent
mob violence and murderous assaults
in Wyoming and on the Italians in
Louisiana. l am distinctly and un-
equivocaliy in favor of informing our
government in unmistakable terms of
our indignant and deep condemnation
of the late outrages upon the Jews in
Russia; but I hope that in obedience
to the dictates of American conserva-
tism and moderation. which are never
long obscured. we may be even now
just and fair; and that we will be con-
tent to forego perplexing and extreme
demands upon our government for vio-
lent action.
COunseIed Such Meetings.
I'm the meantime let the people of
the United States, gathered together in
such assemblagcs as this in every part
Of the land, fearlessly speak to the
civilized world. protesting against
every pretenso of civilization that per-
Inits medieval persecution, against
every bigoted creed that forbids reli-
gious liberation and freedom of con-
science, against all false enlighten-
ment that excuses hatred and cruelty
towards any race of men and against
all spurious forms of government pro-
lection, that withhold from any human
being the right to live in safety and
toll in peace"