The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1904-10-20
election Of Citizens.

Dispatches from st, Petersburg
represent the Russian Press as COM
mentlng in dazed manner upon the
efforts of the United States govern
ment 20 protect it's Jewish citizens in
| foreign countries. The Journal of
ST. Petersburg editorially character
ICES as "stupefying" an article in a
recent French paper which protested
to explain President lRoosevelts
desire to gain more liberal treatment
for Russian Jews naturalized in the
United States and revisiting Russia
with passports as American citizens,
In his letter of acceptance Presl-
dent Roosevelt gave an authoritative
account of the ground taken by his
own administration and that of
President Mckinley as regards the
protection of american citizens of
foreign birth, or of particular creed,
who desire to travel abroad the
phrase is quoted from the letter of
acceptance. 1t is alone as an eX-
ample of condensed and accurate
meaning, instructive. Continuing,
President Roosevelt says:
Russia, for instance, refuses to
admit and protect Jews. Turkey
re fuses to admit and protect certain
sects of Chris tians. This govern
ment has consistently demanded
equal protection abroad for all
American citizens, whether native
or naturalized. On March II, 1899,
Secretary Hay sent a letter Of in
struc Sions to all the diplomatic and
consular officers of the United States,
in which he said "This department
does not discriminate between native
born and naturaIized citizens in &C
cordirg them protection while they
are abroad, equality of treatment
being required by the laws of tie
United States.
These orders to our agents abroad
have been repeated again and again,
and are treated as the fundamental
rule of conduct laid down for them,
proceeding upon the theory that ali
naturaIiZed citizens of the United
States while in foreign countries
are entitled to and shall receive from
the government the same protection
of persons and property which is &C
corded to native born citizens.
He further declares that Ia issuing
passports the state depar tment
never discrlmates or alludes to any
mans religion, and that Sin granting
to every American citizen, native or
naturalized, Christian or Jew, the
same passport, SO far as it has
power it insists that all foreign
governments shall accept the pass
port as prima facie proof that the
person therein described is citizen
of the United states and entitled to
protectiod as such. 1t is standir g
order to every American diplomatic
and consular officer to protect every
American citizen, of whatever faith,
from unjust molestatior; and our
officers abroad have been stringently
required to comply with this order.
This enunciation of a course of
action is backed by the cause Of
justice. The reception recently
given the American idea of religious
liberty in certain quarters on the
continent of Europe attaches addi
tional pertinence to the criticism
with which Mr.. Roosevelt closed
that section of his letter which he
devoted to the discussion of the
theme. cit is a striking evidence"
he says, 'of our opponents insincer-
ity iu this mattee that with their
demand for radical action by the
state department they couple de-
mand for a reduction IN our small
military establishment. Yet they
must know that the heed paid to
our protests against i'll treatment of
our citizens will be exactly proper
toned to the belief in our ability TO
make these protests effective should i
the need arise s" ~