The news & observer., 1905-12-02

something Of separateness III theif so.
| cial life among us: but this should be
naturally expected among those who
are not altogether free from the dis,
position born Of persecution and the
loss of nationality to seek in com
mon devotion to their peculiar relig-
iouS creed the strongest bond of their
social felloWships. And yet. with il
all. thev are by no means laggard in
the civic duty and the work in behalf
of the General welfare of the State
which are the badges of good citizen
ship.
Roger Williams, the pioneer of re-
ligiouS liberty in America, expressed
the fear, long before the United states
became a nation, that England and the
other nations had a. score to pay to
the Jews, and he added these words:
4 desire not the liberty to myself
which | would not freely and impair
ti4Iiv weigh ont to all the consciences
of the world beside" Our nation. will
have no score 10 pay to the Jews. A
a people we shall never suffer the hu-
initiation of appealing to them for
favorS with the Shamefacedness of IN
tolerance unforgotten and unforgiyen.
the Jews of the United States have
become our fellow citizens, and. like
us. have at heart the prosperity and
safety of our common country. for
asmuch as we have desired not that
liberty to ourselves which we would
not freely and impartially weigh out
to all the consciences of th, world
beside"
Letter From the President.
The letters from President Roose-
welt and Vice President Fairbanks,
next We're read. President Roose
Velt'S letter follows:
II am forced to make a rule not
to write letters ON the occasion of any
ceIebraton, no matter how important,
simply because / can not write one
without either committing myself to
write hundreds of others or else run
ming the risk of giving ofrense TO
worthy persons. / make an exception
in this case, because the lamentable
and terrible suffering to which SO
many of the Jewish people in other
lands have been subjected makes me
feel it my duty as the head of the
American people, not only to express
my deep sympathy for them, as / now
do. but at the same time to point out
what fine qualities of citizenship have
been displayed by the men of Jewish
faith and race. who, having come to
this country, enjoy the benefits of free
institutions and equal treatment be-
that if any people are oppressed any
where, the wrong inevitably reacts in
the end on those who oppress them;
for it is an mmutable law in the
spiritual world that no one can wrong
others and yet in the end himself eS-
cape unhurt.
''The celebration of the 250th ami
versary of the settlement of the Jews
i'm the United States properly empha-
sizes a series of historical facts of
more than merely national signifi-
canoe. Even in our colonial period the
Jews participated in the upbuilding of
this country, acquired citizenship, and
took an active part in the develop
ment of foreign and domestic com
merce. During the Revolutionary
period they aided the cause of lib
erty by serving in the Continental
army and by substantial contribu-
tions to the empty treasury of the re-
public. During the Civil War thous-
ands served in the armies and mingled
their blood, with the soil for which
they fought. l am glad to be able to
say, in addressing you on this occa-
sion that while the Jews of the
United States, who number more than
million. kave remained loyal to
their faith and their race traditions,
they have become indissolubly incor-
porated in the great army of American
citizenship, prepared to make all sac
rifice for the country, either in war
or peace, and striving for the per-
petuation of good government and
for the maintenance of the principles
embodied in our Constitution. They
are honorably distinguished by their
industry, their obedience to law, and
their devotion to the national welfare.
They are engaged in generous rivalry
with their fellow citizens of other de-
nominations in advancing the inter-
ests of our common country. Tbs
is true not only of the descendants
of the early settlers and those of
American birth, but of great and
constantly increasing proportion of
those who have come to our shores
within the last twenty-five years as
refugees reduced to the direct straits
of penury and misery. All Ameri-
cans may well be proud of the ex-
traordinary illustration of the wis
dom and strength of our governmental
system thus afforded. In few years,
men and women hitherto utterly un-
accustomed to any of the privileges of
citizenship have moved nightly up
ward toward the standard of loyal,
self-respectng American citizenship;
of that citizenship which not merely
insists upon its rights, but also eagerly
recognizes its duty to do its full share
of the material, social and moral ad-
vancement of the nation"