The Jewish outlook. (Denver, Colo.) 1903-1913, 1905-09-29

reactionary was named as minister of the
interior. The evil influence of the Cars
uncle, the Grand Duke Sergius, whose tools
both Trepoff and Bulygn were, seemed to
be in the ascendant, and the vacillating ruler
of Russia appeared once more to have tight
ened the reins of unmitigated autOcracy.
Then, on February 18th, Sergius himself fell
in Moscow, MORALLY wounded by bomb
thrown by one Ivan Kolaiev-thank God, not
a Jew-although the Jews had undergone
unspeakable suffering and misery at his
hands during his incumbency as governor
general of Moscow.
The Jewish situation during the next few
months became worse. Anti-Jewish excuses
were enacted all over the Empire. Ant-Jew-
ish proclamations, accusing the Jews OF as
sisting the Japanese in the war were widely
circulated. In the Socialistic riots, particu-
larly in Poland CWarsaw and Lodz) Jews
naturally participated, the victims being
again largely Jews. The authorities with
unconcealed malice announced the arrest of
Jewish ringleaders or participants and in all
instances laid the blame at the door of the
Jew. Yet the Jew was simply taking part
in the general upheaval, paying dearly with
his blood. 1t is needless to say that the
Socialist Jews constitute but small fac
ton of Russian Jewry, the bulk of whom,
while sympathizing with the liberal move
ment and hoping for relief along legal lines,
are by interest and sentiment averse to
revolution and riot.
On the morning of the Russian Easter
y,
expected to witness all kinds of bloody dis
orders, the Gar published a decree, pro-
claiming absolute religious liberty for all
the subjects of the Empire. The decree was
in the form of rescript addressed to the
senate, in which the recommendations of
the committee of ministers approved.
The wording of the ministerial report
seemed to have in mind the heterodox Chris
tian communities rather than non-Christians
and Punch not altogether wrong in re-
marking that the Car had conceded reig-
ious freedom to all his subjects except the
Jews, and that it behooved the Jews to be
thankful for small mercies, as they retained
the right to die for their Gar in Manchuria."
1t was correctly pointed out by Jewish
writer's that the Jews of Russia, if they but
kept within the Pale, were seldom subjected
to religious disabilities, and the question in
regard to the Jews was political and eco
nomic rather than religious
In the meantime, Jewish massacres of a
most appalling character occurred during
the Russian Eastertide. AntiJewish dsor
derS enacted in seventeen cities and four
hundred and eighty villages and resulting in
the slaughter of $50 and the wounding of
5000 Jews, eliminated in the terrible butch
cries at Zhitomir, MAY 6th), Melitopol and
monotOnous resemblance to the Kishinef
outbreak-the semi-pubic preparation, the
passvity of the governor the cOnnivance
and participation of the police and soldiery
the concentration of the mob in the poor
Jewish quarter, the hideous mutilation of the
Jewish dead so that in Meitopol only one of
those killed is said to have been identi-
fed.
While the negotiations between the Rus
sian and Japanese plenipotentiaries, begun
at Portsmouth on August 9th, were proceed
ing with daily VARYING outlook for success