Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-02
Outbreak Against Them Used as Excuse
for Limiting Their Privileges
"PALE OF SETTLEMENT" AN EVIL POLICY
Regardless of B., - Belief, They Should
Ii - They Please.
PovF- & .RowlNG IN JEWISH TOWNS
Capitalists Are HRmpered In
Dealings and children Are Not
Allowed Usual Privi-
Ieges of schools.

ST PETERSBURG, July 1.-(special Ca
blegram to The Bee. MANY thousand Jews
in Russia have signed the following petit
ton which has been forwarded to the Rus
sian committee of ministers:
The laws and regulations affecting the
Jewish inhabitants of Russia which have
been passed during the last twenty-five
years nave apparently had for their aim the
transformation of the Jewish population
Numbering 100000 into so many beggars.
The fact that the mob in the year 1881 or
ganized numerous massacres OF the Jews
was employed by the authorities is an eX-
cuse for depriving the Jews of the right
to further establish themselves in villages
and to acquire property. But not only was
a new settlement of the land denied them
the officials made this the excuse for driving
out the Jews already living in the villages
in large numbers and herding them to-
gether still more in number of cities and
towns. These Jews who dealt within a zone
of fifty versts from the frontier who were
thus expelled had to wander thither. The
whole Russian realm was mapped out for
the Jews into three strictly separated dis
tricts.
The bulk of the Jews were only free to
live in the twenty-five departments COM
prising the so-called pale of settlement
The remainder of European Russia was
open only to those Jews who belonged to
merchants guild of the first class for ten
years, obtained an academic degree or were
skilled handicraftsmen.
For the latter class there was again
special pale of settlement" in European
mtted to reside in the departments OF Mos
COW and Taurien
Lastly, there was a district in Russia that
| remained forbidden ground for all Jews
without eXception-Siberia. Jews were not
| allowed to reside there under any circum
stances unless they had committed seri-
Gus crime and were banished thither. The
| result of this restriction of residence and
the expulsion of many thousands, which
| towns of the Pale of Settlement were seri-
| ousy overcfowded with Jews.
| Closely Herded Together.
| In spite of active emigration to European
| and other countries, not less than A., 900
| Jews lived in the few cities and towns of
| gether and competing bitterly against each
| other. In order that their entrance to the
schools might be hindered il was enacted
| that the number of Jewish scholars in at
| tendance at secondary schools should not
| exceed 10 per cent Admittance to the high
| schools was so far restricted that few Jews
| had the good fortune on the conclusion Of
| their career to nnd place in university.
to derive little advantage from the univer-
| sity course to assist them in their future
careers. Jews were then prevented from
filling any state or municipal office, and
also from holding any position in the zemst-
! vos. Even the practice of law only
permitted them after special license from
| the minister of justice had been obtained,
| and not single Jew in Russia has been
| admitted a barristeT during the last four
teen years. 1t may be said without eXag-
geration that the whole tendency of Rus
sian legislation has been to make the life
of Jews in Russia impossible.
| In towns of the pale of settlement the
Jewish population has often comprised no
less than 80 per cent Of the entire popula-
municipal rates notwithstanding this
Jews are not permitted to elect representa-,
possessed neither an active nor a passive
vote. The Jewish population had to be
governed by a non-Jewish magistracy ant
their taxes collected by strange, and, IL
| part, hostile persons. The result of al
these petty expedents and measures was
finally that the authorities in St. Peters
burg were seized with fear and trembling
Not less than 20 per cent of the entire
POPULATION ,,hs Of the Jewish pale OF settle
wretchedness that they have to be sup
ported from charitable sources.
Poverty is Great.
In great Jewish communities like thos,
of Wilma, Rerdtcheff and Odessa the mum
ber of the. Jewish poor amounts to a.
of the Jewish communities an enormous
not To-Day It may exs
D on the morrow. The simple weapon whicl
e ton tor With his ZEN empioyer"the power Of ieav
8 ing his work and seeking better condition
= possible of use on account of the limita
I ton of freedom of movement and tn
t prohibition of residence elsewhere than 4
- the few towns of the pale of settlement
, | IL they do not wish to die of hunger o
d go begging Jewish workmen must submit
( unreservedly to the conditions prescribe
:, ! by the manufacturers. The Jewish capt
II talists, too, are seriously injured by tn
= burdensome effect of the special regua
n tions, which have. owing TO the restrain
of the May laws, taken from them ever
i freedom of action, and deprived them OF tn
/ power of disposing OF their products
y The only possible method of ameioratin
1t the deeply sad condition of the Jews lie
J. in freeing them from the harassing OF
;, pression under which they labor, so tha
, they shall enjoy equality of rights sue
r. as obtains in other European states. Men
= to the freedom of religious practice an
IT ton Of municipalities and the zemstvC
1t the Jews must have the right Of fire
,. places Jews must have freedom to choos
u their vocation, to acquire property, an
IF without restriction, To obtain education
r. / the schools. Freedom of movement an
. the power TO choose at will calling; al
Is Conditions without which a well ordere
te state is unthinkable; Only by such rish
'e ability and strength, to obtain a livelihoC
I'd in the manner that suits him best,