Evening star., 1906-03-15
RAY OF HOPE FOR jews
Gar Amazed at Revelations by
Jewish Deputation.
THE JEWISH ISSUE RAISED
Count Witte Advised to Settle Cues
ton Forthwith.
EQUAL RIGHTS BILL PREPARED
Premier Asked Permission to Resign
Because of Innumerable Difficult
ties of His Position.
THE JEWISH ISSUE RAISED
EQUAL RIGHTS BILL PREPARED

ST. PETERSBURG, March 15.--Out OF
the violent anti-Semitic agitation OF ine
~eactionists which enabled Premier Wit.e
and the liberal section of the CABINET 10
fcrce Interior Minister Durnovo to issue
H. lstructions to the provincial authorities 10
prevent massacres and prosecute the per-
~ans guilty of instigating them, may come
unexpected good to the members OF the
oppressed race. The entire Jewish ques-
ton has been raised in acute form and
may be settled forthwith. The emperor
Is said to be amazed at the revelations
made by the Jewish deputation which the
premier received in audience March Z, and
to have informed Count Witte that it was
urgently necessary to settle the question
Immediately.
Count Witte who has steadily supported
the plea for equal rights for the Jews, but
who heretofore had not contended that IL
was a matter for the national assembly 10
settle, is understood to have talked quite
bIuntly to his majesty regarding the IN
Vulnerable difficulties which his opponents
were raising on this and other questions,
and he is saiA to have gone to the extent
of requesting permission to resign the pre-
miership
The emperor, it is added, would not listen
to It, insisting that Count Witte must re-
main in office, and at the same time In
ing for the equality of the Jews for pres
entation to the national assembly.
Such bill according the Jews equality
except in eligibility to positions in the Of
fetal and military services is now said TO
have been prepared.
Leading Jews Opposed.
Leading Jews Of the empire. like Baron
Gunsburg, however. knowing full well the
hostility of large class of Russians to the
Jews and fearing an adverse decision. which
would only further prejudice the power of
their co-religionists, are opposed to the sub
mission of the question to the assembly.
They maintain that the manifesto of Oc-
tober 30 specifically declared that all sub
jects were equal before the law that the
question is de jure already settled and that
it is the duty of the government to imme-
diately promulgate q law providing equal
ity, and protect the Jews in the exercise of
full rights
The efforts of a section of the social
democrats and radical elements to produce
another uprising and general strike as a
protest against the repressions are not
meeting with much success, and seem to
be doomed to failure for the present The
leaders, however declare that If the repres-
sion continues. as they expect 1t VIII only
require some sudden, sensational develop
ment to again set the country af1ame.
Tortures of Political Prisoners.
Prof Courtenay. member of the Acad-
emy of Sciences in an open letter today de-
scribes the horrible tortures to which he
asserts the political prisoners at Warsaw
were subjected by Chief of Police Greun
He cites as examples two cases in which
prisoners were starved and on four consecu-
tive nights were beaten with clubs, jumped
on, their hair pulled out by the roots and
the soles of their feet cut with knives until
they signed statements confessing their
guilt
The League of the Russian People and
other reactionary organizations claiming to
represent half million members have pre-
sented an address to Minister Of War Rudi-
ger, thanking the troops for their work in
restoring order and requesting that 1t be
communicated to the soldiers throughout
the empire.