The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-01-30
THE RUSSIAN REFUGEE.

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On the eve of retiring from Roose-
velt's cabinet to become United States
senator from New York, Secretary Of
State Root performed a meritorious act
in refusing to surrender Christian
Rudovitz, the political refugee, to the
Russian government. The case of Ru-
dovitz, who sought the United States
as an asylum of safety to escape death
or exile for his participation in the
political uprising in one of the Baltic
provinces of Russia, attracted the at
tention of the whole country. He WAS
falsely accused of murder and forgery
veloped on his trial before Commits
sioner Foote at Chicago that he was
only revolutionist against Russian
tyranny. and being only a political Of
fender Secretary Root denied the de-
mand Of Russia.
This decision is the most important
that has been given in the history Of
the United States upon the matter Of
eNtradition in many years and will
the same kind. That the United States
Will not surrender political refugees.
who flee from oppression, is made man.
ifest by this decision to all the gov
ernnents of the earth, and it is but
right and proper that Elihu Root
should get credit for his action in the
premises.
The arrest of Rudovitz and his at
tempted extradition created a storm of
protest in Chicago, which spread to
large cities all over the country where
there are large groups of foreigners.
A defense league was oganized in Chi
cago. with branches in Milwaukee, Min
neapolis, Des Moines, Omaha, Denver
and San Francisco Mass meetings
were held in all of these cities, and
resolutions We're adopted asking for the
release of Rudovitz and the abrogation
Of the treaty. Another series of mass
meetings and protests We're scheduled
for next Sunday, but the decision, on
the case will probably stop them.
The crime of which Rudovitz was ac-
cused occurred in January. 1905. at the
estate of Renen, in the province of
Courland, one Of the Baltic provinces
in Russia. Late at night band of
sixteen men entered the village, at
tackled the home of Theodore Kline,
who was the proprietor Of brick
yard. robbed him and killed his wife
and her aged parents, accusing them
of being spies of the government
against the revolutionists. Rudovitz
was accused of being one of the muir
derers.
Moro than a year later he left Rus
STA and went to Chicago, where he
found employment as d carpenter. He
was traced from Russia by that gov
ernment's agents and arrested at West
Pullman Oct. so. 1908. on a complaint
filed by Baron Schilling, the Russian
consul. He was taken before COM
missioner Foote, and at the hearing at
tcrneys employed by the defense or
CARNATIONS appeared in his behalf.
These attorneys were Clarence S.
barrow, Peter Sissman, Charles Che
ney Hyde and A. E. Norwich. Their
defense was that the killing of the
people at Benen was a revolutionary
act and Rudovitz's offense a political
one, for which he could not be ex-
tradited
If 1t had been clearly shown on the
the trial that Rudovitz was guilty Of
hcinous crimes. of course the United
States would hand him over to Rus
STA for punishment But political up
risings in the cause of liberty against
oppression and injustice has not been
considered a crime in the United States
from the foundation of the govern
ment. Many distinguished fugitives
have found a refuge and a home in
this republic, and in the future. as in
the past. the victims of tyranny Will
receive a welcome from the liberty
loving citizens of the land of the