Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-24
Prosecuted for Centuries But
Refuse to Be CoWed,
Only 800 Schools in Cities and
Towns for 100000 Pupils.

Spouse to that direction was made in
1906 by Spencer Eddy, now American
minister to Rumania, and then charge
d'affaires at st. Petersburg.
One OF the most striking features of
the report, just made public, is the
reference to the extreme poverty in
the aSrarian colonies established for
the Jews. "One wooden spoon has to
suffice for an entire family" says Mr..
Eddy. AS the cost of one for each
member of the family cannot be borne,
and yet wooden spoon can be
bought for one and one half cents
While travelling through the country
in a sleigh on a shooting expedition l
once threw away a piece of newspaper
which had been used as wrapping for
a parcel. This happened in a village,
and those of the inhabitants who were
standing about almost fought one
another for it. On inquiry, l found
that they wished the piece of old
newspaper to make cigarettes out OF
and ito wrap things in" There is
lyingin hospital, supported by
charity, in ST Petersburg itself, where
it is a common occurrence for women
to wrap up their newly born children
in newspapers when leaving the
hospital for their homes, simply be
cause they cannot afford to buy even
a piece of flannel cloth suitable for
the purpose.
OF the nine or eleven millions OF
Jews in the world, Mr.. Eddy cst-
mates that 5,14O,000 live in thc
Russian empire.
The contemporary Russian laws,
Mr. Eddy states, divide the Jews into
four categories-the 'Caraime" jew
having the same rights as other
Russian subjects; the polish" Jew,
enjoying the rights of other subjects,
but only within the limits OF Poland
itself; foreign Jews, not permitted to
enter the Russian empire and become
naturalized, or to sojourn temporarily
in Russia without permission of the
ministry of the interior, and tn ;
Rabbnst Jews, having the rights Of
domicie only in certain sections of
the empire No Jews have the right
to live in Finland save those who
have been domiciled there from time
mmemoria. Mr.. Eddy adds that in
the provinces of kouban and OF
Terrek those only have the right of
domicile who have obtained a degree
Of arts or sciences.
Two classes of Jews enjoy the right
to travel about and to reside tenn
porarily in different parts of the en-
pire. Merchants of the first guild re-
gistcred in the cities within the pale
have the right to sojourn in other
governments for period not 70
exceed six months each year. Those
who have graduated from school,; and
wish to enter universities and other
higher schools have the right Of
domicile in all cities where there are
universities and schools of the highest
order Mr. Eddy says that it is a
significant fact that the right of uni
versal domicic and temporary So
journ is a personal right and does not
apply to the wife or children of tn ;
possessor. The Jews having the right
of permanent domcile are classified
as merchants of the first guild, those
having the degree of doctor of medi-
cine. doctor of laws, candidates for
these degrees and certain Other
Jewish doctors. Jews who ended their
military service before 1874. and
Jewish artisans of the highest class.
Mr.. Eddy reports that professional
careers are not very restricted so far
as the Russian Jews are concerned.
The number of Jews practicng law is
limited to 10 per cent. of the entire
body of lawyers throughout the en-
pire. so that it is rather difficult for
a Jew to obtain admission to the call
ing. saws the American diplomat. The
profession of teaching is forbidden to
Jews. whether in government institu-
lions FOR learning or whether in private
schools.
Special taxes are paid by the Jews,
according to Mr. Eddy, apart from the
taxes common to all subjects. Gener-
al taxes are assessed on all animals
killed for food. including chickens kill
ed after the Jewish custom. "There is
a special payment to the government"
says Mr. Eddy, 'for the right to sell
meat which has been killed and pre-
pared in accordance with the Hebrew
customs. This tax falls very heavily
upon several classes of the Jews. BY
those who do not observe the strict
teachings of the Mosaic creed 1T is not
felt at all. while those who live up to
their religion with all its usageS are
much affected A law was passed in
1S4S levying a tax upon every candle
burned by the Jewish families on Fri
day evenings. the revenue to be divld-
ed between public instruction of the
Jews and the administration, but Mr.
Eddy says that this candle tax now
exists only in name. A fixed sum IS
taken each year for the education of
the Jews in the cities and towns with
in the pale. Mr.. Eddy estimates there
are 500 Jewish schools with 100000 Jew
ish pupils. "but this number is really
insignificant, as more than two-thlrds
of the villages remain without schools
In commenting on his investigation
Mr.. Eddy saws that the Russian point
of view of the Jewish problem in Rus
STA is a religious feeling, while the
point of view of the Jew is purely
ethical. In developing this thought he
saws that the religion of the members
of the orthodox Greek church teaches
him that the Jew is not to be looked
upon as a fellow Christian. and the
severe tenets of the Christianity of
three centuries ago still hold the peo-
nile of the Russian empire, from the