The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-12-08
THE TREATY WITH RUSSIA.

promises of both political parties and
the growing popular demand, Presi-
dent Taft has demanded of Russia
| recognizing the right of Jewish citi.
zens to travel and do business in that
country without restrictions.
1t is high time that Russia should
be brought to account in this matter
under penalty of abrogation OF the
treaty of 1882. The protest against
Russian non-observance of this treaty
began forty years ago, and every sec
rotary of state since Blaine has Off
cially protested to the Russian govern
ment that the American interpreta-
ton of the treaty is that every Ameri-
can citizen shall be accorded the
same rights of travel and of doing
business in Russia which are accord
ed to Russian citizens in the United
States. The Russian government, on
the contrary, has insisted that pass
ports issued to American citizens for
travel or doing business in Russia
shall be subject to the laws and rules
and regulations of Russia, under
which there is an admitted discrim-
nation between Christian and Jewish
citizens In carrying out this policy,
the Russian government has gone SO
far, 1t is said, as to wise the passports
of American citizens at their consul
ates in New York, Chicago, and else
where, with especial reference to the
religion of the passport. In this way,
Catholic priests and protestant mis-
sionaries have been denied entrance
into Russia, while Jewish citizens
have been Disseminated against in al
most every conceivable way.
During the Cleveland administra-
ton an extradition treaty with Russia
was negotiated at the instance of that
country. A protest was lodged against
such treaty at the time, it being
strongly suspected In some quarters
that an attempt would be made under
lit to extraditeF political prisoners.
Such an attempt was actually made
| two years ago. 1t is said that the fin
al negotiation of the treaty was ac-
complished on a promise that Russia
would either negotiate new treaty of
trade and commerce to take the place
of the treaty of 1882 or would amend
its method of administration of that
! treaty in manner satisfactory to the
United States.
| The position of those who now WISH
congress to move in the direction of
abrogating the treaty with Russia of
1882 is this:
They hold that Russia has no right
to interpret the treaty or to admins
| ter it as it does, and that, in discrim-
| mating against American citizens, it
/ is violating the. treaty They do not
favor the immediate abrogation of the
treaty on that ground, but prefer that
advantage be taken of the clause re-
! curing one years notice to be given
] before abrogation takes place
Secondly, if Russia is right in it's in
depreciation OF the treaty, then the
treaty they hold, is unconstitutional
on the ground that it permits discrim-
4 ination between American citizens
i either because of their religious belief
or previous condition. They hold, al
so, that such a treaty would not and
could not have been entered into by
the United States in 1882 if it had
been known at that time that Russia
had intended to interpret the docu-
ment as has been DONE
While those who press for the abro.
cation of the treaty at this time adj
NIT that Russia cannot be compelled
to accept their view, which they be-
lieve Is the broad American view,
they do feel that they are in a posi-.
ton to ask for their own government
to stand for and proclaim the prin-
ciple for which it is understood to
stand, namely, the right of all Ameri.
can citizens to equal opportunity both
at home and abroad. The claim has
been made that, if the Russian treaty
is abrogated, it will have a disastrous
effect upon American trade and
commerce with Russia. The answer
of those who desire action is that
even without treaty, trade and com
merce would be little affected, unless
isuooio uCoiSb W pISNeut lt5 OWL
citizens from selling goods in Amer.
ca. They believe that Russian buy
ers and also selling agents, for tina,
matter, will not be interfered with in
this country.
AS to the reason for the discrimina
ton in Russia against American Jews
the belief is prevalent among those
who are pressing for action that it is
largely domestic question i'll Russia
1t has recently been stated that, be
fore Russia can revise the treaty OF
1892, the question must be referred Ia
4 the Duma. An attempt has been made
to exonerate the bureaucratic govern.
ment of Russia, and to lay the blame
for the present situation upon the
people, whose representatives the
members of the Duma are To this
representation the proponents of alb.
rogation reply that if the car will
take the initiative the Duma may be
expected to respond to his will and
they point out that the car has al
ready gone so far as to adjourn the
Duma for one week during which he
| ar 11tl