Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-12-23

that paper:
Maryland played conspicuous part
in the debate over the Russian treaty
in the Senate today. Both Senator
Smith and Senator Rayner made strong
lspeeches and their part in the discus
lsion was an important one.
This was the first extended speech
ISenator Smith has delivered in the Sen
ate and it was generally conceded that
he has made an extremely forceful and
defective presentation of the case. At
the conclusion of his address he was
warmly congratulated by a number of
lSenators on both the Republican and
Democratic sides, who particularly COM
lmended him upon the soundness of his
arguments and the fairness of his re-
marks.
Both Maryland Senators took the po-
sition that the present treaty between
the United States and Russia should be
abrogated on the ground that its provis-
ions had been violated by Russia and
that the time had arrived when immedi-
ate and emphatic action to protect the
rights of its citizens must be taken by
this country.
Senator Smith said:
II am in hearty accord and sympathy
with the spirit and purpose of the reso-
luton now before the Senate.
"The time has come when there
lok ~ ha in a
mind of any Senator that the treaty
made by and between the Government
of the United States and Russia ought
to be terminated in the legal and orderly
way provided by the treaty itself.
.The only section of the treaty of
1882 in dispute ought to be perfectly
clear to all. 1t provides that:
There shall be between the terrtor-
les of the high contracting parties a
reciprocal liberty of commerce and nav
ligation. The inhabitants of these re-
spective States shall mutually have lib
erty of commerce and navigation. The
inhabitants of these respective States
shall mutually have liberty to enter the
ports, places or rivers of the territories
of each party wherever commerce is
permitted. They shall be at liberty to
sojourn and reside in all parts whatever
of said territories in order to attend to
their affairs and they shall enjoy to that
effect the same security and protection
as natives of the country where they
reside on condition of their submitting
to the laws and ordinances there pre-
vailing, and particularly to the regula-
tions in force concerning commerce.
Every Secratary of State since 1880
knows, that, the enforcement of the
rights secured to American citizens by
that treaty, whether native-born or
Inaturalized citizens, has been resisted
by Russia in those cases where Ameri-
can citizens of Jewish faith particularly
and also American missionaries, Pr0tes-
tant and Catholic, have asked for pass
ports to enter Russian territory.
1.-The Russian Government has per-
Isistently refused and still refuses, to
admit such American citizens within the
boundaries of the Empire for even a
Temporary sojoarn, whether on business
or for pleasure, or for social and family
reasons, and this exclusion is practiced
and professedly based solely and simply
on account of the religious beliefs of
those of our citizens who are in the
classes Objectionable to the Russian
Government.
'Tt is equally true that every Secra-
tary of State since 1880 has endeavored.
through the usual diplomatic channels.
to secure from Russia full and fair
recognition and acceptance of the rights
written in the treaty of 1882 for our
aw-abiding. law-loving citizens who for
some proper and legitimate reason have
occasion to visit the Russian Empire.
''The result convinces us Of the hope
lessness of our efforts and the futility
of further diplomatic negotiations. es-
lpecially when we reflect that all the
Igenius and energy of Mr.. Evarts, MIR.
Bayard and Mr.. Hay, all of them now
Igone, and also of our living Secretaries
of State for the United States. have
failed, after 80 years trial to convince
the Russian Government that the relig-
ion of an American citizen has no rela-
tion to his civil rights: and further, that
his religion must not be used as reason
or pretext to deprive him Of the equal
lprotection of every law enforceable by
our Government.
"If it be that the mere presence Of
Jews from these United States within
the Russian borders can in any way
Iprove detrimental to the established in
ternal domestic order there, foment
|dscord and disorder, or is contrary TO
lany indispensable domestic regulation,
Ordinance or policy, or is in the judg-
Iment of the governing authority OF the
Russian Empise calculated to destroy or
disturb the country's political eqnili-
brium. Russia might, without being
placed in the invidious and untenable
position of apparently seeking to avoid
Tor evade solemn compact with friend
Ily nation, have avoided internal dangers
and foreign criticism by an open an
Inounc sment of her desire to terminate
this treaty in perfectly legal and regu-
liar wav. Such was her remedy, and
such will be ours.
1.-THE worst that can happen by rea-
Ison Of abolishinG the treaty is simply