New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-26


The dsy Of April 4, 1917, will go
down to postcrity as the day that WIZ
messed the greatest progress in the
history Of intellectual humanity since
the French Revolution. For on that
day 142 peoples residing in the NUS
alan empire were endowed with the
great gift OF religious liberty. Through
this gift not only has the Russian Or
thodox Church, artificially ossihed oy
the old regime. regained freedom OIL
movement and the possibility OF deVei-
opment, but all the other creeds ana
denominations in the vast empire OF
Russia have been freed from external
pressure, and their representatives and
sdherents from persecution and OPP
preston.
The decree Of the Russian Provisional
Government repeating all restrictive
laws against the various creeds and de'
nominations has opened the way for new
spiritual and intellectual Development
in Eastern Europe; has sbrogated' with
ono stroke Of the pen, the supremacy
Of the Orthodox Church; has destroyed
the old alliance between Church ana
State. and has introduced equality OF
rights for all citizens before the law.
This great act of separation, not being
accompanied By any anti-religious ten
denotes on the part of the government
and dictated only By motives of pollti-
cal ethics, must appear to the historian
as a more important deed than even
the declaration of the rights OF man
or the separation of State from Church
by the French people.
The great emancipation act OF New
Russia exceeds in Importance those acts
Of the French people, not only because
OF it's entirely ethical motivation, but
also because il affects many more peo-
ple, and is therefore bound TO produce
greater historical effects. Needless to
say, the law will prove TO be blessing
to every church and denomination in
the Russian empire, from the Russian
Orthodox Church, that has for years
been yearning for possibilities of inner
development. TO the most humble Chris
tian sect in the interior of Russia.
Oppressed and Maltreated
But more than the Christian denom-
irations and churches will the nom
Christian be affected by the law, espe.
cially the mosche and the synagogue.
Under the old regime 20,000,00O Ma
hometans in the Russian Empire, whose
LOYALTY to Russia was never doubted
even by the reactionaries, were badly
oppressed and maltreated and put
under the exceptional laws. However,
the oppressive laws directed against the
Russian Mahometans in the form OF
restrictions against tho mosche were
nothing in comparison with the oppres-
sive laws directed against 7,OOO,OOO
Jews. In the case Of the Jews the OPP
preSsiye laws were. Of course, directed
against the adhercnts of the synagogue
only, and as soon as an individual Jew
gave up the synagogue he was admitted
into full citizenship. Thus, it was not
the race that was made the object Of
oppression, but the synagogue, and by
the repeal Of all the laws that we're
directed against the synagogue by the
old regime the 7,00O.0 900 oppressed Jews
in Russia were automatically freed.
There are few people who realize. the
extent of the former oppression, and
Who can therefore sufficiently estimate
sthe Importance Of the present emanci-
patton as inaugurated and accomplished
oy the Provisional Government 1t
gas known, of course, to every educated
man in Europe and America that the
Russian Jews were somewhat hampered
n their movements and were forbidden
TO do this and that, and that they did
not enjoy all the rights which were
enjoyed b. the Christian subjects of
the Car, but only few knew that
the policy of carbon against the Jews
had the object of literally annihilating
the Jewish people in Russia, and that
the oppressive laws directed against
them were more barbaric and inhu-
name than all the medieval laws
against the Jews.
Text of Repeal
The following official text OF the re-
peal Of Jewish restrictions furnishes
some insight into the extent Of the
enormities practised by the old regime:
Decision of the Provisional Govern
ment Repeal of religious and national
restrictions.
being conclusively convinced that in
a free country all citizens should be
equal before the law, and that the
conscience of the people cannot be
reconcled with limitations on the
rights of citizens based on their re-
lgion and origin,
1.-THE Provisional Government de-
crees:
"All existing legal restrictions upon
tho rights of Russian citizens. in con-
nection with this or that faith, re-
ligious teaching or nationality, are re-
voked.
ain accordance with this:
"Repealed are all the laws existing
for Russia as a whole, as well as those
of separate localities, the limitations
concerning:
"(n Selection of place Of residence,
and change of residence or movement;
"(2) Acquiring rights Of ownership
and other material rights in all kinds
of movable and immovable property,
ana Likewise in tie possession of, the
use and the managing OF all property,
or receiving such security:
"(3) Engaging in all kinds of trades,
commerce and industry. not excepting
mining; also equal participation in tho
bidding for government contracts, de-
lveries. and in public auctions;
"(4) Participation in joint stock and
other commercial or industrial COM
panies and partnerships, and also en-
ployment in these companies and part
nerships in all kinds of positions.
either by elections or by hiring:
"(5) Employment Of servants. sales
men. foremen. laborers, and trade ap-
prentices;
"(6) Entering the government ser