Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 October 1891 — WHY JEWS ARE EXPELLED. [ARTICLE]

WHY JEWS ARE EXPELLED.

Charged With Violating the Laws of Russia and Forging Police Permits. “In Darkest Russia” points out that Baron Hirsch’s scheme, if successful, can only provide for about 3 per cent, of the Russian Jews. A letter, which first appeared in the Anti-Jacobin, and which was signed “An Israelite Wanderer,” has been republished in the afternoon newspapers and is attracting considerable attention. It strongly defends Russia aud declares that the laws relating to the Jews are by no means so inequitable as imagined. Referring to the domicile law this letter says it has never been altered, but that it has operated with so little rigor that, one-third of the Jews reside today in governments from which they were excluded a generation ago. This, he says, is a sign of gradual improvement, which is the best to be expected from a semi-civilized country like Russia. Continuing, the writer of the letter mentioned says that 20,000 Jews reside in St. Petersburg and that a similar number reside in Moscow. “Expulsions,” he adds, “are entirely due to Jewish violations of the law. Ever since Russia opened her cities to Jewish traders they have been recognized by the guilds of professional men and mechanics. It has been the aim of the Hebrews who are excluded from that privilege to obtain a settlement in the central provinces. The Guild of Mechanics* certificates have been forged, fraudulent police permits have been printed and a regular trade in them has beep prosecuted for years. Certificates have also been used long after the original grantee was dead, and thus thousands of Jew* without means or a trade have settled in Russia, where they had no more right to be than a pauper emigrant has to land in New York. Numbers of mechanic* also have forsa a their regular occupation and have taken to peddling, thus violating the conditions under which’ they were allowed to settle.’ Others left the town, where they ought to have remained. Between 150,000 and 200,' 000 Jews now reside in Russia in

open violation of the law owing Icl fraudulent permits or by bribing of j ficals.' Being undisturbed they have' become more confident, and have in vested money in houses, which is against the law, and 'then when or j ders are received to enforce the domicle law the outside world hears ol wholesale expulsions, often accom j panied by brutality. But every Jew so expelled courted his own fate.; They all know what they are doing j when they pass the pale of their domicile. “Poor Jews suffer the most from the rigors of the law, being, as peddlers, porters and such like, at the. mercy of ever petty official, by whom they are hounded from pillar to post. If Baron Hirsch's scheme includes these poor Jews it takes up the most unpromising material it is possible to deal with. They have neither physique for field work or resource of any kind. They and their families must be supported from the money when they leave Russia until an indefinite date when they can maintain themselves unaided. The government will not allow the capable, sturdy better class, who are. all military reservists, to leave the country.”