Show written address of american hebrews to witte new york aug 30 what Is announcer to be the full text of a letter concerning dussias Rus sias treatment of the jewa submitted to sergius witte the russian peace envoy by a committee of hebrew bankers and merchants la published today by the american the communication Is signed by jacob jacob adolph Lewla ohn and others it covers thoroughly the arguments and contentions of the commit tee mado before mr witte by the delegation recently for the amelioration ot the conditions under which people ot tho hebrew race now live in the land of emperor nicholas civil and political liberty for the jews baan equality with all other russian sub ejects Is the keynote ot the communication mindful ct our privileges in meol ing you during your recent slay at portsmouth the letter says we desm it well before you leave the united states and return to your own country to submit in writing it only for a thorough understanding or for further reference comet the statements to which we gave expression when we had the privilege of visiting you and of listening to your valuable views we believe that the claim of the russian government that the question of the condition of the hebrews in russia is a purely domestic one with which the people and government of other countries have no concern can no longer be maintained when a government either through the application of exceptional laws or by other means forces great masses of its subjects to seek to improve their condition through emigration to other countries the people of these countries which give an asylum to such refugees from persecution and oppression nay with entire propriety crit icide the conditions which have caused such an influx into their country and may properly insist that these condl tlona shall be improved A manner and to such an extent that the causes of the forced mediation shall cease to exist and this without justifying the charge that they are meddling with affairs that should not concern them this we believe to be the attitude of the american people in general we as jews have the added interest in the condition of the jews in russia which ates of race and faith always and properly call forth and we deem it therefore nothing less than our plain duty to do all in our power to procure an amelioration in their status As we stated to you at our conference it is our very decided conviction that nothing but the granting of full civil rights to the jewish subjects of the czar will entirely remove the conditions which have been the cause of so much disturbance in russia and adverse criticism abroad you have answered us that the russian jew in general is not sufficiently prepared for the exercise of full civil rights and that the russian people la such that the jew cannot be placed on an equal footing with them without causing serious internal disorders and you have suggested that it might b advisable and practicable gradually to existing disabilities and thus to prepare the way for an eventual total granting of civic equality As to this we aver that ui e million or more russian jews who have come to the united states have become good citizens notwithstanding their sudden emergency from the darkness into ahe most intense daylight of political and civil liberty and that they have shown themselves entirely equal to tho responsibility which has been placed upon them as citizens of this great republic nor has it ever been different in modern history and experience napoleon in 1808 germany at a somewhat later period and angland even in time granted without injury to the state full civil rights to the jews living then under conditions much darker than those under which they now live Is russia while it may be true that a state of enmity against the jews exists among part of the russian people tor which the russian government Is to some extent responsible still in our opinion placing the jew at once on a footing of equality with the rest of the population would cause no more friction than each one of the steps leading to the same end this very objection urged by ou seems to us a good reason why this should be settled once and for all instead of allowing it to drag on painfully creating new disturbances at every stage the claim tant among the ranks of those who in russia are seeking to undermine governmental authority there are a considerable number of jews may perhaps be true in fact it bo rather it some of those so terribly afflicted by persecution and exceptional laws should not at baat havo turned against merciless oppressors but it Is sate to assort that as a whole the jewish population of russia la law abad ing and there Is little doubt that given civil rights with all the opportunities tuni ties ahi ch this will carry with it the jew in will beco meas valuable a member of the and provo to be as ardent a lover of his country aa have been the jews of every country which baa accorded them rights as citizens the fact will not be disputed chaa in the united states the jew has become an ardent easland a loyal engllish man in france a patriotic frenchman and in germany a thorough german the people of the united states as must be known to you are close observers of all that is taking place in russia during this momentous period of her existence their sympathies are tor the time being alienated from russia because liberty and justice loving they have recoiled from the horrors of and from the terrible conditions which though long exists ing havo only now been fully disclosed jewish influence in the united states especially political already carries great weight and la steadily increasing being constantly recruited from the large immigration of russian jews can it bo expected that the influence of he american jew upon public opinion will be exerted to the ad cantago of the country which systematically ati cally degrades his brethren ln jaee making their lives almost unendurable no matter bow many jews may immigrate there will always remain a minimum of aix or seven million jews in russia and thus it appears quite evident that the russo jewish question must be settled in russia settled promptly and thoroughly in the enlightened spirit which your imperial master has shown in so many other instances this vexatious question will remove at once and forever a factor so damaging to russia at home and abroad we therefore earnestly hope that the exchange of views which has token place between us may lead to that solution which we are convinced you and the other best minds of your country actually desire |