Mr. Breckinridge to
Mr. Olney.
Legation of the United States,
St. Petersburg, August 28, 1895.
(Received Sept. 19.)
No. 133.]
Sir: Referring to my No. 116, of July 24, in
regard to the refusal of the Russian consul at New York to visé the
passports of American citizens of Jewish descent, I now have to inclose
copy and translation of a note dated August 12/24, from Prince Lobanow,
in response to my request for a copy of the laws and regulations bearing
upon the administration of foreign Jews.
I also inclose copy and translation of the laws in question.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
133.—Translation.]
Prince Lobanow to
Mr. Breckinridge.
Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Department of
Internal Relations,
St.
Petersburg, August 12/24,
1895.
Mr. Minister: Answering the request which
you have had the goodness to express in your note of July 8/20 last,
I have the honor to transmit to you herewith a translation, made
from the most recent authentic texts, of the Russian laws governing
the conditions of entrance and establishment of foreign Israelites
upon the territory of the Empire.
Since you have had the goodness to refer to it, and in conformity
with what I have had the honor to explain to you in my preceding
note, the Russian law places certain restrictions on the entrance of
Israelites in question on our territory; but these restrictions are
far from implying an absolute interdiction, and they have their
source in considerations of a kind essentially administrative and
economic.
The Imperial Government, having already many millions of Jewish
subjects, only admits their congeners of foreign allegiance when
they seem to present a guaranty that they will not be a charge and a
parasitic element in the State, but will be able, on the contrary,
to be useful to the internal development of the country. It is
because he had it
[Page 1069]
in
view to protect himself from an influx of a proletariat of this
nature that the Russian legislator has established clearly the
categories of Israelites of whom the entrance on our territory can
be admitted.
Receive, Mr. Minister, etc.,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
133.—Translation.]
Provisions of the Russian law relative to the
entry of foreign Israelites and their establishment on the
territory of the Empire, as also their admission to Russian
subjection.
- I.
- Foreign Israelites, and especially those who are agents of
important foreign commercial houses, are permitted to visit the
manufacturing and commercial localities of Russia, known as
such, and to reside there a certain length of time according to
the circumstances of the case. It is the province of the
ministry of the interior to authorize the requests presented to
this end by the Israelites in question. But in the case of a
banker or chief of a commercial house1 of known importance, the legations and
consulates may, even without previous authorization from the
ministry of the interior, issue and visé passports for them to
enter Russia, according to the same regulations which apply to
all foreigners who come upon Russian territory, but under the
condition of informing the ministry of the interior of every
passport granted or viséd for an Israelite of that category.
(Art. 289, T. XIV of Res. of Laws, Edit, of 1890.)
- II.
- Foreign Israelites are not permitted to establish themselves
in Russia, nor to become Russian subjects.
- Remark.—Exception to this rule is
made in favor of Israelites native of Central Asia without
distinction as to the subjection to which they belong. These
Israelites, on presentation by them of a certificate of good
conduct in due form, may receive from the ministry of the
interior and from the respective governors-general authorization
to become Russian subjects, being included in the rolls of the
population of the frontier towns of the Province of Orenburg or
of Turkestan, under the condition of their entering the merchant
guilds, and being admitted to the enjoyment of the rights
conferred on Jewish Russian subjects. (Art. 992, T. IX of Res.
of Laws, Edit, of 1890.)
- III.
- Among foreign Israelites there are permitted to establish
themselves in a permanent manner in the regions where Israelites
enjoy the right of permanent establishment, only the following
categories:
- First. Those whom the Government judge necessary to
exercise the functions of rabbi.
- Second. Physicians whom the Government can employ in
the administration of war and the navy.
- Third. Those who come to Russia for the purpose of
founding factories and works, except brandy
distilleries, and who furnish proof that they provide a
capital for that purpose of at least 15,000 rubles.
These Israelites on entering Russia must engage in
writing to found these establishments within three
years. In default of this engagement they will be
expelled from the territory of the Empire. If this
engagement has been fulfilled they may become Russian
subjects on matriculating for this purpose according to
law.
- Fourth. Operatives whom the Jewish manufacturers bring
to work in the factories. They are admitted on
presentation, first, of their passports, second, of
certificates of Russian legations or consulates
containing statements of their condition, of their
former occupation, of their trade, of the name of the
person who brought them, and of the purpose for which
they are destined. These operatives are admitted to live
permanently in the regions where Jews have the right to
establish themselves permanently, and can take oath for
the purpose of being received into
[Page 1070]
Russian subjection after
not less than five years of sojourn in the factories,
after they have received from their patrons and from the
local authority a certificate of good habits and
industry. (Art. 290, T. XIV of Res. of Laws, Edit.
1890.)
- IV.
- Foreigners are authorized to take out patents for engaging in
commerce (certificates of guilds) and trade, and to enjoy all
the rights pertaining to the possession of these patents, on the
same footing as persons born in the subjection of the
Empire.
- Remark.—With regard to Jewish
foreign subjects, the following rules are established: It is
permitted to foreign Jews coming to Russia, and who are
favorably known for their social position and for the extent of
their commercial business—and this each time in virtue of a
special authorization granted on agreement to that effect
between the ministers of finance, of the interior, and of
foreign affairs—to engage in commerce in the Empire and to
establish in it banking offices, on being furnished with a
patent of commerce of the first guild for that purpose. It is
permitted equally to these Israelites to establish factories, to
acquire and hold or lease real estate, except land inhabited in
the country, observing the provisions of the laws relative to
civil conditions.
Those Israelites who come into Russia to buy Russian products and
export them, may receive equally commercial patents of the first
guild, after an agreement has been established to that effect, each
time, between the ministers of finance, of the interior, and of
foreign affairs. Foreign Israelites, especially those who are agents
of important commercial houses, can visit the manufacturing and
commercial localities known as such, in Russia, in virtue of the
provisions prescribed in the regulation of passports (see above Par.
I). (Art. 1001, T. IX of Res. of Laws, Edit, of 1890.)
