utions. On the contrary,
according to Gradovsky, the limitations within the "Pale" did not
apply to persons desiring to obtain a higher education, namely to
those entering the medical academy, the universities, and the
Institute of Technology. Gradovsky refers to the continuation of the
"Code of Laws," of 1868. The book was published in 1875, while this
freedom was in full swing. Within the "Pale," the Jews had equal
commercial rights with other citizens. Until the Polish rebellion of
1863 the Jews were permitted to own real estate, not only in cities
but also in rural districts. After the rebellion this was forbidden to
them as well as to the Poles. The foreign Jew could come to Russia
freely and register on the same foreign passport as would be required
from any other citizen of that country.

From what has been said, it follows that many of the limitations,
which at present weigh down upon the Jews have been created only
recently. The present reign, too, was begun with measures favoring the
Jew. In 1903, in spite of the fact that the Jews, in accordance with a
law which was confirmed in 1872, were forbidden to live in villages
even within the "Pale," two hundred of these villages were turned into
towns, and later fifty-seven more were added to this number. The
measure rendered these places legally habitable by the Jews. On August
11, 1904, a law was passed wherein it was emphatically stated that
Jews who were graduates from a university were to be permitted to live
freely everywhere in the Empire. But since the repression of the
revolutionary movement, this privilege has become a pretext for the
restriction of the admittance of Jews into higher educational
institutions.

From the viewpoint of the interests of the Russian state, the existing
disabilities of the Jews are detrimental both to our economic life,
and to the mutual relations among our citizens; they also work havoc
upon the progress of education as well as upon the raising of the
general level of our culture. Measures limiting a portion of the
population in its rights to acquire property, to obtain an education
in middle and higher state schools, to assume the responsibilities of
a judge or of a lawyer, and, in general, restraining its freedom to
pursue a professional career--are clearly irreconcilable with the
promises given us in the manifesto of the 17th of October, 1906.

The fear that the granting of equal rights to the Jews may deprive the
peasant