of the Jewish artisans beyond the Pale not only with their families but also with Jewish domestics, Valuyev argued that this privilege “will enable Jewish business men of all kinds to reside in the interior governments, under the guise of employes of their coreligionists.”  “The Jews,” according to Valuyev, “will endeavor to transfer their activity to a field economically more favorable to them, and it goes without saying that they will not fail to seize the first best opportunity of exploiting the places of the Empire hitherto inaccessible to them.”  The Council of State passed the law in the formulation of the Ministry of the Interior, adding the necessary precautions against the entirely legitimate endeavor of Jewish business men “to transfer their activity to a field economically more favorable to them.”

After nine years of preparation, on June 28, 1865, Alexander II. finally gave his sanction to the law permitting Jewish artisans, mechanics and distillers, including apprentices, to reside all over the Empire.  Both in the wording of the law and in its subsequent application the privilege was hedged about by numerous safeguards.  Thus, the artisan who wished to settle outside the Pale had to produce not only a certificate from his trade-union testifying to his professional ability but also a testimony from the police that he was not under trial.  At stated intervals he had to procure a passport from his native town in the Pale, since outside the Pale his status was that of a temporary resident.  In his new place of residence he was permitted to deal only in the wares of his own workmanship.  If he happened to be out of work, he was to be sent back to the Pale.

While opening a valve in the suffocating Pale, the Government took good care to prevent the artificially pent-up Jewish energy from rushing through it.  However, heaving cooped up for so long, the Jews began to press through the opening.  In the wake of the artisans, who, on account of the indicated restrictions of the law or because of the lack of travelling expenses, emigrated in comparatively small numbers, followed the commercial proletariat, using the criminal disguise of artisans, in order to transfer their energies to a “field economically more favorable to them.”  The position of these people was tragic.  The fictitious artisans became the tributaries of the local police, depending entirely on its favor or disfavor.  The detection of such “criminals” outside the Pale was followed by their expulsion and the confiscation of their merchandise.

As a matter of fact, the Russian Government did everything in its power to stem the influx of Jews into the interior.  Only with the greatest reluctance did it widen the range of the “privileged” Jewish groups.  The Tzar himself, held in the throes of the old Muscovite tradition, frequently put his veto upon the proposals to enlarge the area of Jewish residence.  A striking illustration of this attitude may be found in the