The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-30
THE PERSONALITIES.
Persecution of the Jews.
From the London Ncws, 10Th.


From the London NCtgS, 18th.
Mr.. Alderman Saomons probed the other
night sore which seems to be chronic in the
east of Europe-at least we hear of it periOdi-
caly. 1t is the persecution of the Jews in the
Danubian principalities. Mr.. Otway though he
gave the assurance in reply that our diplomatic
representative has used his influence to prevent
the ill-treatment of the Jews, only confirmed
the worst reports which reach US aud gave his
authority to the telegram forwarded by Baron
BothsChild. From this communication it would
appear that the Jews are sometimes drowned,
subjected to torture and violence, their heads
shaved to render them ridiculous, their
wives and children injured by the soldiers,
and that. in short, they are prosecuted
with rigor which, to use the mild language of
Alderman Salomons, is not "cougcnial with the
age in which we live Mr.. Otway it seems,
counts on the enlightened influence of the Prince
who now governs the Danubiau Prncipalities to
mauguTatC a better state of things. Certainly
Prince Charles is following to large extent the
example of Western pOtCntatcs. Like the King
of Prussia, he has travelled round ms kingdom.
Emulatiug the Emperor Napoleon he has
thought fit to tax the country heavily for the
maintenance OF a large army; and at the present
moment he is amusing himself with Rouma-
nian Chalons. At sereth an army corps of 1900
effective soldiers are cncamped, Prince Charles
spending a few weeks with them and indulgng
in martial harangues. According to our English
notions, this is not by any means the straight road
to enlightcnmcnt-and great deal of enlighten-
ment is needed to put an end to the barbarities
of which we hear so much. 1t is a mistake
however, to believe that the Jews in ROumania
are quite free from blame. Some of them have
pandered to the most dangerous vice of the
semi-barbarian peasant population. Like the
red Indian who deserts the prairics for the great
towns the Roumanian peasant cannot control
his wild passion for spirits. So quickly does in
tONiCatiOn ruin him, that the ROumanian gov
cmmCnt and also that of Servia, have enacted
laws to restrict the sale of alcoholic liquors in
the open country. According to the Berlin
Correspondent, the Jews had the almost entire
monopoly of this trade, and caring more for
their duCats than for public morality, they
defed the laws and reaped a golden harvest
from the sale of forbidden liquors. This fire.
quCnty offered a good prCtCEt for riot, and was
considered by the fauatical population as clear
prOoffOf Jewish iniamy. At the same time it was
construed with wonderful seli-complacency into
n proof OF Christian superiority. OF course,
therefore, persecution of the Jews became
laudable. or at least not blamcwOrthy. 1t so
happens, however that the Jews a class are
| not less sensible than their Christian friends of
the evil at work, and the more respectable
Israelites nhabiting the cities have, besides in
Weighing against the prosecutions to which they
are subject, protested energetically against the
illegal sale of spirits by their less worthy kins
men. Seeing that there is blame on both sides,
it is to be wished that the ROumanian Govern
ment would take the matter seriously in hand
Its skilful administration has succeeded per-
fectlY in obtaining at the late general elections
return of the agreeable candidates." and
being thus strong, it could scarcely enforce its
own laws without permitting the revival Of
medieval prosecutions and tOrtures Where
fanaticsm and ignorance, however, are COM
bned, there is but one sovereign cure possible
and Il at is education. How long shall it be
palities as, in any true sense OF the word, edu-
Gated?