The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-06-23
NO JEWS NEED APPLY.
Civil Rights Law.

The proprietors Of the Grand Union
Hotel at Saratoga, in refusing Mr.. Selig-
man, the Now York banker the accommo-
dations Of their house, on the ground that
he is Hebrew, have laid themselves
liable to the penalties of the civil rights
Law, approved March /, 1875. That law
provides that all citizens within the juris- |
diction Of the United States shall be en-
titled to the full and equal enjoyment of
the accommodations advantages, facilities,
and privileges Of inns. public conveyances
on land or water, theaters, and other
places of public amusement, subject only
to the conditions andI limitations estab-
lished by law and applicable alike to citi-
zens Of every race and color, regardless of
any previous condition of servitude. The
penalty of violating this provision is fine
of $500 for each offense, to beIpaid to the
person aggrieved. with full sOsts, and in
addition further .fnel.of $500 to $1,000
and Imprisonment of notices. than 80 days,
nor more than one year, in the discretion
of the court. Suit may be brought in
United States court in any district where
the defendant may be found, without re-
gard to the residence of the complaining
party. There is no doubt but there are
some mighty mean Jews, and some that
ought not to be admitted to first class
hotel, and so there are many mean Christ
ians. The Jews as class pay all they
agree to pay, and most men run hotels for
money The proprietors of the Grand
Union have made mistake. IL possibly
never occurred to them what an illustrious
company would have to be turned out OF
our summer hotels ifthe Jews were not
admitted The great lawgiver, Moses,
could not have a room, even II returning
from the study Of the wisdom Of the Egyp-
tians he sought shelter. The immortal
poet, Isaiah, would not be esteemed suita'
bic company, and would be obliged to seek
less aristocratic tavern. King Solomon,
whose words of wisdom will instruct the
world for thousands of years, would have
to take up his lodging in a second-class
house. King David, over whose songs the
whole Christian world fingers, would not
be allowed by the gentleman like clerk to
enter his sacred name on the hotel regis
ter st. Paul, who laid the foundations of
modern theology, was a man Of an appear
Ance so poor and mean, barring his being
q Jew, that no model hotel would think of
admitting him. st. John was so rapt in
his visions Of heavenly scenes that the ho-
tel clerk would Individually have sent for a
police ofhcer to carry him off if he had ap-
peared at the desk seeking a suitable room,
while the exclusive patrons of the hotel
would at once have packed mp their bag
gage if the idea of his admittance had for
moment been entertained. Spinoza, Ne
ander. Mendelssohn, David, Rubenstein,
and host Of others conspicuous in letters
and arts would have TO depart amid the
sueers of the exclusive guests. Disraeli,
the Earl of Beaconsfeld, the Prime Minis
ter of England, could not enter there, for
he is Jew. and bears in his lineaments
the unmistakable marks Of his descent.
The hotel clerk would detect him at once,
and see the damage his presence in the
mode house would do.
1t is surprising that the hotel keepers
have only just discovered that Jews are sc
obnoxious. Yet what legal right has al
innkeeper to refuse a man bed and board
simply because he is of the stock of Abra.
han? Will the proprietors OF the Crane
Union please stand up and tell the country
from what royal stock they may accident
ally have sprung?