The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-08
DISTINGUISHED JEWS.
REPRESENTATIVES, OF THE CHOSEN
PEOPLE In MANY FIELDS
or ACTIVITY.
fCbieag@ Times.l


The latest claim made on behalf Of the Jews
Is that Wilhemi Is of their race. This makes
four of the best violin players Of the world
some will say the very descendants OF
Abraham, viz: Vieuxtemps, Wienlawski, Joa-
chin and Wilhelm. Three of these have
played to American audiences and the fourth
Joachim. has become known to those who had
not heard of him before through having had
the degree Of doctor OF music conferred upon
him recently. with much ceremony. by the
University of Oxford. To the Jewish race be-
longs also Lichtenberg. the youthful promis-
ing violin player, whom Theodore Thomas in
troduced to public notice last season. Rubin
stein, the Russian pianist and composer Gold
mark, the composer OF 'Sakuntala" and other
works of the highest rank, are Jews, and SO
are Strauss and Offenbach Lueca Is Polish
Jewess and Patti is also claimed as one OF the
race. This Is certainly pretty good showing
for the chosen people, whose numbers In
Europe and America do not exceed one in 10o
rs compared with the other populations.
AAll OF the American operate managers
StrakOsch Grau and Maretzek- OF He
brew origin. Maretzek's name having been
Meyer Itzig; and DIR. Leopold Damroseh and
Carlberg, the successor Of Theodore Thomas,
are marshaled In the same host Wagner
the musical genius Of Bayreuth, persists In
saying that there Is no true music In the Jew
ish soul, but he has among his followers and
admirers many Jews who subscribe literally
In aid Of his musical projects, and pardon his
Il
who thus sound his praises he probably
credits with better taste than most OF their
brethren, and doubtless views them as excep-
tional cases.
1t Is interesting to note what part the
Jews have been playing in other fields. The
best sculptor In Russia, II not the only one Of
any consequence, was an ignorant boy, and Is
the son Of Polish Jews He Is pronounced a
true genius, and is the pride Of Russian art.
The first actress OF France Is Sarah Bern
4, ln,I
cessor, and like Janauschek and Modjeska
two OF the most admired players Of our day
Gambetta, the preserver of the French re-
public; Lasker. the leader Of the Liberals In
the German Parliament. and their best orator
and Beaconsfield, the prime minister OF Eng
land, were born of Jewish parents, and Caste
lar, the eloquent Spanish statesman, is said
to be of Jewish descent. Cremeux the lead
ing lawyer OF France, and now, OF lately
minister of Justice. Judah 7. Benjamin, for
merly one of the leaders of the Southern Con.
federacy and now pronounced by Prof
Dwight the foremost lawyer Of England, and
Sir George Jesse. one of the most eminent oil
English judges, were born. and reared as
Jews. Many Of the most influential journal.
lists of Germany and some of Its first scholars
belong to the long prescribed race, and 1t Is
Jews who practically control the newspaper
press, not only OF Vienna, but also of Rome
where until within few years the Ghetto
still existed.
Among the noteworthy men Of America
few are to be counted of the Hebrew origin
although they appear ereditaby In all de.
partments of activity; but this Is not strange
In view OF the fact that, with the exception oi
the small body known as Portuguese Jews
all Of the race that are Of mature years are
immigrants from the continent OF Europe
and are unable to use English as native Ian
gaage. Nevertheless Wisconsin has had a
Jewish Governor, and the Federal Senate had
an able Jewish member in Judah z. Benia-
min.
Whether the opinion that the Jews have
shown themselves eminently gifted as race
be correct or not, IL certainly cannot be de-
MED that they have contributed their quota Il
the famous personages of the present day.