Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-12-17
TIE JEWS IN PALESTINE.
Jewish immigration Exaggerated. .Insa.
lnbrousness Of lersusalem.
- Ynrk nernld Dad, IeLler.l

New York Herald JaHs letter.
THE Jews regaiuing their land" is
the title of a paragraph going the
rounds of the papers to the effect hat
owing to the Jewish immigration the
population of Palestine has more than
doubled during the past ten years. "
AS a resident of this country since
1878. can positively deny this state
ment. Many Jews, it is true, have
come to live in Jerusalem mot in other
places), or rather to lay their bones in
the Valley of Jehoshaphat during the
past decade, but it is incorrect to de-
clare that 1.-THE population of Pales-
tine has been doubled by such i'm
migration. The population of this
land was l,2O0, 600 ten years ago, and
to maintain it has doubled would give
us an influx of 10000 0 Jews. The
truth is that about five thousand have
come to Jerusalem during the past ten
years. Of these a large number have
died, but others may have taken their
places, leaving the number about the
same. Nearly all these Jews live in
poverty, and make appeals from time
to time to their wealthy brethren in
Europe and America for means to
support themselves and their families.
The immigration is, in fact, an influx
of paupers, who expect to live in
idleness upon the savings Of their rela-
tives in other lands who may take
pity upon their restitution. Some
are eventually disguised at the penury
which the rabies strict rule often
enforces, and return to the countries
whence they came. | helped some
weeks ago'a poor American Hebrew
to return to New York, and the
United States Consul at Jerusalem
has given assistance to many Of vari-
GUS nationalities out Of a fund senthim
for that purpose, | am informed that
there are sixty charity associations in
Jerusalem, a city OFFS, 000inhabitants.
Sir Moses M~ontehore often aided his
indigentcountrymen, and recently sent
a donation to the Judah laura poor
houses. He is an advocate of the
scheme Of founding agricultural jew
lsh colonies in Palestine, and suggest
ed that a fund be raised in London for
this object aud thus give employment
to worthy lsraelites. The success of
such an undertaking is doubtful, judg-
ing from the attempt that has been
made to found an agricultural model
farm on the plains of Sharon, under
the patronage of the Alliance Israel
lite" of Paris. A chief impeachment is
the fact that the young Jews disdain
work so long as they can live upon
charity. Much has been made in
European journals of the growth of
Jerusalem of late by the building Of
houses outside the walls. A number
Of new dwellings have, indeed, been
erected on tAe Jafa and Bethlehem
roads during the last ten years by both
Jews and Christians. following the
example of the Protestant and Russian
missions, which first began to do so.
These houses being built over cisterns
of rain water are for the most part
nests of typhus and malarial fevers.
and, instead Of contributing to the
health Of the city, have materially
added to the prevalent insalubrious-
ness OF Jerusalem. In the city itself
the soil is so saturated with the accu.
INFLATED impurities of past generations
that any disturbance Of the ground for
building purposes invariably engen-
ders malignant feyers. Capt. Warren.
r. e., and his corps of assistants
while making explorations and ex-
~cavations in and about Jerusalem.
suffered terribly from this cause. The
scarcity of pure water is another
source of evil at the Holy City, and
although an abundant supply could be
brought from the ancient pools of Sol.
ONION, beyond Bethlehem, yet all eff
forts to repair and rebuild the acoue-
duct are thwarted by the fanaticism ofI
the Moslem rulers. Baroness Burdett
Coutte offered the municipality ESQ.
700 for this purpose several years ago.
but her munifcent gift was rejected
on the ground that it was unlawful
to receive money from a Christian for
the expense Of conveying the gift of
God water to the holy mosque of
Omar and to the holy MOslem city El
X huds -