The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-10-22
Jews In Europe.

There are only 10000 Jews in all
England, and only $4,000 in France.
But in Germany there are 400, 900, in
German-Austria twice as many, in BUS
sia over 1000 900, and in Roumania there
are over 400 900 in population of 5,00O,-
600. In Turkey, no doubt, the Jews are
better treated, says the Saturday RevieD,
than in the adjacent nominally Christian
State, but in European Turkey there are
probably not &c, 900 Jews, and in Syria,
which includes the ancient seat of the
race, there are only 10000, or as many
as in the distant island of England. It
Is difficult to suppose that. there is not
some connection between the density of
the jewish population and its i'll treat
ment, it only it can be traced. The
quality Of the Jewish mind that has
brought it at once into eminence
No national mind is 80 rigid in one di-
rection and so elastic in another. The
Jew guards his fortress, but is always
sallying out from it. He has passion
for affairs. He longs to do something
and to be something. In countries
other outlet for this passion for activity
but commerce, and, as he is the worst
treated in the backyard countries, for
where he is treated as an outcasth lac has no
commerce of the most petty kind. He
has taught himself by the practice of
ages to become the prince Of hucksters
and usurers. As rule he is not allowed
to hold land and has lost the art of agri-
culture with which in old days he con-
verted into fruitful terraces the barren
rocks of Palestine. He has been shut
out from the armies, and his exclusion
has stunted in him the fertility of mill
tary resource, the power of military
contention and the recklessness of
life which for time made him match
for the legions of Titus. But where
he can find. an opening he uses
it. If he can do only little business he
does little business. If big business is
open to him he does the biggest business
were offered to his grasp he has shown
himself master in philosophy, in poetry
and in art. What is most curious is that,
if only he has chance, he expands into
a new nationality without losing his old
one. The English and French Jew is
Jew, always remaining in his circle, and
yet is an Englishman or a Frenchman.
No Frenchmen showed themselves more
devotedly French in the German war
than the French Jews; and in England
our literary Jews show themselves furious
patriots and write up the leopards of
England as their ancestors might, had
they possessed the art, have written up
the Lion of Judah. The Master of the
Rolls is one of the ablest of
judges; but. except in the superb
ority of his acumen, he is exactly like
any other Judge. It is not therefore,
wonderful that when they have free
play, and yet are not too numerous to
excite much comment, they should sue
ceed without awakening jealousy. In
country like Germany, where they were
numerous and where commerce is at
once backward, 80 that their success is
not swallowed up in the success of the
nation, and forward enough to give
them considerable chances, they get on,
but not without considerable social
friction. In countries like Roumania,
where civilization is just dawning, and
where they form substantial part OF the
population, they can only do small
things; but they do those with pertin-
acity and on a scale which strikes per-
petual uneasiness into the rude minds of
their wondering and grudging neigh
bors. In the long run, it may be con-
fdently predicted that everything that
favors civilization will favor the Jew.