Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-09-03
many POST -lBfELIiGEICER
~. n rus usrTED STATES.

uAlhy fu0I lNl6Aus1u1H V0As
ITW1 n rms TsrrED STATES.
Il vim surprise a good many people to
IA told that there are not more than
25O.0oO Jews in this country, or one %
every 200 Of population. The common
error IN regard to their numbers Is pro
baby due to the fact that most Jews are
.noaoed in active business in merchari-
disinp or banking, and are established
in the principal streets Of great Cities
~hera thew are constantly under the
public eve. The recent exodus FROM
Rnssia has also contributed TO give ex-
aggravated notions of their multitude.
According to the census of 1880 there
are 23O,964 Jews in the United states.
The emigration from Russia has added
some Ii, 900 to the number, 40 that tie
total Jewish population OF the country
may he estimated as above 25OOOV. Ihs
Russian Jews are strictly orthodox,
cloes observers of the rites and ceremo-
niee Of their ancient religion. while the
great majority of the Jews in this coun-
try have little attachment TO the religion
Of their ancestors and are Hebrews only
In race. OF the 60OOO Jews in the city
Of New York not more than i've per
cent. belong to the synagogues, no that
in the matter Of religion the Russian
Jews arc farther removed from their
relations who came 10 this country from
Germany and Austria than the latter
are from Christians.
OF the total number OF Jews IN the
United States, New York has sO,5ls;
Pennsylvania. 10000; Illinois, 1863;
California, 1850, and Ohio, 1851
these five States containing more than
half the Jevs Of the entire country.
There are 10 ,837 Jews in Maryland, $500
in Massachusetts,, 1888 in Louisiana,
1880 in Missouri, 559, in Now jersey,
and the rest are scattered over the
country, busily plying trade, from Maine
70 Oregon. Moro than two-thirds OF
all the Jews OF the country ara consre-
gated in the principal cities. New YorA
contains GO,OO0; San Francisco, 1900
Brooklyn, 1900; Philadelphia, 1900
Chicago, 1900; Baltimore. 10000; Gin.
cinnati, 5000; Boston. 1000; st. Louis
GOO; New Orleans, 1000; Cleveland,
AGO; Newark, $500. and 10 on down the
List. The attachment Of the Jews to
trade and banking, which necessarily
attracts them to large cities, is re-
markable instance Of tho parpetuation
OF traits whom forced in certain direc-
ton. The ancient jewellers in Palestine
were shepherds and farmers, and their
attachment to pastoral and agricultu-
raj life IL abundantly attested in their
poetry. But Christian persecution left
them in Europe no pursuits but mer-
chandidng, banking and money lend
ing. Until comparatively modern times
Jews were not permitted to own real
estate in Christian countries. They
could enter neither Of the learned pro-
fessions, nor DO apprenticed in any of
the guilds Of mechanics because of the
Christian prejudices against their race.
OF necessity, therefore, their pursuits
were narrowed 10 merchandising and
money lending, until they became by
the Law OF evolution the bankers of the
world. The hostility to the Jews that
has recently manifested itself in Ger
many, TO say nothing Of the persecu-
lions 70 which they have been subjected
by the semi barbarian Russians, is due
In about equal degrse to their superior
skill in business aud to tho liberality Of
their politics. In former times Chris
tian kings applied tho thumbscrew and
the rack to extort from the Jew banker
. revelation Of the hiding place Of his
treasure, and thus obtain false loan.
But We have changed all that now.
Nowadays the rulers Of nations 90 10
the jewish capitalists of London and
Paris, and ask them to put loan ON the
market, and wars arc made and cities
arc bombardsd BY Christian fleets to
enforce payment. II was not surprising
whsn Il was announced some time ago
from London: little doing ON Change
today, - II Ia 4 Jewish holiday" Chris
uan prosecutions have made In a long
process Of time the descsndanta Of the
shepherds and peasant farmers OF Judes
ths money lenders Of the world. No
thing slss Was left for them. After
awhile, under the operation Of the per-,
fset social and political freedom Of the
United States, and the constant process
Of assimilation, the pursuits Of the Jews
win tAke ~ wide range a. those Of
THAR fellow oountrymen.- Philadelphia
1scovd.
----
R1oglT1 IN moFS.