Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-09-02
DISAPPOINTED IN AMERICA.
The Reasons the Jews who have Re-
turned To Russia Give for their
EailurC Here.

FatlurC Here.
A st. Petersburg newspaper core
spondent says: Thousands of Russian
Jews, after being mobbed and other
wise maItreated here. crossed the ocean
full of hope, believing that the United
States would prove to be their true land
Of promise. They dreamed of ell Toying
there political and religious freedom
and material prosperity. About year
has passed since this movement began,
and now the Jewish emigrants are re-
turning to Russia by hundreds. The
experience of those who came back
from America is particularly interest
ing. They say they have discovered
that Russia and the United States be-
long to two different worlds, and repre-
sent two different civilizations. In
Russia over so per cent. Of the popula-
ton are illiterate, while in the United
States hardly 10 per cent. are illiterate;
iii Russia there is an Autocrat who
rules. and IN the United States the
sovereign people hold their destinies in
their own hands; in Russia industry and
trade are undeveloped, while the United
States in this respect stand among the
foremost nations of the world.
The Russian Jews being, as a rule,
educated to certain degree, can always
find easy and profitable occupation
among the millions of ignorant Russian
peasants. IL Russia the jews constitute
a large percentage OF the merchants,
professional men, land agents, trade
agents, and so ON. But when they ar
4Ia D,,SoJ GtaEac thou, J,en ~
cred that, as regards education and
business experience, thej were far be-
low the average Americans, and that
they were not III a position to choose
the easiest, and most profitable occupa-
tions, but must take up any work OF.
fered to unskilled laborers. Moreover,
on account of their foreign ways and
habits they could not successfully COM
pete even with common American
workingmen. In short, when they
come face to face with the intelligent
and industrious Americans, the Russian
Jews realized that in order TO succeed
in the new world they must begin life
from the beginning. But that seemed
hard task. In the meantime their
brethren in Russia heard glad tidings
from the Cars new minister. and the
emigrauts, learning that times were
likely to be better for them in Russia,
began to long to get back again.
SIS there no hope for your people in
the United States p asked a returned
Jew.
"There is hope, he replied, ''but on
the condition that our journey thither
shall take not fourteen days, bnt forty
years. 1T is useless to try TO straighten
an Old crooked tree, runs Russian
saying. If we should send only onr
young twigs and branches, the Yankees
in proper time would make good timber
of them"
Another jew, an assistant surgeon,
who has also tried his luck in the
United States, thus related his expert.
ence:
"They told me it was free country,
but when l got there they did not allow
NE to practise medicine. Get first 8
doctors diploma, they said, What an
idea No diploma, no practice. Is that
freedom? Then my wife was obliged tc
cook, wash. and do all the honsew orr,
herself, while here in Russia she never
did any thing of the kind. In short, |
felt more comfortable 10 Russia, so here
am again.
A Jewish mechanic said: "Though !
failed to compete with the American
workingmen, yet am glad 1 have been
in America. Before seeing the Ameri-
can factories and farms I had an entire.
ly wrong idea of what is cllled hard and
thorough work. What we here consider
hard work, or good work, the Americ az
worilmen would call child's play OF
fools irolic. An American mechanic oil
farmer at his work is sight worth see
ing. tell you an American working.
man is worth four Russian workingmen
If the Russians were as industrious as
the Americans are, there would he nc
richer country i'll the world than Russia
Peter the Great used to send his sub
iects to Germany and Holland TO Learn
trades. His successor now would do &
great thing by sending his subjects t.
the United States to learn how to work.
The Judophobe journals here are
cracking jokes about ''the newly arrived
Americans as they call the returning
Jews, aud congratulating them on then
transatlantic experience.