Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-10-21

ACCORDING to the latest statistics Italy
has much fewer Jews than any single city
of Vienna. In Trie ste the bulk of the
Israelite community are italian Jews
numbering 500. In Rome there are
$500; in Leghorn, 1850; Turin, $500;
Venice, $500; Florence, 1,4OO; Ferrara
1,75O; Ancona, LOO; Mantua, 1,43O,
Milan, LOO; Verona, 965; Padua, $50;
Naples, $50; Pisa, $40; and Genoa only
$50. The chief rabbinical school in Italy
is now at Mantua. Padua held this posi-
ton formerly, and still has for the head
of the Jewish community the greatest
Hebrew scholar III Italy, Rabbi Ende
LolIi, who is professor of Hebrew at the
University of Padua, and was pupil of
the celebrated Iuzzatto. The total ar
rival of Hebrew immigrants at Castle
Garden, New York; for the ten months
prior to August last numbered 26,658,
as against 1852 for the same period
last year. Of these 12,O48 were Russians;
5,161 Austrians, $50 Germans, and 687
Roumanians. Of the whole number 49,
928, or nearly rs per cent, remained in
the city. At this rate the Hebrew popu-
lation of the city will have increased
over II per cent. since last year.
Friends of humanity all over the world
will hear with interest, with pleasure and
with gratitude that the queen regent of
Spain has signed a decree freeing the
slaves in Cuba from the remainder of
their term of seIvitude. The reform thus
consummated by a graceful and, let US
add, womanly act of generosity began
more than fifteen years ago in the law of
Feb. 10, 1869, which provided for the con-
ditional liberation of certain classes of
slaves in Cuba and for the payment of
recompense to the owners of the men and
women freed. In 1879 a bill was
passed by the cortes providing for
the gradual abolition of Cub an slavery.
This law at once liberated slaves from
80 years old and upwards. Slaves from
so to SO were set free in 1880; from 45 to
so in 1882; from 40 to So in 1884; from
80 to 40 in 1886. The intention of the
law was to set free those from 80 to So
years old in 1888, and those under 80 in
1890.
The accomplishing of owners has gone
on from the first, but since 1880 sum of
100000 piastres has been set annually
awart in the Cuban budget for defraying
the expenses of the emancipation, each
owner receiving recOmpense at the rate
of $50 piastres per slave. That the alb
clifton policy has been moderately sue
cessful is fairly Indicated by the statistics
of emancipation. In the seven years be-
tween 1870 and 1877 the number of slaves
in Cuba was decreased 10000, but the
population showed falling off in the
period of 2O,5OO. In December, 1873,
Cuba still had 227 ,9O2 negro slaves. We
may conclude, therefore, that the Queen
Christina has bestowed upon upwards of
100000 slaves the rights aud privileges of
freemen, and the act is none the less
magnanimous because it has anticipated
by four years the emancipation in 1880
contemplated by the cortes itself. Spain
has long been the only European state
permitting the existence of slavery
in its colonies; that, impatient of the
slow Qualifications Of legislative enact
ments, she has at last rid herself of the
well timed offers one more promise of the
new and vigorous life which seems to be
returning to the later years of her ex
istence as European state.