News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-02-07
UNPARALLELED PHILANTHROPY.
How Baron Hirsch Has Given $40,
100000 in Charity.

In handsome hotel in the Rue d'Ely-
see, Paris, Baron Hirsch, the celebrated
tinancier, signed away, for the benefit OF
Gods people, the poor" $40, 900, 900
"a gift which lacks parallel in the
history of philanthropy, and besides
which the donations of Peabody, Van
derbilt, Hopkins, Girard and Pratt seem
?. tty.
Little pomp or circumstance sur
rounded the generous act. A COMMITTEES
of twenty Russian Hebrews, with quaint
garments and haircut suggesting the
Mosaic laws, arrived in the morning
from Warsaw. A score of Austrians
arrived on the Orient express from
Vienna. They drove together to the
handsome hotel of the Baron in the
narrow street behind tho Presidents
palace. Here the Baron and two sharp
eyed men of the law received them.
The great fnancier's study table was
Uttered with pape s. contracts and deeds
of gift.
ave have the honor to be your SER
wants, Baron" said the heavy bearded,
trayel-worn wise men from the East, as
they fled into the library. With a few
scratches of the pen, the papers aud
contracts were finished. The deeds
We're transferred from the Baron's work
table to the capacious leather pouches
which his visitors had brought with
them.
"May Gods blessing be with you and
yours," said the strange visitors as they
filed out of the hotel.
In this simple way $40, 100000 had
found it's way from the Golfers of the
great banking and railroad king into the
hands of committee who are to build
and superintend commercial schools in
the waste lands of Russia, OF Poland, Of
Hungary and Austria. In a few min
utes the New York Worlds correspond
ent was ushered into the baron's study.
"No, have not the slightest hesita
tion in telling to the world the par leu
lars OF my gift" the Baron said. al am
an old man. am childless. Ny indus
try and my enterprises have been emil
nently successful. With the fortune
which 1 have amassed L hope to raise
from the slough of ignorance and des-
pondency, the most helpless, the most
miserable race in Europe the Jews of
Russia, of Austria, in fact of Southeast
ern Earope. To-day 1 have consum-
1000 francs have been turned over to
the Central Committee charged with the
carrying out of my plans.
81 wish to have all the Jews baptized.
/ am the most unorthodox of Hebrews.
Were my co-reigionists to be baptized
there would be an end of Semitism and
auti-Semitism. l hate to speak of my
deeds, but for fear you should think
that l only give to those of my race L
will mention that during the past two
years L have given $4,000, 900 to Chris
tian schools and hospitals in Europe
and England. But the Jews of whom
/ speak are wallowing in the depths of
ignorance and bigotry into which the
persecution of centuries has reduced
them. purpose with my money their
education. With enlightenment will
come more liberal views of life, and per-
haps the next century will see the dis
appearance from the face of the earth
of tho Semitic race as o narrow minded
religious guild.
Southeastern Europe is to be district
ed and schools are to be located in pro
portion to the density OF population. l
do not hope to see the consummation of
the work myself, but you perhaps will live
to see the world inhabited and controlled
by neither Jew nor Gentle, but by civ
ilized men,"
Baron Hirsch is the third and last of
his name and family, who from the be-
ginning of this century have played n
leading part in the European world OF
finance. He heired from his father, the
Vienna banker, 40 900, 900 horins, which
in building Turkish railways and with
Ottoman loans, he has Occupied. The
Baron is n strikingly handsome man o
! about fifty-fve. Whether he is be
! liever or an agnostic, all Europe can tel
that he is one who loves and pities hi