Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-02-14
UNPARALLELED PHILANTHROPY.
How Baron Hirsch Has Given $40.
100000 in Charity.

In a handsome hotel in the Rue d'Ely-
see, Paris, Baron Hirsch, the celebrated
inancier, signed away, for the benefit oil
Gods people, /" the poor" $40, DOC, 000
"a gift which lacks a parallel in the
history of philanthropy, and besides
which the donations of Peabody, Van
derbilt, Hopkins, Girard and Pratt seem
pstty.
/ 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
I 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 financier's study table was
Uttered with papers, contracts and deeds
of gift.
ave have the honor to be your ser
vants, Baron," said the heavy bearded,
travel-worn wise men from the East, as
they filed into the library. With few
scratches of the pen, the papers and
contracts were finished. The deeds
were 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 us they
filed out of the hotel.
In this simple way $40, 100000 had
found its 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 q few min
utes the New York Worlds correspond
ent was ushered into the baron's study.
"No, have not the slightest hesita
ton in telling TO the world the parIicu-
lars of my gift, the Baron said. II am
an old man. / am childless. My indus
try and my enterprises have been emf
nently successful With the fortune
which i have amassed L hope to raise
from the slough of ignorance and des-
pondency, the most helpless, the most
race in Europe the Jews OF
Russia. OF Austria, i'll fact of Southeast
ern Earope. To-day l have consum
mated my share of the work and 2O0,-
600, 600 francs have been turned over to
the Central Committee charged with the
out of my plans.
al wish to have all the Jews baptized.
/ am the most unOrthodox of Hebrews
Were my co-religionists to be baptized
there would be an end of Semitism and
anti-Semitism. hate to speak of my
deeds, but for fear you should think /
that only give to those OF my race |
will mention that during the past two 1
years / have given 10000, 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
of centuries has reduced |
hem. purpose with my money their
education. With enlightenment will
,ome more liberal views of life, and per-
laps the next century will see the dis
appearance from the face Of the earth
If the Semitic race as n narrow minded
guild.
Southwestern Europe is to be district
d and schools are to he located in pro-
PORTION to the density OF population. /
10 not hope TO see the consummation of
he work myself. but you perhaps will live
o see the world inhabited and controlled
" neither jew nor Gentle, but by civ
lied men,"
Baron Hirsch is the third and last of
is name and family, who from the be-
inning of this century have played
aading part in the European world of
nance. lie heired from his father, the
Jenna banker, 40 600, 900 horins, which
n building Turkish railways and with
)ttoman loans, he has Occupied. The
aaron is strikingly handsome man of
bout fifty-iye. Whether he is a be
ever or an agnostic, all Europe can tell
hat he is one who loves and pities his
,tIou, man