The National tribune., 1891-01-08
JEWS IN AMERICA.

man How many Jews do you suppose there
are in the cOuntry9" he would probably
reply, About two or three millions"
lie viii be surprised TO learn that there
are only about 100000, or one TO every 125
Of our population.
The reason OF this general impression Of
their numerosiiy is that all Of the race are
Sin sight" as a grain man would say. Their
activity, intelligence and enterprise keep
them where they are in. public view as
pedlers, merchants, bankers, lawyers, etc.
Unlike the Americans, Germans, Irish,
negroes and other distinctive classes Of our
citizens, there are no great masses Of them
hidden away in the country, or in mines and
manufactures. Substantially every jew in
the country is engaged in some calling
which keeps him pretty constantly before
the public eye
1t appears that Of the 100000 in the
United States fully one-third have come
here within the last 10 years.
The Census Bureau has made an investi-
cation OF the Jews who have been here for
five years or more, 10 see how they thrive
and develop in this country and climate
The investigation las been largely carried
out 10y the Jews themselves, who, as intelli-
.vapt ,,,,lIi, .,,;-;t,9 ,;t;,o,,a ,ra ;p,arastpd
in collecting all facts which bear upon the
condition and prospects of their own people.
Presidents and Rabbis OF congregations
furnished lists of heads of Jewish families
who had resided in this country for five
years or more, and 10 these were sent
blanks containing a series of carefully-pre-
pared questions rs TO the vital history Of
each member Of the family, and 1OGls heads
Of families answered. These represented
GO,G3O persons, of whom %, ,lS6 resided in
the Eastern States; 23,226 in the Lake
Region and Upper Mississippi Valley; s,2lG
IN the South; and 1900 on the Pacific Slope
Of these l0,GlS families, 1896. or a little
more than one-third, kept no servant and were
therefore in ordinary circumstances. The
remainder kept one or more servants, and
were consequently from well-off to wealthy.
In the first class the average number in the
family was sos, which oyersets the common
idea of the fertility Of Jewesses. In the
Weather class the number was slightly
greater-ayeraging $50 per family.
OF all the persons living 1904 were
males, and 29,936 females, giving proper
tion Of 9l29 females to 100 males, OF a
smaller proportion of females than in the
people at large-Where there are 1O353
males TO 100 females. The proportion of
children under five years of age is much
smaller than among the rest Of the average
Of the white population, but after passing
the age Of Eve the proportion becomes
strongly in favor Of the Jews. Between
the ages of and Is there are 20 Jewish
children alive TO % Gentle.
More Gentle men marry than Jews, and
there are fewer divorces among the Gentiles.
More Jewesses get divorces than other
women.
OF l8,03l male Jews above - years, 2Sj
were lawyers l73 physicians, 3ss teachers,
3,0ll accountants, etc, 422 bankers, brokers.
etc, 2,lI7 wholesale merchants, 1881 COM
mercial travellers, 5,977 retailers, 1s3 cigar
makers, 3s7 jewelers.. 53i tailors, and only
III gardeners.
The birth-rate is much lower than among
the population generally-being about as
G isto7. Russian and Polish mothers have
an average Of 5.63 children, while Jewish
mothers born in this country have but 35G
children, showing that their fertility here i,
much less than in Europe.
On the other hand the Jews live Longer
than the average Of people in this country
The Jewish male at birth has an averag,
expectation Of 81 years Of life, aud the fe
male 81 years, where the average American
male has about 40 years and the female 4;
years.
The average number Of insane, idiotic ant
other DETECTIVES" is much less among tn,
Jews Of the United States, but much highe
among the same people in Europe.
One Of the most striking features Of th
statistics is the immunity Of Jews from puI
monary diseases. Not one-third the pro
portion Of Jew males and not one-fourth tn
Jew females die from consumption an,
other diseases Of the respiratory organs tina
is the rule among the rest Of the white in
habitants. They are also remarkably fre
from scrofula, tabes-mescnterica and othe
diseases Of a tuberculous origin. SngularIy
their lawyers and cigar-maRers are, however
very liable 10 these complaints. On In
other hand, Jews are specially liable to dis
eases Of the nervous system, heart, and digest
i've organs. This is found to be the case ais
among the Jews Of Europe.
Their detetic habits are supposed to hay
an influence in keeping them free from con