Asheville daily citizen., 1891-05-08
THE PROSECUTED JEWS.
THE LYCEUAE'0 DIsCUssION
LAST NIGHT.

q. H. Mayer, a Hebrew, Of This
City. Defends the Chosen People
In a Reply to lIr. Demens' Talk
Before the Society.
A Avery interesting meeting of the Ly-
ceum was held in the hall OF the society
in the Barnard building last night. 1t
was the occasion Of the reply by G. H.
Mayer to talk made before the society
by P. A. Demens several weeks ago, on
the persecution Of Jews in Russia. Mr..
Mayer said in opening that he did not
intend to offer any apology for the per,
secuted Jews, as none was necessary, but
would simply explain that which re.
quired an explanation.
"Mr. Demens says" continued Mr.
Mayer, that he has no objection to the
educated Russian Jews, yet, as you no
doubt have read in the daily newspapers
the laws of Russia will not permit more
than per cent. to obtain an education.
An offer Oslo 900, ,000from Baron Hirscl
for their instruction was also refused
leaving the inference that they do not
wish them to have any education"
"The Russian Jews are accused also oi
Sinking military duty and OF mutilating
themselves to escape it. This was
said to be peculiar Jew
ish vice, whereas, it is quite
common in all European countries that
maintain large standing armies and was
not wholly unknown here during the late
war. Mr.. Demens says he never saw any
Jews in the Russian army. That may be
true, but nevertheless, many are to be
found there, and many of them in the
last usso-Turkish war distinguished
themselves in battle.
"The Russian Jewish question was
compared to the Irish question in En-
gland, the Hungarian question in Aus
tria, and the Indian question here. The
parallel is in no case correct; the Irish
Hungarians and Indians are restricted
politically only. They were never for
hidden to hold lands, to become arti
sans, to enter professions, to reside in any
part of their respective countries, sub
jected to no special taxation, hindered ir
their several religious beliefs, nor con
tinually annoyed in any of the numerous
ways you have already heard"
In concluding Mr.. Mayer said: From
careful study of the statistics of various
European countries, and this country's
last census, have come to the following
conclusions why the Jews of every land
or CLINE should be superior to the people
among whom they reside, and yet, leav.
ing aside the question of any peculiar
racial superiority:
"They are from their birth stronger
than others, due to the wise dietary, by
gienic and sanitary laws Of Moses.
They are better equipped for the
battles OF lite. The Jewish parent en-
deavors to educate his children az fully
as his means will permit.
"They mature early-the boy OF 16 tc
1S being a man and seriously struggling
with life's responsibilities before his
neighbors of similar age have emerged
from childhood.
Very few attempt to solve the prob
lem whether marriage is failure unit
abundantly able to support wife.
They have less sickness and fewel
deaths.
They are longer lived, therefore hav
ing more time to work out their desti
nies.
Lastly, from these statistics find Z:
great preponderance of males, from III
even to 120 males to every 100 females
These facts are weighty and con
tribute not little to the prosperity O
the Jews. When the world is ruled b,
reason and justice, and not by force ant
brutality, we may look for the millennium
when, in fufillment of prophecies, tn,
Hebrew will attain the highest emf
nence."
Mr.. Mayer was followed on the sam
subject by P. A. Demeus, Vim. Ward
Maj. T. c. Westall Mrs. H. w. Fitch ant
Tilman r. Gaines.
At the next meeting of the Lyceun
Tilman X. Gaines will be the leadin,
speaker on THE great littleness O
great Greeks"