The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-10

stimulated and rapidly built up. must To-
crease the competition In the labor market
to serious extent. The clothing trade Ii
one In which the Russian and Polish Jews
already here havc engaged In vast numbers,
and 1t Is natural that the refugees should
turn to It also because OF similar aptitude
for 1t. and because 1t opens to them the best
chance OF earning their bread.
Baron DE HrRscH's colonies are planned to
consist OF both agriculturists and factory
operatives. In central village factories
are to be set up as schools for teaching the
eXiles the manufacture OF clothing, and
about IL are to be small farms for such OF
them as are adapted to agriculture. It was
obvious from the first that the sit
uation OF these settlements In tho
vicinity Of New York and Philadel-
phla would make OF them communities
OF factory operatives rather than farmers
II IL easier to teach men some branch Of
clothing manufacture than to get farms
ready for them. A farming community must
necessarily be OF much slower growth than
factory settlement. The land must be
cleared and broken. houses and barns built,
and the growth OF crops awaited; but as
soon as the factory plant Ii ready and bar
racks for the operatives provided tho fac
tory settlement Is prepared for business.
Inevitably. therefore. the great majority
OF the Russian Jews brought hither by Baron
DE IIIRscHs muniilcence will be speedily
introduced into the labor market, to COM
pete with the multltudes Of their race who
are now picking up n meagre living by the
manufacture Of clothing. His project OF
rvrio, III Sa1 npIr ho
except after long delay and it IL very
doubtful whether It will ever prove q sue
cessful enterprise on large scale. Tho
Jews now coming from Russia are likely to
pursue the same paths as those followed by
their countrvmen already on the ground.
They will be governed by the Same law Of
demand for their labor, and their tastes and
capacities are presumably about the same.
Baron DE HIRscH can assist their emigra-
ton, but he will not DO able to control them
after they get here. They will fight for n
living In the best way they can. and will
keep up the contest. though their compet-
itors are Of their own race. Undoubtedly,
too, employers will be quick to profit by the
addition to the labor supply. whether they
are Christians or Jews.
so vast scheme OF benevolence as TINT
undertaken by Baron DE H1RsCH must III.
volve serious disturbance in the labor
market. 1t cannot be helped. No wisdom
can avert it. For that reason. and not
merely because Of antl-SeMitlc prejudices,
country after country has expressed a
strong sentiment against admitting the un.
happy Jewish exiles. Naturally the great
majority of them would come to US, for the
preponderance OF all European emf
grafton Is to this country. but now
even the American Jews themselves
raise their voices In violent protest
against tho scheme OF tho philanthropic
baron. Take back tho millions!" they
called out to him at their Cooper Union meet
ing last Friday night. Instead OF bless
ing they have proved q curse and source
OF misery" In trying to benefit the Rus
sian Jews he has injured the American Jews.
That Is the way charity often works. 1t
may hurt moro than it helps.