New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-13
THE NEW JEWISH EXODUS.
BARON HrRscn-poRrRAIrs AND PEOPLE

the mind and energies of very different person.
Nearly twelve wears ago the mind and energies
of Laurence Olphant were absorbed by plan for
the transportation of the Jews. But whilst baron
Hirsch proposes TO carry his prosecuted brethIeh
across the Atlantic, ELEPHANTS scheme was 10
carry them back TO their fatherland. Just before
the general election of 1880 Oliphant went 10
Cons;antlnople, making for Beyrout, whence he
set forth. modern Moses, in search of the Prom
Used Land. lie found il in district east OF lnola'
at the upper end OF the Dead Sea. among the most
fertile plains of Palestine girdled by the blue mis-
of Moab. With the curious compound oil business
aptitude and poetical fervOr that dlStlng ulsheu
him. oliphant in his scheme not only denver
ance TO the Jews. but large profits on the fonnders
shares in Joint stock company. 10 MS fancy the
valley Of the Jordan smiled with harves's oil cot'o
indigo sugar and rice. whilst he was going 10 draw
no less than 900 600 tons of chlorade Of potassium
out OF the reluctant Dead Sea. Whilst Baron
Hirsch proposes TO deliver the Jews from the tyr
amy of the Gar. it was for the tribes lost IN
Roumania that ELEPHANTS sympathes were moved.
Having settled all preliminaries be went to Con-
stantinople in order 10 obtain the approval OF the
Sultan Both Lord BeacOnsield and Lord Sails
bury are very favorable to my scheme" he wrote
on the eve of his Journey. But somehow 1t came
10 nothing. its failure Oliphant seeming to sus-
meet being in some tortuOus way traceabie 10
"Gladstone, a sort Of Moody Of politics. whose
powers of canting revivalism are unsurpassed
II will be interesting to see whether Baron Hirsch
will succeed where this singular enthusiast failed
lie has at least more money at IS disposal.
Meanwhile. the Baron is af Carlsbad.
which is odd since the Prince OF
Wales has been at Homburg. There
is considerable difference in the properties OF the
two waters, but it is probable the Baron would
not have stuck at trife of that kind if his com
many had been acceptable 20 his royal friend.
William Mackenzie. of Kintai into whose shoes
the Baron is assumed TO have stepped always went
TO Homburg with the Prince of Wales, and spent
money like handsfu of grain In ministering TO his
pleasure Since the Baron did not go, society,
which looks askance at these royal indiscreti0ns
of friendship though il is not above prohtlng Oy
the fetes they promote. chuckles over the loea
that the Baron has been snubbcd. Another report
which brings comfort to the same circles Is one
TO the effect that Hrsch has been
sorely hit by current depreciation
of securities. That is probably true
enough. though the effect may be only temporary.
There are very few people in or ont OF the city
who if they were to realize their investments at
prices current to-day would not find themselves
seriously impoverished. But Baron liirsch will
doubtless ride out the troublesome time He is
business capacity but has the luck" Of which
less capable men speak with envy His first
stem on the ladder of the colossal fortune he has
built I'D was like some others, taken in Turkey.
He obtained a contract for builing lighthouse at
the Dardaneles and made a pot of money out
of IT, Then he made some railways in Russia,
adding enormously to his pile. Since then every
thing he has touched has turned TO gold and
he can afford to bs terms of personal intimacy
with the Prince Of Wales
Last year there was shown at the Royal
Academy portrait of Mr.. Gladstone by Sir
John Miais II was one Of a series by the
same artist, who has frequently painted Mr..
Gladstone and always with success. He is. in
deed so familiar with his subject that four OF
five sttings suffice for the completion Of his work
This picture Of 1900, presumably the last, was
also intended 20 be the best. 1t was. in its way
10 he an illustration Of Coeridges beautiful con-
trast of Youth and Age Mr. Gladstone's little
grandson was 90 have immortality bestowed upon
him by being brought on 20 the canvas standing
at the knee of the Octogenarian statesman. All
this was done and the picture turned ont an
astounding and Iamentable failure. There sat
on a chair wooden-bscked. sallow-visaged old
gentleman, staring straight before him. and al
his knee stood an exceedingly commonplace little
boy, gazing upon the other wooden figure in a
condition Of almost cataleptic establishment. SiI
John has had the picture back at his studio
awaiting opportunity to alter it. Mr. Gladstone
has at length found time TO give him the neces
sary sittngs and there is much curiosity TO SEE
the result 1t is difficult to conceive that the
thing of last year could be tortured into anything
resembling a success, and it is whispered thai
Sir John, acknowledging his failure, began agar
on fresh canvas.
It is TO be hoped that the failure may be cor
rected since Mr. Gladstone is immovable in hi
determination never to sit again. Five years ago
lust after the split in the Liberal party opened
the Dissentient Liberals in the Reform Clul
set on foot scheme to present the club with
portrait of Lord Harrington. Thereupon tn
Home Rulers opened subscription for a pOl
trait of Mr. Gladstone. Subscription was Unite
TO a guinea, and the list of course open onl
10 members An interesting and OCCASIONAL
an exciting race followed. Lord Harrington, havin
got the start, kept it for a few week.
But the Gladstonans dOggedly forged ahead, Ii
the two favortes running neck and necl
finishing, as sporting member put il, so that O
umbrella would have covered both. Then fires
and unexpected difficulty arose. Lord Hartint
ton consented to sit for his portrait TO the arts
nominated by the subscribers. But Mr. Gla(
Stone steadily refused He had not time, he saiC
The consequence has been that the GladstOnia
committee were driven TO pick up portra
wherever they could find it, When Mr.. Gla'
stone was last in Florence local artist made SON
fugitive sketches of him which he elaborated int
a full length portrait. With this, melancholy
almost unacceptable portrait, the Reform Gu
has now been endowed.
Mr. Arthur Balfour, he took occasic
to say at Plymouth the other day. hi
not much in common with Mr.. Gladstone. 81
he has of late shared his misfortune in the matt
of portraiture Last year he sat to Alma laden
and the portrait had place Of honor IN tn
seasons show at the Royal Academy. Odd
enough, Tadema failed with the rising hope OF q
Tory party as completely as his fellow L.
had failed with Mr.. Gladstone. Mr.. BalfOur W
discovered seated on a sofa and looking at q
a.uno b.ls startino On rise and the flash of pain