The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-10
THE RUSSIAN JEWS.
America Has No Place for Them-Some-
thing About the Unfortunate People.

Americs Has No Place for Them-Some-
thing About the Unfortunate People.
SEATTLE, Aug 8, 1891.
To THE EDTToR: The immigration commits
sioners at the New York barge Office are daily
confronted with large numbers of Russian Jews,
and IL has been difficult for the commissioners
to decide whether or not to admit them to this
country. On the one hand most pitful sight
is presented-a number of poor oppressed Jews
reEorselessly driven from their native country
by tyrannical ruler. On the other hand there
are thousands of idle workingmsn in this eoun-
try who are unable 70 obtain employment and
are consequently devoid OF the means Of making
living. gladly notice that at last the COM
missioners have concluded TO resist pity and
obey duty, aud have refused to permit the Rus
sian paupers 10 land.
The press of this country, while not critics.
Ing the action of the commissioners, has as
sumed position so wayering. hesitating and
unoutspoken, that would almost be inclined
to accuse 1t OF cowardice but for the fact that |
think Its uncertain attitude IL due TO the SIM
cere sympathy that Is characteristic OF the
American.
And indeed the Jew does deserve all the SYM
pathy we can consistently give him. Not only
was he subjected to extreme oppression during
the dark ages. but in this latter part OF the en-
hghtened nineteenth century he is still freely
sacrificed on the altar of political greed and am
pition. One need not have gray hairs to remem-
Der Bismarck, in fit OF desperation, when the
back OF the German people cracked so loud I'M
der the burden of heavy taxation to maintain an
enormous army in time OF peace, that even the
Iron Chancellor heard the noise and had to do
something to divert the public gaze from his ac-
ton and rivet it somewhere else while he was
fleeing the people. He could not initiate the
Romans and arrange gladiatorial contests; the
Germans were too far advanced for that He
could not go to war: his army had not yet fully
recovered from the conflict OF lS70-71 with
France, and again he had no navy. Something
had to be done, and so the Jew was again cruelty
torn from his peaceful pursuits and pointed out
to the German people as o target to FIRE at. With
the aid of one stoeeker, then unknown demo-
gogue, "Judenhetze'' was created. Bismarck,
through stoecker, told the German people that
the government was not to blame for their mis-
cry and oppression. 1t was the Jew from whom
they arose. He, the Jew, boarded the wealth of
the nation and kept it from circulation, and,
therefore, he alone was to blame for all the ills
from which the poor Germans were suffering.
Silly as such a harrangue might appear to the
American IL took like wild-fire with 81 fficient
number of Germans, and IL lasted long enough
to enable Bismarck to pass his favorite budget.
So intense was the feeling that on one Sunday,
while stoecker was addressing crowd of people,
his hearers became so fanstically enthused that
they ran down into the "Judengasse" in Berlin
and demolished q number of Jewish houses
and plundered the property to their hearts con-
tent, the police and military standing idly by
and enjoying the scene. The motive OF the In
human action of the car can in like manner be
traced to political greed.
Before proceeding / am compelled 70 commit
an act that generally dislike in writer or
speaker; namely, to give very brief sutobiog.
raphy. believe that the reader or the listener
cares nothing for the personality of the writer
or speaker, but a careful perusal Of this article
will make clear my motives for committing an
act OF which generally disapprove.
I am a Jew. was born In Krakau, very an
cient city with an almost sacred history to the
Austrian Pole. It has population OF about
100000 people, one-ffth of whom are Jews.
can still remember, though / was very young
then, the large wooden gates that surrounded
the Jewish quarter Of the city. The gates were
shut at p. m. and kept closed until q m. No
Jew was permitted to pass in or out during that
time, and II some poor, unfortunate descendant
OF Abraham was belated In the Christian quar-
tiers, he could not pass the gates and go to his
home and family, but was thrown into prison
for the night. If Jew was takan sick while the
gates were closed, his friends were not permitted
to pass them In search of medical aid. The Jew
could die AZ far a. the government was con-
cerned. I worked three years in Warsaw, the
principal city of Russian Poland, containing
about twice the population OF my birthplace,
with an equal proportion of Jews. Before en-
tering the Austrian army by compulsion, I
travelled through Rumia as far - Moscow, and
my travelling was not done In Q Pullman car.
! had sufficient opportunity to thoroughly ac-
quaint myself with the people. After leaving
the army went to London, England, and there
l again came In close contact with Russian
Jews. The very class OF Jews that are now being
driu fpn ofW - 1,n md
seeking admission to this country, have been
infesting London for the last ten years, though
In limited numbers ! cite all this to show that
ought 20 be conversant with the subject which
l am treating-the Russian Jews
am great admirer of Baron Hirsch and his
associates in their philanthropic ventures to aid
the Russian exile, but in order to succeed they
must follow the example of Moses. When
Moses took the Jewish slave from Egypt he
knew him only partially. The old proverb 10 a
true one, "You do not know . man until you
either live with him In the same house or do
business with him." After Moses had the Jew
across the Red sea he became thoroughly ae-
Quainted with his charge. He realized that the
ex-Egyptian slave was not q fit person to become
free citizen. Moses was an ideal socialist.
His legislation proves the assertion. He re-
volted against the brutal treatment the Egyptian
gave his slave, and he took it on himself to free
the poor sons of Jacob. He succeeded. So far,
so good. Then he began to frame q written con-
stitution for free people, the first one known
to history, and he discovered his mistake. He
saw that the slave of yesterday YVES not ripe for
self-government today. Moses saw that he
could not take these people into Palestine
and have them maintain their independence
among other civilized nations He feared their
reinstatement. So he kept them In the wilder
ness for forty years. in order that by the natural
process OF evolution the character OF the people
might undergo radical change-that ell the
actual ex-slaves might die out, and only those
enter Palestine who either were under twenty
years OF age when brought from Egypt or were
born In the wilderness. Subsequent events
have proved Moses wisdom. Oil how many of
our citizens who advocated the acknowledgements
of the negro after his deliverance from slavery,
are today regretting not having taken heed of
Moses example. do not wish to appear as
scoffeT at the Bible 1t is far from my intention.
But while my theory OF this part OF the Bible
may not agree with orthodox Interpretation,
submit 1t is the only reasonable explanation of
why Moses kept the Jews in the wilderness for
forty years.
Baron Hirsch must do the same thing. He
must take the Russian Jews to the uninhabited
but fertile regions of the Argentine Republic,
Africa or Lower California They are not fit
subjects for this country. You pass along Front
and Second streets of this city and observe the
large mercantile Establishments owned or man.
aged by Jews, and you will find that some came
to this country when very young, and have been
reared and educated under the benefcent laws
of g free government. The balance we're born
and reared in this country, and consequently
are energetic, public spirited and very valuable
citizens. You go a little further down toward
the water front, and there you viii md Russian
Jews, recent arrivals, with not spark OF public
spirit in them, not q conception Of freedom
You might have monarchy or anarchy tomor-