Smyrna times., 1891-03-25
The Jews and Palestine.

The Jews and Palestine.
Last Thursday memorial in behalf
of the Russian Jews was presented to
President Harrison. It is the only
practical result Of the late conference
of Christians and Jews at Chicago ;
and its prayer is that the President and
Secretary Blaine shall "use their good
Offices and influence" with the Euro
pean mOnarchs and Governments to
induce them to agree in international
I conference to "give Palestine back to
the Jews driven from the Russian do
miniOns.
The presentation of this remarkable
document suggests two questions.
First, do the Jews want Palestine back
as a country in which to live ? Sec.
Ondly, is it the business of this repub-
lie to interfere in a matter which con-
Germs only European and Turkish di-
pl0macy?
At present the population of Pales-
| tine is estimated at about 100000, or,
probably, less than One-tenth what it
was in the days of Solomon. Of these
inhabitants, less than 10000 are Jews,
though the total number of the race in
the world is estimated by Prof. Schem
at 100000. The Hebrew population
of Russia alone is set down by this
memorial as 100000.
1t appears, therefore, that of their
own motion the Jews do not go back
to Palestine to find a home. They
prefer to scatter themselves through
out the world as opportunities for the
exercis of their extraordinary abilities
are presented. They are great trav-
ellers and are quick to immigrate
wherever they can advance their for
tunes. Yet they do not 90 to Pales-
tine. Only pitiful remnant of their
race continues to abide there. Their
sentiment for the land of their origin
and their historical splendor is not
strong enough to attract them thithei
even when their wealth enables them
to choose their home at will. 1t is not
so strong as their desire to push ahead
in the world by taking advantage o
the greater facilities elsewhere. They
even submit to the injustice of race
prejudice rather than go back to Judea
for their courage in contending against
the obstacles to their advancement j!
indomitable, their confidence in theil
ultimate triumph is firm and well
founded, and their perception of wha
conduces to their interest is wonder
fully clear and keen.
Even if Palestine were given back t
them, as this memorial asks, wha
would they do with it? If the Russian
Jews were transported thither, 1000,
600 of them, how could they live in tha
comparatively poor country except By
charity continued during years t,
come? They could not support them
selves until after a long period, anC
meantime they would need great con
tributions for their benefit. Woult
not the money go further if it was ex
pended in helping them to get foot
hold in other countries, where the peo
pie of their race have already demon
strated their ability to conquer wealth
whatever the competition and howeve
bitter the race prejudices?
The proposition to segregate th,
Jews and shut them up in Palestine i
parallel with the old scheme to SEM
the negroes back to Africa and tn,
Jews know it. 1t is development o
anti-Semitism, rather than an expires
sion of pure philanthropy. The anti
Semitic League of Germany would b
glad to see iJ carried out. German
would rejoice to get rid of the Jewisl
competition against which they vainl,
fight in finance, trade, science, art, ant
} letters. Even in this country ther
are those who find competition wit
the sagacity, industry, and intellectua
acuteness of the Jews so hopeless tha
they would be glad to see the chosel
people pass out, as they passed out 0
Egypt in PharaOh's day, and confn
themselves to competing with thei
own race in Judea. But the Jews d.
not propose to go. They are doin
wonderfully well where they are, an
they are too practical a people to sac
rifce substantial advantages to tn
mere sentiment of occupying a land Q
their own, in which they would hav
hard work to get mere subsistence
even if they could live at all. If the
, really wanted Palestine, could nc
these masters of finance the virtual ru
ers of great States, get it of themselve
without the help or interference {
President Harrison or Secretary Blaine
The politics and political divisions
, Europe, too, are outside of our concerI
. 1t has been our principle from the fir.
10 let them alone as not our busines.
We have nothing to do with Europea
diplomacy and no suggestions to ofEe
, with reference to it. Such entanglC
i ment we have always sedulousl
avoided. The monarchs of EuroI
must make their own cOmpacts wit
' each other. This republic is not couI
J. ted in the bargaining. If it is for l
! to tell them what they ought to Z
with Palestine, why should we M
g also decide whether Alsace and Lo
II raine shall be given back to France
y be kept by Germany
2 But in this free republic Christia
= and Gentle are on political equalit
+ and here both can come and find 4
> unobstructed feld for advancement
Here the Jews can have land of the
own without begging the possessl'