The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1893-07-01
Jews as FinancIers.

Pre-eminent financial success seems
to have been only attained by the Jewish
race in those countries where Christians
are not conspiou ous for business quail
tiles and where the Hebrew, prevented
from entering the protest. ms has leen
driven to concentrate his energies on
business and finance. But in France,
England and the United States. jews
have not as money-makers attained any
extraordinary pre-emlnence, either as
creators of great fortunes or as tinan-
ciers. Necker, who stands out with
prominence as tinancier, in France,
was of IRISH origin. His family
abandoned Ireland in the time of Queen
Mary, to avoid persecution as Protest
ants. and went to switzerland and,
similarly, the famous financial family Of
Say abandoned Fiance for the same
refuge. ultimately returning to France.
In England, in the last century, not
more than three or four Jews rose to
the hGute .fHGncP rank. One of these
was Sampson Gideon. who died in 1862,
and was buried with great ceremony
indicative of the reverence paid. even
then. in England. to one of his faith in
II III post ION, Ill tnt ItlliOuS burial
ground in Mile-End Row, where Lord
Baconstield's forbears are inferred.
Mrs. Barbauld observed that the car
riages of Dissenters almost invariably
carried them in the second generation
to the parish church: In like manner,
the jew in England who gets rich, and
obtains social recognition and position,
seems to have a tendency to become an
easy convert of Christianity. Gideon's
son, before long, found himself a church
member, a Baronet. and ultimately a
Peer; and, dropping his Hebrew sound
ing patronymic, assumed the more eu
phonious appellation of Eardlv.
OF the names distinguished IN
England as authorities on financial
, subjects. scarcely any are Hebrew,
save that of Richardo. Richardo
quarreled with his father, who wished
him to go into business, for which he
had no taste, and became a Christian.
He has had high repute as finance
writer; but Sir Henry Parnel, great
uncle of the agitator, and Lord Over
stone, also very high authorities on
such subjects Cthe latter being, further,
the most mOneyed son Of BRITAIN,
could not either of them claim any jew
ish blood. OF other Jews who have
II en- to fame III England, Sir Menasteh
LOPEZ. whose son became a Christian,
and Sir Francis Goldsmith and Sir Nj.
Montefore, may he mentioned all very
wealthy, vet not in the front rank of
wealth. Rothschilds connection with
England did not begin until he was
solidly established in Germany, when
he sent his son Nathan to Manchester.
In this country none of the monster
fortunes have been acquired by mem
Der of the Hebrew race, save that OF
Astor. But We believe John Jacob
Aston entirely dropped the faith of his
forefathers before he took root in this
country. Many jews themselves dis
claim for their race any extraordinary
genius IN the money-mak ing line, and
declare that the idea of its existence
has arisen from the fact that one family
of the Rothschids has been so world
famous for wealth. A highlv-intelE-
gent Hebrew once remarked that Jews,
as a rule, are too afraid of losing to ac-
Gure very large fortunes, which are
generally gained by happy mixture of
produce and daring - The american.