New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-08
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
JEWS AND JEWRIES.

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. And the Participa-
1n OF Inc Jews R b IN 'ae Ksvserng Translated
by Charles Gross IN H.; af ISL PIse long
mans. Green Coz
Both these books contain forcible arguments. even
though indirect In behalf OF the Jews Inc one may
be called sketch Of the development OF jewish
liberties such they are. in Europe; the other de-
scrihes the share which leading men OF the jewish
race had In the discovery of the new world The
me Is a claim for them equality as human beings
nm the score OF long suffering under oppression ana OF
gradual ascent In the scale OF liberty ana hnuence'
which indicates future progress the other Involves
tacitly claim the gratitude Of the world Tor OPEN
ing up regions favorable TO the growth or humanity
But Dr. Philipson can be criticised for having at
tributed 10 Christian mankind more than It's snare
Of the depravy that exists in the nature OF 'nnsS'
He comedies that separate Jewish quarter In the
medieval cities of Europe was at hrst desired os
the inhabitants themselves They were NOT lorceu |"
live apart from their fellow-townsmon. Inc WISH 10
no distinct from each other was mutual on the part
Of the different races. 1t must not be forgotten
even in philosophical discussions OF this topic 'ha'
the Jews have retained from antiquity scruples
about matters which other races consider OF niue
Importance Under the conditions OF lie III ancient
European towns. as described 10y historians seP"i'-
ZION between diverse races was inevitable. In the
EARLIER centuries what acts OF Intolerance occurred
seem to have been sporadic Otherwise 1t would
hardly have been expected that they could be pre-
vented by the declarations of a local reIslouS vi
secular ruler. The Jews themselves looked upon Il
as a boon when they were assigned 10 Il quar- 'c''
DR. Phipson quotes IN the original and IN trahsa-
hon the decree of Bishop Rudiger OF Speyer'
which makes such an assignment for the specihc
purnose of protecting the Jews from the insolence
~ the populace This was the close OF the
eleventh century. In those days the JEWISH quarter
doubtless compared favorably with any other po'-
ton Of the city in cleanliness and IN the appearance
of the houses But chat is not saying much Inc
rned,aeyaI city was IN many respects more ike a
rpodern town in the Orient than one III Europe VI
A,,er,ca There was ar appalling Indifference 10
ANYTHING like sanitation. The lack or wheeieu
vehicles and the meagrenes5 OF commerce raue "iue
streets needless. What are now deemed merely inv
ordinary conveniences of life were beyond the power
AZ the Imagination to CONCEIVE. AS years went OF
the crowded life and competition OF the people oe
came burdensome. Those who had gaiheu Son'e
,,her,v-for we must remember that nobody except
the landowners had any freedom worth oiscuss"s
NJ the outset-bettered their condition. but tha' was
not possible for races that were merely toierd'eu
The mower of the popusce became stronger the
.Naciency OF the Law for protection became "eh"0'
md the Jews who had gladly lived by then-
.elves now found their isolation peril. When the
civic authorities failed 10 protect them' 'hey "p
pealed to the ruler OF the nation. anu neie "e"',
dsvice that worked we'll at hrst became '"e 81"
.,rum.nt Of more severe punishment in the end.
or many Of It's inhabitants a King IKE ho"aiu
NJ england could turn Jew out or the country
.,,+hout a shilling He would protect those WHO
nIled his treasury long as ne couiu' pu' VIZ"
his own safety ambitions were IN ques"o'' "e
.,,.,asd 10 nretudices which he could not master
The same thing has happened over ana over asd
wherever diverse races had to i've siue u! ue'
gwen where religious differences cut no inquire "ha'
ever the result has been the same. In Cases "'
thess were made prominent. they have usually oee''
the pretext not the cause OF the trouble -,
Too uuch can easily be said of the religious ull-
serences between Jews and Christians IN the -nuu'e
Ace. As the testimony gathered by Dr. fhinp
-. tho growth OF luminosity this ac-
..,,rt wss matter Of centuries, while mere race
nretudice was obvious from the first. IL was o.,iy
IN ner,ods dominated by wild fanaticlsm 'ha' .'e
re,,rious cries had their full efect-in the ''"''
Of the crusades. for example or under 'he snauom
~ the Black Death. But If the Western "orio
la remained pagan the result under similar con-
a,,ions would have been the same Inc P'e1u-
a,ce which the mild Horace could not suppress
,vouId have been unrestrained In the popuidVe :,
Neither Christianity nor Judaism shouIo De o'"iie
for the fact that most men can turn 'heiilse'..'
into wild beasts when the occasion serves. On '"e
other hand this book reveals the capacity Oh ""-
man nature for finding beauty in the most adverse
.r-round,nes The squalor of the Ghetto' OF
Jevry in various cities is proveroiai II was ~
oroduct of ages Of neglect. In 1t couid De see" nc
nicture Of what all cities were some centuries "e
put within II there had been marvellous deVei-
onn,ent of human character. AS the houses NC
s..,h shabby exterior concealed comfort ana
INJURY so mankind. under queer garments h'u III"
NOR and eccentricity. intelligence ana oeau'S' anu
q wisdom that blossomed at last IN literature w
ntber books convey idea OF what Is re'edieu ia
~. particular books OF fiction. the list of which
h.p,ns with Heines fragmentary story me f>"p''
of Bacharach" Dr. Philipson reviews brieny 'he
nrogress Of this literature from Heine TO MT Gang
.,uis ..Children of the Ghetto and he makes the
reader wish for more elaborate STUDY VI ,ie
theme The recent success OF MT. Iahg"ili SUI
rte. is proof that there is much beneath the sur
sac. ~ the Jewish quarter In every CITY
%, the genial student OF life. But az Tor
~. Jewish quarter itself, Or. Phpson wishes
% do away with II. He paints IN NVio
colors the danger to the Jews as race from "ha'
he calls the voluntary Ghettos In american
cities They the product or Ola " orio rePio7
don Immigrants. who know nothing OF the oh'ed
States herd together after the fash'oh 'heS ~
s,een used to in other countries 1t Is the business
of the Jews race, he thinks 10 scatter '',eS'
honeIess multitudes and TO teach them now 10 i've
q different life
mr. Kayser,ng's book shows that Jews had a
~a,id claim on America for the liberty which IL mas
given them, and which its example mas procured
for them In other parts Of the world. He under
took the Investigations which 1t records at the IN
stance of Lazarus Straus and oscar 3 Straus' OF
this city Without Jewish wealth and jewish arsu
,nents II is possible that Columbus would never
have been favored by the Spanish rulers. Among
his sailors there Jews, and it was to a Je"
that ne wrote the earliest news OF his success
The truth is concealed by the fact that SO many
Jewish families in Spain had been forced 10 adop'
Christianity. But they were still Jews IN pii'a'e
hevo,,ons One Of these us de Santangel
who furnished the money f. the first voyage
The volume is ar interesting appendix to the MS
tory Of those times. for it shows in how many
ways Jewish activity affected the course OF events
even where the influence of the race was ieas
.usnected In learning. in finance and In politics
-. bore their mart and more. in bringing abou
the change from medaevasm to modern life. 1h'
most imperfect thing about the book Is It's 'i'ie
This suggests biography Of Columbus Dut th'
80. Css,,rnhrs 10 a secondary matter. Any On,