Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-05
Hook Notices.

NINTH BIENNIAL REPORT OF THE
KANSAS STATE BOARD OF AGRI-
CULTURE TO THE LEGISLATURE
or THE STATE FOR THE YEARS
1883 AND 1894 Containing Descriptive
Statements, Statistics. and General In
formation Relating 10 Each County.
and the Geographical and Typographical
Features of the State, together with
Tables. Statements. Summaries. and
Diagrams Showing the Products, Pro-
gress. and Development of the State
Reports OF the Appointed Omcers Of
the Board. and General Agricultural
Information Topeka: Press OF thu
Hamilton Printing Company. Edwin
II. Snow State Printer. 1895.
The so pages of the book are devoted
| 10 Kansas agricultural statistics for the
years mentioned. and information in
| tended 10 be practically helpful TO those
| in agricultural pursuits The biennial
| period to which 1t relates has been. foi
| Kansas one Of less than usual prosperi-
~. This has been due, the report says.
| not alone to the two unfavorable crop
| seasons that in succession have been
common TO many portions Of the Union,
but also 10 the general depression exist
| ent In business throughout the world.
! Yet. I'm spite of so many extraordinarily
adverse conditions. Kansas. as a wohle,
has not failed in the production OF tre-
mendous quantities OF the great staples.
which conduce 10 comfort and prosperity
| at home and command gold in the mar
kets OF the world. This is shown in de-
tail by counties. giving the various pro-
ducts and their values.
JEWISH LITERATURE AND OTHER
ESSAYS. BY Gustav Karpeles. Philadel-
phia: The Jewish Publication Society
i0i pages.
The author says in his preface that
these essays were delivered during the
last ten years in the form OF addresses
before large associations In the great
cities of Germany, and that no ventures
to hope they may be kindly received in
the New World. for they were born of
devoted love Of Judaism. These words
are addressed to his brethren in faith.
His work should be received kindly, not
only by his own people. but by al others
who would rise 10 "a Just appreciation OF
the proper position of the jew in Iitera-
turc
In no volume we are acquainted with is
there more comprehensive. and. we
may say. popular. short treatise on the
Talmud than Mr.. karpeles presents, and
from this treatise we take the following
as indicating the dominating contention
or most OF the essays;
For the Jews and their literature IL
,the raimud) had untold Significance
That the 'ralmud has been the conseryator
or Judaism IS an irrefutable statement
IL Is true that the study OF the Talmud
unduly absorbed the great intellectual
force Of It's edhcrents and brought about
u somewhat one-sided mental develop
men; OF the Jews; bat il Is also true. as
a writer says, that whenever In troub-
lous times scientific inquiry was laid low;
whenever. for any reason. the Jew was
excluded from participation In public life.
the study OF the Talmud maintained the
elasticity and yigor OF the Jewish mind,
and rescued the Jew from sterile myst-
cism and spiritual apathy. The Talmud.
as a rule, has been lnimical to mysticism.
and the most brilliant Talmudists In
propit!ous days have achieved distinguish
ed success in secular science. The jew
survived ages OF bitterness. all the while
cl.ngln9 loyalty to his faith in the midst
OF hostility, and the iirst ray OF light
that penetrated the walls OF the Ghetto
found him ready 10 take part In the In
tellectual work OF his time. This sd-