The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-27

in answer to the two questions-'W hat
constitutes the Hebrews special talent
for mercantile life?" and TO what Is
Ills remarkable business success to be
attributed p
The writer declares that to no ma
ton we're mercantile pursuits % abhor
rent, originally, as to the Jewish race.
The traditions, nature, and character Of
the Jew forbade biz being a trader. He
became one only by compulson.'
He says Abraham was no trader. and
that the only transaction Of business
nature recorded Of the great shepherd
prince was that IN which Ephron
shamefully treated him, IN selling him
barren cave for four hundred
shekels. Abraham's refusal to share
the spoils Of battle Is further argued
to show that he did not possess
strong business faculty.
SAYS the Rabbi, Jacob required
twenty wears Of unceasing labor to
reach the stage Of being self-support-
ing
Joseph, he says. proved himself equal
to the occasion, in business way, but
in all his actions during the years of
drought he was unselfsh. And it is
argued that because he knew tull well
the lack of business qualifications in
his family, he asked Pharaoh to grant
them grazing land in the little prov
ince OF Goshen And "the only thing
Moses carried away with him on the
departure from Egypt, was coffin con
tanning tins bones OF Joseph
Their history is briefly traced for a
time, showing that when the Jewish
people were traders it was by force OF
necessity. in the medieval ages, =
the writer says, the Jews were barred
from all pursuits save that Of com
merce
As rivers do not accidentally flow by
large cities, but large cities are built OF
design on large rivers so the Jews. the
writer claims, were by necessity forced
to become commercial people rather
! than farmers, as they once were.
erich as jew" is an English prov
erb that is based on erroneous prem
lses, says the Rabbi for he doubts
! whether there are many really rich
Jews, measured by the modern stand
ard Of wealth The Jews. he SAYS, have
lived IN the United States ever since
We became a nation, and vet there has
not been a single instance where a Jew :
wealth could compare with a Wander
bits. Rockeieller's or Gould's. It is as
serted that in New York all the Jews
from the Battery to Harlem do not pos
sess SO much as the single fortune Ct
the Nanderbllts.
DR. Wise gives as an explanation q
how the Jews came TO be regarded as
peculiarly gifted in amassing money
that for centuries they were a ball to be
pitched at the will of kings. priests
and princes. And under these circum-
stances the Jews as race learned tC
invest the results of their labOrs in such
property as could easily be moved in
case of danger. The mob could burn
his house, but he could save his gold
and silver about his person.
Thus it happened" continues the
Rabbi, chat the Jew, being compelled
, to invest his earnings in gold and sill
, yer, in trinkets, jewels and precious
: stones, was forever under the suspicion
o. rolling in wealth.
Another cause for the prevalent idea
that the Jews were wealthy, says the
writer. was his open charity and deeds
OF kindness. His charity to others, hl.
exemplary family life, his love of wife
and children, have always been the
'urim and thummim' Of the Jew
| These virtues have been and are now
) the very soul Of the Jews lite and be
ing
The learned Rabbi shows very clear
, ~ that the trading life of the Jews wa,
not an original trait Of their character
but was acquired by force of circumstan
ces and that as a people they are not
rich. He closes the article with the fol