The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-14

the facilities afforded them of emigraring
TO the United States and Argen-
tina. in ali this Baron Hirsch acted on the
reasonable conviction that Jews are quite
as capable as Christians of becoming skilled
artisans and successful agriculturists, If
only they obtain fair play; and before his
death he had the satisfaction of knowing
that he had completely proved his case.
But ii would be gross mistake to fancy
that Baron Hirsch's generosity was sec
tartan. He was a phIlanthropist in the
noblest and most catholic sense of the
word, and thousands-nay, millions-of
men and women of all Christian churches
will bitterly bewail his death.
In Vienna, for example, he established
a com mittee for supplying needy artisans
and laborers, without discrimination of
creed, with loans for the purchase of trade
i'm plements, and for this object he allowed
the committee 10000 forms monthly. A
similar com mittee in Buda- Pesth was In re-
ceipt of the same monthly allowance. In
Lemberg and Cracow he paid l., 900 forms
monthly for an identical purpose, W lille
his committee in New York disposed of
$40, COO per month. When the fire in the
city of Stry, in Galicia, left large num-
bers of people roofess, Baron Hirsch sent
them check for 100, 600 guldens. All these
and many other acts of princely generosity
were by their very nature made public, but
millions of francs found their way from
the Hirsch bank to the huts and garrets of
the poor, no penny of which was ever re-
corded. 1t is estimated that he spent alto
gether in works of pure philanthropy
about 100, 900 900 francs, or one-third of his
capital. He was busy drawing up further
grandiose plans of philanthropy when
death closed his career.
On the occasion of his last visit to Aus
tralia he complained to friend of the
high legacy duties in this country. Are
you anxious about your heirs, then?''
asked the friend. "My heirs" replied
Baron Hirsch, "sre suffering humanity.
Ny one desire is to capitalize all my ben
evolent foundations so they may live and
work forever"
The wretched in all quarters of the globe
regarded Maurice Hirsch as an earthly
providence. Every year in Carlsbad he
was followed at q respectful distance by
hundreds of Polish and Russian Jews, who
regarded the ground he trod as holy.
Every post brought him countless begging
letters. One was concluded in the follow
ing term: "If you are man of honor
help an unfortunate lady in trouble
Send 10000 francs by return post to B
g., Poste Restante, and never seek to
learn my name" Another WAS as follows
Messiah of the Jews. You, who like a
second Moses, seek to rescue us from
slavery, help me-. your servant, out
Buda-Pesth wrote begging letter, and
received from Baron Hlrsch, who never
saw him, $4,000 francs. A few day:
before death he sent one such letter to
committee in Vienna, telling them to pay
the writer OF it 1000 forms, if the facts She
alleged we're true. 1t is difficult to realiz.
the crushingly painful Impression pro
duced throughout the Hapsburg monarchy
by the sudden demise of the beneficent
millionaire, who considered himself tn,
trustee of the poor and suffering, and who
was the noble master-not the sordiC
slave-of his millions.-London Telegraph