The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-09-28
zIONIsM.


Wa have taken occasion TO review
briefly from time To time. the progress
OF the movement of "Zionism, by
which name Is known the proposition 10
reclaim Palestine and tho Holy City
for the Hebrew race aud. as We have un-
derstood tho idea. 10 10 establish
country for inc scattered people.
Ii was believed from such early reports
as wCro available from tho recent Zionist
congress held al Basic. switzerland, that
the movement had created great deal OF
enthusiasm based on its elucidation as a
practical scheme But on the contrary
fuller and moro authoritative repurts OF
the proceedings indicate that the plan 80
| rich in prospect and so fascinating was
really abandoned as impracticable ia
view OF the ohtacles 10 it's execution. And
the congress finally crystallized its
| future purposes In tho official state
mont thai Tine aim of Iionism
is to create for the Jewish people q pub
! licly, legally assured home in Palestine. -
This on authority of the LONDON jew
ish Chronicle, is nothing more than the
many thousands OF Hebrews now settled
i'm Palestine already possess. Ii is not,
in any respect, an advance upon existing
conditions, and offers no additional Sc
| curity to the Hebrew colonies that have
been established in Palestine under the
protection of the Turks The terms above
quoted were described as o compromise;
but in truth they are apart from the
! original object Of Zionism, which was the
creation of a Hebrew state, under satisfac-
! tory guarantees,
In order To attain the end thus sought
for by the congress, certain measures were
| drawn up and accepted. IL was resolved.
! (l) TO promote the settlement in Palestine
Of Jewish farmers, mechanics. laborers,
and professional men; CD to did in the
Capitalization of the Jewish people, nm
der lawful institutions; CD to strengthen
.Iowisa sentiment and conscience; (i) to
obtain the suction of government for car
| rying out OF the specified ends.
| Thus again, in these matters also. there
was - marked departure from the extern
s,ve and substantive program Of action
for the congress that had been drawn up
by Herzl ana Nordau. 1t is known that
already there are efforts some of them
successful. to induce Jewish colonists to
settle in Palestine and to accomplish tho
| other objects indicated in tho foregoing
| proposit ons. The Rothschilds, the late
| Baron Hirsch, and other wealthy Jews
have furnished means To promote the
Jewish colonization of Palestine.
10 those patriotic Hebrews where fancy
| had been turned TO the dream OF the new
| Moses, 4" DIR. Theodore Herzl, of Vienna,
the result achieved by the Congress must
| be a disappointment. Financially, rs we'll
| as politically. tho Congress offered little
| that was encouraging to such hopes. al
| previous reports Co the contrary notwith-
| ssSnding After vErious financial plans
| of great proportions wero presented, tn
| Congress finally adopted resolution 10
tie effect that every Zionist who wishes
to possess tho right Of eiectiug delegates
TO tho next congress shall voluntarily pay
every year for Zionist purposes Mt least
| one shekell " or about % cents in United
states money. No delegate ventured to
make an estimate OF the amount that
would thus bc obtained for tho Zionist
| fund; but, If the head Of every jewish
family in tho world were TO pay in the
designated sum, the total amount thus
| procured would fell below $3.50. coo.
Next years Congress meets in .Ierusa-
lem and it is believed that the promoters
of the enticiug plans will then take on
new hope.