The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-09-09
JEWS FOR PALESTINE.
Re-Establishment of Israel as a Ma
ton. Seems Assured.

Basic, Sept. 9-The one supreme fact
developed by the Second Zionist con-
gress this week is that this great move
ment is to re-establish the Jewish peo-
pie as an actual nation in Palestine,
from whence they were led as captives
by Titus, 70 years after the beginning
of the Christian era.
The great powers of Europe have be-
gun to show a friendly interest in the
work. 1t is a fact that the German
emperor was represented in the con-
gress by a trusted representative,
charged with the duty of reporting to
him infinitely the plans and purposes
of the whole undertaking. The en-
peror also has allowed it to be known
to the members of the congress that
when he reaches the holy land he pro-
poses to spend one night in the Jewish
colony at Jaffa, the seaport of Jerusa-
lem, founded through the munifcence
of Baron Edmund ROthschild.
But the one man in. the whole world
who has it in his power to re-esta blish
Judea on her ancient soil, with the CO.
operation OF the great powers, is the
Sultan of Turkey. There is something
thrillingly suggestive in the fact that in
a reply to a, message of cOngratulation
sent by DR.. Theodore Herzel, president
of the congress, to the YildeZ Kiosk, the
commander of the faithful sent a tele
gram of hearty thanks and a most COR
dial message of good will.
These two facts alone stand out
clearly as signs of the unmistakable
progress of Israel back to the scene of
her ancient spiritual splendOr. The fact
that this work is not the fruit of idle
dreaming is shOwnl by the practical
manner in which this congress has
promptly authorized the establishment
of a bank with a preliminary capitali-
zation of SIC. 900 goo, and that of this
sum of S1,OO0. 900 has already been sub
scribed without any definite plan being
made known to the subscriber and 95
per cent of the 81, 600, 900 was taken in
individual subscriptions of IS, showing
a n b.
ers.
In addition to this, the congress dem
onstrated that the enrolled number of
Zionists has increased sevenfold within
a year.
In the rows of delegates on the plat
form were to be seen some of the most
conspicuous men of the race of this
generation, There were representatives
present from all the nations Of the
world.
The congress had more than 400 mem
bers, nearly all of whom were import
ant factors in the life of Jewry in their
respective countries. Indirect messages
came from tens of thousands of Jews
in distant countries too poor to send
delegates. Speeches were delivered in
English, German. French. Russian.
Italian, Hebrew, Polish and Rouman-
ian.
It was determined by the congress
definitely that no further inhltration Of
Jews, into Palestine will be sanctioned
by Zionists until the Sultan himself has
been won over and his official sanction
has been secured for the work. 1t was
laid down as an absolute principle of
the movement that the highest mutual
liberation should be observed by the
two great sections of the Jewish race,
who have some differences in their
points of view respecting the faith and
practice of Judaism.
The final session of the congress.
which lasted nearly "a hours, ended at
dawn of Wednesday, and as DR.. HerZel,
with tear-dinmed ewes. spoke the clos
ing words: 1.-The old wandering of
Jews has come to an end, and in its
place let US begin the spiritual pilgrim
age of Zion and hope that a new and
better day has begun" the first light
of daybreak shone prophetically upon
his glorified face.