Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-23
Based on Religious Grounds and lnten-
Slned by Business Causes.
THE BALLOT NOT THE REMEDY.
Aim OF the jew to lie an American
Citizen; His Only Cause TO Advance,
Protect. and Guard American Lib
erty and Independence.

commenting on the evident fairness of
the treatment of the subject. the speaker
drew attention to the salient points of
the article which are: First, that the
Jews have always been good citizens in
every age and i'm every country, and that
the cruelty of their treatment was unjus-
tilted on the score of their conduct; Sc
cond, that his Mark Twain's) idea of the
cause OF this unjust and cruel treatment
Of the Jews was that it was based, not
on religious, but on purely economic,
grounds-yiz.: The envy and chagrin
which the unsuccessful Christian feels
over the success which attends Jewish
endeayor in whatsoever avenue of ac-
tivity It IS directed, the hate which the
vanquished holds against the victor, and,
third that the remedy which Mr.. Clemens
proposes is organization on the part of
the Jews that they may make their power
felt, politically and otherwise, in order to
command better treatment for them
selves.
THE CAUSE.
Rabbi Calisch differed radically with
the author He contended that the feel
Ing against the Jew was primarily based
on religious grounds, and that the facts
which Mark Twain cites were only ad-
ditionsl reasons, intensifying the original
religious prejudice. The author cited
the story Of Joseph, saying that his
shrewdness forced a merciless corner In
foodstuffs, whereby a people were en-
shaved and he establshen an undesira-)
BILE character for himself and his race.
Of
who read the forty-seventh chapter of
Genesis "unthoughtfully," Far from
causing himself to be disliked. Joseph
was regarded as a saviour Of the people.
and as long as he lived, and as long as
his memory remained. there was no fric-
ton between the Egyptians and tho
Israelites. 1t was 400 years later when
there arose king who knew not Jo-
seph" that the trouble began.
Mark Twain says that "he is persuaded
that I'm Russia, Austria. and Germany
nine-tenths OF the hostility to the jew
comes from the average Christians in
ability to compete with the average Jew
i'm business" lie is mistaken. IT is the
Identification Of the Jewish people with
the death Of Jesus Of Nazareth that is
the apparently exhaustless source Of TIA
hatred against them. That Is the reason
that its flame flares up against them spe-
ciallv fierce on religious holidays, and
that is the reason that you will find the
persecution the more bitter In proportion
as religious influence Is dominant IN
country's government. In Russia Church
and State are thoroughly united, the Gar
Is supreme pontiff as well as supreme
dictator In Austria Church and state
are almost as closely welded Prestcraft
a. .f 10 generally
known that the Jesuits are responsible
for the recent crisis in France. In Ger
many. where Church influence is less
dominant. anti-Semitism is only spas
modlc and sporadic. In England, where
the established" Church IS nominal only,
and In America, where there is absolute
clearage, the condition of the Jew is hap
piest.
Even here. where a harmful intention
is doubtless often absent, damage is done
by almost every Christian pulpit and
Sunday school In the land. In picturing
the trial and final scenes Of his life, some
Christian preachers cannot be eloquent
enough In their denunciatlOn of what
they call the heartlessness OF the
"swarthy and bloodthirsty' Jews who
demanded the release of Barabbas and
the crucifxion Of Jesus. Your average
man or woman does not dl1ferentiate be-
tween the Jew" of 1000 years ago and
the Jew who walks the street to-day.
Time was when it seemed TO be an ar
ticle Of Christian theology that the suf-
ferings Of the Jews We're the visitation OF
Gods wrath for their rejection Of His
Son. and many a believer was only too
ready TO be an instrument to promulgate
the divine chastisement. Possibly all this
..f.rrrs T.,
the breasts Of humane and enlightened
Christians of to-day, and, like Mr..
Clemens. they see only the more super
fetal causes OF economic antagonism,
vanquished competition, social snobbery,
or race prejudice. but these are only SUI
per-strata resting upon the deeper foun-
dation Of religious antipathy. They are
all additional causes, but they are not
the cause.
THE REMEDY.
Mr.. Clemens suggests as a remedy that
the Jews band themselves together po-
ltically and otherwise, make up regiments
composed Of Jews, &c. 10 demonstrate
that they flight for their country as well
as feed on it," Again is the author wrong,
and never was fouler counsel given with
friendlier interest
OF the patriotism OF the Jew 1 need not
sneak, especially not here in the South,
where he freely gave his energy, his
means. and his life TO the southern cause.
in positions from Cabinet officers down
TO the humblest private that slumbers in
an unknown grave; the rolls OF Confede-
rate regiments testify to his valOr and
his self-sacrilice; the beautiful section out
I'm our sacred "acre of God" is a mute
though eloquent, witness. In the recent
war the proportion Of Jewish volunteers
was three times that Of their population.
From the earliest revolutionary times
through every crisis Of her history have
the sons of Israel given 20 their beloved
land what she asked Of them-treasure, or
blood, or devoted service.
AS for political organization, may the
day never come when the Jew will so far
forget his sacred duties of citizenship as
TO use his ballot for any other purpose
than the welfare of his country. We have
too many hyphenated citizens now What
with Irish-Americans, German-Americans,
Italian-Americana, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,
and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., the plain, un-
ornamented American seems 10 be no
nenity. 1t is a prostitution of one OF the
hottest privileges ever placed in human
hands to cast hybrid ballot. There
could be but one step lower-that TO make
distinctions along the varying lines OF
religious belief
There is but one aim that shall ami
mate every citizen, and that is 10 be an
American citizen: there is but one cause
he shall serve, and that is 10 advance. TO
protect. to guard. with life itself, the
honor and the stainless flag of American
liberty and independence. This Is the SEN
timent Of the Jews in America and