The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-04-01
THE JEWS IN AUSTRALIA.


They Have Played a Prominent Part In
the Development of the Colony.
The appointment of Sir Julian Salo-
mons as agent-general Of New South
Wales would be pleasing announce
ment to English Jews if it stood alone
as a disconnected fact Of contemporary
politics. But coming after the resigna-
ton of Sir Saul Samuel, and marking
for the first time in history the holding
by two Jews in practically immediate
succession of an important semi-diplo-
matte post, it is doubly welcome to US.
1T shows the completeness with which
racial and religious dividing marks have
been obliterated in the infant nationall-
ties over the sea, and the thoroughness
with which they have adopted the les
sons Of equality that older Jews are be-
coming daily more identified with the
national life, and becoming indlssolubly
incorporated in the great fabric Of the
| British empire. Above all, it demon
| strates that in the great pioneer work of
| empire building they are not behind 9TH
| err Engllshmen, that they are helping to
| carry the British power onward, coming
| as messengers from colonies to mother
| country and forming in their own per-
| sns the human bond between English
men and their kitl1 and kin beyond the
ocean.
| That Jews have done much pioneer
| service in South Africa the annals of the
| last generation amply demonstrate.
| That they have borne an honorable part
| in the life of Australasia the successive
appointment of two Jews to the highest
post in the gift Of the New South Wales
government, though the entire Jewish
population of the colony numbers bare
ly six thousand, might be sufficient
proof. The story, however, of the Aus
tralian colonies bears further evidence,
II any We're needed, of the honorable
part borne by Jews in the commercial
development of the colony. The names
of men like Lewis Phillips and P. j. Co
hen, early settlers in the colony; the
Hon. s. A. Joseph. who died few
months ago; the Hon. Lewis Wolfe,
father Of Benn Levy, who has just re-
ceived the honorary freedom Of SAL
ford; George Cohen, chairman Of the
most prominent commercial institutions
of Sydney; his father, Samuel Cohen,
the first Jew elected member of the
Parliament of New South Wales; the
Hon. II. E. Cohen, who, after following
a commercial career Is now Judge of the
supreme court of New South Wales, and
men now living in London, like David
Cohen and Sigismund Hoffnung, are in
themselves abundant testimony to the
distinction which Jewish colonists have
won for themselves in Australia.
But the name which leaps most prom
~;.,l IT,
is the ever-honored one of Montefiore.
Fifty years ago, when the colony of New
South Wales barely felt its feet-an in
FAINT indeed among the family of ma
tions-Jacob and Joseph Montefiore had
founded a firm there which stood in the
front rank of business establishments.
Jacob Montefiore, indeed, boosted one OF
the largest sheep-runs in New South
Wales, and his name is writ large
in the colony's history. At the junction
of the Bell and Macquarie rivers, in
Wellington valley, stands the township
Of Montefiore. In Adelaide, too, the two
brothers gave their name to WELL
known hill; while the Bank Of Australia
survives to this day as a living monu-
ment Of their activity and success, for
they took leading part in it's establish
ment Jacob Montefiore himself being
for considerable time one of the most
energetic directors.
The successive appointment of Sir
Saul Samuel and Sir Julian Salomons is,
therefore, in one sense but recognition
of the work which Jews have accom-
plished in the interests of the Australian |
colonies. AS a auas-dipomatic post. |
too, it serves to remind us Of the |
strangely insignificant share which Jews
play in the diplomatic profession as a |
whole Oscar Straus, the present Uni |
ted States minister to Turkey, is, of |
course, striking exception to the rule.
The probable cause is, no doubt, the fact |
that it is only recently that Jews have
been admitted to political rights or the
service of the state at all. But it is |
more than likely that, with the progress
of time. their natural cosmopoitanism,
linguistic talent and faculty of adoption |
will more than redress the unfavorabl
balance in this respect. Chroni-
Gle.