The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-11-25
THE YEAR WITH THE JEWS.
WHAT THE CLOSING DAYS or THE
CENTURY BRING TO THIS PEOPLE

RAISING Away ana faArer ana
More Liberal Standard Now Oh
tains-rhe jew IL Judged as a Man
and Not as Jew-Anti-senitic
Crusade In Continental Countries
Hon-FiEurcs From THE American
Jewish Year Book"-Treats Little
of ReItgiOn-rhe jew in Peace and
War.
The closing days OF the Nineteenth
Century. marking. as they do the end
OF the cycle OF greatest Improvement
through which the race has passed. and
sounding. as they do. the deathkneli OF
20 much that Is ignorant and supersti-
tiOus and bigoted. witness no more pro-
nounced or greater change than the sen
timent OF tho nations has undergone In
regard 90 the Jews
True Il IS that anti Semitic crusades
are sull heard from. and thai IN several
~ tho countries OF the continent Of Eu-
rope. ths rake OF the populaee IS excited
to occasional acts OF violence against the
Jews Acts OF oppression are stin too
frequent 20 excite more than passing
comment. when they occur In countries
like Russia. Austria and Roumania. but
in other countries they arouse a storm Of
protest that shakes the world. The re-
markabie vindloation OF Dreyfus induced
by the clamor for justice I'm which the
Christian and the Freethinkers Joined
with the Jew. IL an instance In point.
Everywhere the virtues OF the Jew are
being recognized and he Is acknowledged
good citizen. an upright and honorable
business man. an affectionAte husband aud
father. and a desirable member OF any
community, making always for peace aud
progress and opposed to daszenslon ana
retrogression. Where hts influence is felt.
II is acknowledged 20 be for good
Men and women of other races aud
other religions are beginning TO differen-
tiate between Jews Just as they differen-
tiate among the individuals OF their ogn
people, Because man chances TO be
Jew he Is no longer regarded az the pos
SCISSOR of certain traditional and uncom-
planetary attributes. but n Judged ON
mis- merits. He may be good man or
a very bad one. but no sensible member
OF society believes him 20 bs either be-
cause he is "a Jew. In other woris the
same standard OF character and morals IL
applied when a Jew u TO be weighed IN
the scales OF pubiic opinion as II applied
when member OF any other rsce is the
subject Of investigation. This doubtless.
II all that can be or - asked.
Tho prominent position occupied by
members OF the Jewish race In the bust
ness ana political life OF savannah IL 80
well recognized and understood that IL
"a he IA aNf aN h.
IT, every movement that makes for the
Announcements Of the interests OF their city.
they are foremost. lending ready. mater
tal and hearty assistance Represented In
almost every line OF business. as well as
in every profession, their Representatives
in all command and hold the condolences
and respect OF the people
The American Jewish Year Book. for
the year 56sl. in the Jewish chronology.
gives an Interestingly descriptive account
OF che achievements and sufferings OF the
race for the last twelve months. While II
Is not free from accounts OF unhappy per
secutions IN some foreign Countries. les
general tone Is optimistic and hopeful. n
looks back upon achievements Of Jewish
organizations and individuals. during a
year memorable In the history OF the
world. with just pride. and Il looks for.
ward into tho future with equally just ex-
rcctation OF greater things to come.
The year Book contains a list OF the
Jews who served in the regular and vol
unteer armies during the Spanish-Ameri-
can war aud the members OF che race
here will feel pride IN observing what
a large proportion OF these. In comparison
with the size Of the city and their own
numbers. are from Savannah. Members
OF the companies that went from Savan-
nah to the several regiments furnished by
the state viii remember the very excel
bent service that the great majority o.
these men rendered.
The religious. charitable and social or
carnations OF che Jews OF the country are
given ia the Year Book" and IN this
there is an excellent deserip-
tion OF Savannahs organizations, includ-
ing the two congregations and the So
cieties representing Jewish lie and senti-
ment.
A remarkable feature OF the Year
Book is tho comparatively small atten-
ton that is paid the subject OF dogmatfc
religion In discussing che Council OF
Jewish Women and contendlng for the cor
rectness Of the position that the council
b social and phllanthropic and not
religious body. the year Book" says;
In the chaotic condition Of Jewish
opinions. and in the face Of the strong
feeling among many Jews against a form
ulation OF beliefs. IL would have been too
much 20 demand that the council repre-
sent Judaism az well as Jewish women"
The same sentiment IL detected through
out the book. The religious aspect Of che
situation lE touched upon only casually
IL Is the Jew az n member OF hts race, and
not az a member OF his religion. with
whom the year Book" deals. "On the
distinctly religious held" IA says. ~ IL
Ia the nature OF the case that no clear-cut
facts can be enumerated. The old prob
lens and issues ore Ia the same undecid-
81. eXPectant state IN which they have
long been. and the Sabbath question re-
mains the crux"
The Year Book" gives certain inter-
esting statistics. II estimates the number
OF Jews IN the world. at ii.723 90. OF whom
05Sia5 are residents Of the United
States. or a larger number than OF any
O her country on the globe. save Russia,
Austria Hungary and Roumania. The
Jewish population Of Georgia Is estinat-
"a 90 be 6i35. Since 1878 the Jewish pop
ulation OF this country. basluE n then
and now on estimates. has increased more
than 52 times.
FAkfR NAY LOOSE HIs ARM.