Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-06-18
ZIONIST CONGRESS.


A Philadelphia dispatch says the
fourth annual convention of the Amer
lean zionsts commenced in that city
on Sunday, May 10, and that the at.
tendance was larger than ever before
In the history OF that movement That
does not appear to lend support to the
statement frequently made that Zion
ism Is not gaining Roadway In this
country, The fact Is that among the He
brews all over the world there Is
strong current toward the Holy Land
and the revival Of the nation,
The plan OF the zionlsts, as Is we'll
known, Is to obtain In Palestine an
asylum for the oppressed Of the race
with the consent Of the powers, and
when the time comes, the wealthy
American Jews will not be behind
their brethren in the furtherance of
this truly grand object. It is expected
that Or. Theodore Herzl will this sum
ner visit the United States in COM
pany with a. large and efficient staff
Of speakers for the purpose of arous-
ing sim further interest in the cause.
Dr. Her2l sprang into fame in sim
gle day by making the announcement
that Zion must be restored and that the
holy land must be returned to the race
to which Cod through Moses, gave It.
He proposes the rehabilitation of the
Jewish state the resurrection Of the old
glories OF Judah In solid nation, hav-
ing the old site for its abode The
proposal has been fiereely fought by
eminent Jews, who, in their prosperity
among other peoples. have no desire to
go back to the land that was desolated
by Rome, but he does not appeal to
these.
There are at present two great OBJ
stacles to be overcome. One Is the
fear Of the great European powers of
anything that may disturb the status
quo in the Levant, and another the
jealousy of the sultan OF his sovereign
~ in Syria. But both these obstacles
will be overcome in some way. Money
Is everything TO the rulers of Turkey.
and the most liberal concessions can be
obtained for gold
In the meantime the preparation of
the Holy Land for the reception OF the
Jews Is going on with rapid strides,
In a recent number Of the New York
Evening Post the following appeared,
which speaks for itself;
1.-THE railway from Joppa to Jerusa-
lem, at first an experiment, has been
put upon a paying basis. and other lines
which Will connect II with points of
interest up and down the valley OF the
Jordan have been projected or are ac-
tualy in course OF building. In Jeru-
salem there are now electric lights
telephones. telegraphs, sanitary plumb
ing, modern stores, houses built with
most of the comforts of civilized life.
Trolley lines are talked Of to connect
Jerusalem with Bethany Bethlehem,
the Lake of Galilee, Samaria, Jericho,
Nazareth and other places made fami-
liar through Bible history. With the
introduction Of these insignia of mod
ern activity, the Palestine of the past
win vanish.
1T is related that an American ira
yelling salesman recently went to Jeru-
salem and Beirut, and in one day sold
merchandise OF an up-to-date type 10
the amount Of 1880. Commission
houses for the handling Of American
goods have been opened In nearly eve-
ny city and town OF Importance In
Palestine and Syria, and In many in
stances they are conducted by wide
awake American business men. In 4
single month this year one Of the houses
imported American leather to the value
OF 500. Another has established mar
ket for American flour, and predicts
that In a few years the people of the
Holy Land will be good consumers of
this staple. Cheap American watches
are in demand, and have been sold 10
scores OF the natives, who regard them
with increasing favor
More than 200 monographs were re-
Gently sent there. one-half going to
Damascus and the rest to Jerusalem
and nearby places The best Gus
toners for talking machines, 1t is said
are the Moslems OF Beirut. Jerusalem
and Damascus, who buy them for their
harems, One commission house at
Beirut has bought, according 10 G. Bic
Ravndal. the American consul a $3.50
windmill from an Illinois firm, and viii
erect It on the Bakaa plain This
firm Is confident that there Is to be an
important market for wind-mlls In
Palestine and Syria. and for irrigation
machinery OF all sorts, Rich foreign
ers are figuring 20 secure control of
some OF the once fertile valley OF the
country and should they succeed there
win be an attempt to make them again
a land flowing with milk and honey.
These FOREIGNERS in most instances are
Jews, who are leaders In the Back to
Jerusalem movement which has been
preached so elonuently by Israel Gang
will and others"
2ionism though in its incipiency, Is
already Transforming the Holy Land
Its Importance as a commercial and
Industrial factor Is beginning to ap-
pear. How long viii it take It to COM
mand the favorable attention Of the
world when It IL better understood? |
Kings and rulers will, In due time, be-
come interested In its progress.
Have the ministers at Pekin INSTALL |