The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-07

sun, the rays OF WHICH N'if
beating upon the Ghetto and
were forcing him to take OFF one by one
the many garments with which he had
clothed himself during the hostile Middle
Ages For the Jew these Middle Ages
did not end with the Reformation ana
the Renaissance: but only disappeared
in the transformation brought about
gradually by the French Revolution. The
beginning of the twentieth century sees
him putting on some of these garments
again. and trying to save his own warmth
from being lost in the GOODNESS of the
outside world. During this period the
lew has passed through more upheavals
than many nations have during three or
four times the number of years. What
outward struggles has he not been called
upon TO experience; through what alter
mating seasons of joy and sorrow has he
not passed, What changes even within
his own body has he not sustained! The
modern European and American world
has had a hard fight to find its way into
its present changed condition; but much
harder by far was the task laid upon the
Jew: and, whether he has succeeded or
not. he has made an honest fight. Evil
hand. and the road is strewn with many
q dead hope and many a lost opportuni-
~. The Jew was bound more firmly to
ancient traditions; and so interviewer
Were these ancient traditions with his
whole being that the new life into which
he came had of necessity to be blended
with the old. The tale OF the Jew of the
nineteenth century is a record of his en-
which were made upon him: the one from
the outside world-to fit himself to take
his place worthily and do his work side
by side with the other citizens of the
State in which he lived the other from
within his own ranks-to harmonic his
religious belief with his new point of
view and to adapt his religious eXer-
cises to modern social conditions.
EMANCIPATION OF THE JEWS.
The struggle of the Jews in the various
European countries for civil rights and
for equality before the law was long drawn
out, and was marked by varying fortunes
dependent upor@the political conditions
of these countries. More than seventy
years of the century had passed before
this struggle had been fought out.
Though it is true that a beginning was
made in Germany and Austria Q75O and
l7Sl), to France belongs the honor of
having been the first to really do away
with the mass of anti-Jewish legislation
which the centuries preceding had piled
up on the 9th of September. 1871. the
National Assembly at one stroke removed
all the disabilities under which the Jews
had been living-distinctive dress. special
Jews oath, Jews tax, forced residence in
certain localities, etc. From France. ard
under the influence which that country
then exercised, the emancipation of the
Jews spread to Belgium and Holland,
and to some of the States of Germany:
but the rest of Europe was not yet ready
for this emancipation. The reaction
which marks the period between 1914 and
1873 made itself felt upon the Jews. re-
storing. in many places. the disabilities
under which they had formerly lived.
The "Jadengassen" became once more
inhabited, and the principles of freedom
and liberty for all members of the State
seemed to have been well-r Ugh forgotten.
The Revolution of 1880 stayed the down
ward course in some of the German
States; but it was not until 1913 that the
second great period in Jewish emancipa-
ton came about. In the breaking down
of old institutions it was natural that
the exceptional laws against the Jews
should go also. The German Parliament
of 1875 at Frankfort. forcefully pro-
claimed the doctrine of religious liberty;
and of this Parliament Jew. Gabriel
Riesser, was vice president. But 1t was
not until the formation of the German
Empire, in 1871, that the emancipation of
the Jews, which had gradually made its
way In the various States, was carried
through for the whole of that Empire.
In 1866 a decree was issued in Austria by
virtue of which all citizens were de-
clared equal before the law. and in 1870
the walls of the Ghetto fell in Rome. In
1874. Jews were admitted to the rank OF
citizens in Switzerland. In 1873 the Con-
gress of Berlin, the leading spirit Of
which DisraelD was of the Jewish race.
demanded equal rights for the Jews living
in the Balkan Peninsula. These rights
were accorded by the various States
there, with the exception Of Roumania.
which, in spite Of the treaty and in spite
of the promises made at the time, still
continues to refuse TO allow the Jews
living within its borders to become citi-
gems or to treat them as an intregal part
OF the population. In Turkey the laws
which put certain restrictions upon nom
Mohammedan citizens were sensibly
changed in 1899 so that the Jews living
in the dominions OF the Sultan suffer
from no exceptional legislation.
The cause of Jewish emancipation in
England suffered no such sudden changes
Il "a oil
by regular stages through the abrogation
OF the Act OF Test in 1873, the admission
of Jews as citizens of London in 1896 as
sheriffs in 1885. as magistrates in 1Si5,
and in 1865 as Members Of Parliament by
the removal of the words upon the faith
of Christian in the oath taken by the
members. There can be no doubt that
the emancipation in England. though
long drawn out and fercely contested,
was more effective than anywhere else,
owing to the fact that IL was progressive
in character and based upon the idea
Of rights demanded and not upon that
Of favors granted. Nothing was asked
OF the Jews in England other than that
they be good citizens OF the State: while
the whole Continental legislation regard
ing them, from the time Of Napoleon on,
had On the part Of the legislators only
one object in view-to break up the CO.
hesion of the Jews as body and to pave
the way for their disappearance as
distinctive group. The idea that eman-
eipation was favor and not right
brought 1t about that the Jews them
selves aided in their own disintegration.
They believed that 1t was their duty to
show themselves more patriotic than