The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1901-08-01
THURSDAY. AUGUST /, 1901
THE JEWS AS AGRICULTURIsTS

In q recent address before the Ma.
tional Farm school at Doylestown, Pa,
a Hebrew institution, Secretary Wilson
commented OH the fact that originally
the Children of Israel were a great
agricultural people. Moses kept the
Hocks of Jethro in the wilderness.
David was shepherd. Joseph under
stood irrigation, and Daniel made the
first experiments with vegetables as a
ration. In establishing al agricultural
school the Jews are reverting to the
occupation of their ancestors.
The Jewish race Las been engaged in
trade for so many hundred years that
people are apt to forget that during
Bible times the Hebrews were an az
ricultural people. The Mosaic code
went to extremes in providing that
this condition be continued. All prim-
itive peoples, after emerging from the
savage state in which they maintain
themselves by hunting, necessarily
devote themselves to the raising OF
crops and cattle. Manufacturing is a
later development. A few of the early
cities, such as Tyre and Sidon, were
noted for their commerce, but the
towns of the Twelve Tribes did not
have a reputation as trading centers.
When the Children of Israel reached
Canaan the country had to he con.
auered. This was done under the
leadership of Joshua. Then the land
was divided up among the tribes. A
minute account of the division may be
found in the book of Joshua.
According to the provisions of the
book of Leviticus the land was made
inalienabIe. The higher critics regard
the Mosaic code as the record of He.
brew customs which finally crystalized
into law. If this view he correct il
would appear that the race worked out
for itself customs which led to the for.
bidding Of a sale of the land. 1t could
toe disposed of for only fifty years al
most. This was effected by the cele.
bration of the year of jubilee. "And
We shall hallow the fiftieth year." says
the statute, sand proclaim liberty
throughout the land unto all the in
habitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee
unto you; and We shall return every
man unto his family"
During these twelve months all farms
were to lie fallow, all slaves were to be
freed and every family was to come
back into its original inheritance. II
was provided that land that had to be
sold might be redeemed at any time al
q fair price. But if the seller had nc
money he need wait only till the year
.ofjubilee. Followers of Henry George
at times have quoted with deligh,
the twenty-third verse of the twenty
fifth chapter of LeviticuS "And the
land shall not be sold In perpetuity
for the land is mine: for We are strang
ers and sojourners with me-"
Under this statute of the Levitica
code, or the custom which it embodied
large fortunes founded ON land-tht
great source of wealth-could not be
accumulated. Twice in q century 9
rediyision of the land allowed every
family a fresh start. The regard in
which the inheritances were held il
shown in the story of Naboth, whose
vineyard King Ahab wanted to buy,
1.-The Lord forbid it me-" said Naboth
THAT should give the inheritance Of
my fathers unto thee" Under this
rough system of land tenure the He
brews became prosperous people
When they were driven out of Pales
fine they developed the instinct fol
trade which has made them powerful
factor in the financial world. In his
address at Doylestown, Secretary Viii.
son predicted that if the Jew should
return to agriculture he would impress
himself there as he has in oil othe,
avenues of effort.