The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-23

earn barely one ruple lou cenOsp ody, anu
they are able to subsist only because they
buy direct from the manufacturer and sell
Immediately at small profit. Hence from
the standpoint Of the consumer, ie., the ma
jority OF the Russian people, the Jewish
merchant is benefactor, because through
his agency the necessities OF life are mater
tally reduced in price. The Jewish mer-
chant is alsc of great benefit to the pro-
Queer, for he not only furnishes the peasant
with commodities at reasonable rate, but
also purchases his produce at good price
to sell elsewhere The Jewish merchants
also carry on the foreign commerce. and the
sum Of Russias exports and imports would
be UNNECESSARILY increased If the Jews we're
permitted to live unrestricted throughout
the empire.
Bloch has illustrated by a striking ex-
ample the benefits which the jew confers
upon the small producer. In the Govern
ment of Nishni Novgorod there is n village
pawlowo. numbering several thousand
families, who support themselves by home
industries. Down to 1889 these people
were little better than the unfortunate
slaves Of some Russian capitalists who ex-
plotted the peasants for a mere pittance,
Then some Jews appeared upon the scene
and they paid high price for the handi-
work Of the villagers. The Russian CAPT.
talists thereupon brought about the ex-
pulsion Of the Jews from Pawlowo, forcing
| the peasants again to sell their work at the
former starvation rates. But the peasants
sent deputaton to the Governor request
ing that the Jews be permitted to settle in
Pawlowo
L. The Jew as Manufacturer. The Rus
| sian Jews are not prominent as manufac-
turers. not having the capital necessary to
engage in industrial enterprises. Hence
they partake only to the extent Of 10 per
! cent. in industry, although they constitute
more than AZ per cent of the entire popula.
int hn Stia Daln hat 81
is due only to the lack Of capital is shown
by the fact that they engage in industrial
enterprises in the inverse ratio of the CAPT.
tai employed therein. The more capital
req uired the fewer Jews are engaged
in an enterprise. A Jewish factory in
Russia is worth. on the average, 80 900
rubles, while every factory owned by a
non-Jew represents a capital Of $4,000
rubeS.
S. The Jew as Producing Workman. The
participation of the Jews in manual labor
is an argument against their alleged "fleec-
Ing" In 1885, according to Prof. Subotin.
10000 jews were engaged in all branches
of agriculture, 10000 in factories (84 900
OF these working by the week and liz 900
working by the day; 100000 as master
craftsmen, journeymen and apprentices;
altogether 7850OO Jews who lived eXcu-
sively by the work of their hands II the
thousands of Jews are added who gain
their living as ooachmen, laborers, porters
water carriers and unskilled workmen in
general, we get the enormous number Of
100000 workingmen. While one jew out of
every 100 is engaged in commerce. one Jew
out Of every six in Russia Ia a producer.
The majority OF the Jews Of Russia are
not exploiters, but exploited.
8. The Jew as an Artisan. The Jews are
engaged to an abnormal extent In the
crafts. According to the Pahlen Com
mission there were 235 900 Jewish master
craftsmen and journeymen and $1,000
apprentices in Russia and this number has
been materially increased within the last
seventeen years, since by the May laws
OF 1882 many thousands OF Jews were i'm
poverished and forced to engage in trade.
having no other choice. In 1897 i24 per
cent. Of all the Jews in the Government
OF koyno were artisans, 1871 per cent. of the
Jews in the Government Of wilma, and 1871
per cent. Of all the Jews in the Government
OF Grodno. In some districts the per-
centage OF Jewish artisans is enormous,
for example, at Schawly, in the Govern
ment OF kovno, they number AZ per cent.
and in the town Of Molodetchna even 70
per cent. Of all the Jews over "A years of
age.
7. The Jew as an Agriculturst There are
few Jewish agriculturists in Russia, for
the Jews within the Pale are not permitted
to live outside OF the towns or 20 acquire
land: yet they have succeeded in farming
almost on the very pavement OF the cities |
as is indicated by the large number Of jew |
ish gardeners, winners, tobacco planters !
and nurserymen, And they have also |!
succeeded in acquiring real estate outside !
Of the cities. In Poland, for instance, where
they have been permitted 10 buy land since I!
1890. the Jews had acquired 292 900 hectares |
OF land down to 1901. In the other fifteen \
governments within the Pale they acquired !
altogether 9s3 900 hectares. To this must |
be added the 100000 hectares acquired |
by the Jewish merchants outside OF the |
Pale Accordingly, the entire landed |
property owned at present by the Jews in |
Russia amounts to about 2,998.0OO hectares |
A large part Of this land, however, con- |
sists OF inaccessible forests, which are OF |
little value in the hands of Russian land |
lords but could be made very productive |
In the hands of Jews. This landed prop |
er'ty, however. is diminutive in comparison |
with the large Jewish population Of Russia. |
Within the Pale the Jewish ownership of |
land constitutes only IA per cent. in a |
Jewish population Of III per cent. and in !
Poland il constitutes "a per cent in popll- !
lation Of IA per cent. The Jewish farmers, |
moreover, i'll many cases do not own, but +,
merely lease the land
State Councillor Bloch shows in a num- |
Der of stat stica tables that the Jews achieve |
excellent results both IA owners and as |
tenants. OF the 800 large estates in Jewish |
hands in Poland LAT yield excellent" re- !
turns and 1903 good" returns. For these !
reasons the Pahlen Commission has pro- |
posed. with IL votes against 4, that the |
Jews should be permitted to acquire and to |
rent land in view OF the fact that the Jew |
ish tenants pay their rent promptly, and are |
well to do and trustworthy, and that If the |
Jews are forbidden to lease land, ~ the |
landlords would be ruined, (2) the peoples |
ability to pay taxes would be reduced and |
81 the economic condition of the Jews |
would be imperilled.'
8. Natural Consequences The anti-Sem-
tic Russian Government unfortunately en-
tir ,ly rejected the proposition of the Pahlen
Commission, and the distress of the Jews
has increased in consequence from year to |
to year in progressive ratio. Prof Subotin
has furnished statistics of the poverty i'm
posed by the Russian Government upon an
Industrious, peaoeable and thrifty people
which seems Incredible in civilized State.
The expulsion Of the Jews from Moscow and
other cities and their systematic expulsion
from the villages have made nearly mill
ion Jews destitute; and about 5000 more
have lost their means of subsistence by the
introduction Of the whiskey monopoly
Through the many fires during the summer,
which damage property amounting to
millions Of rubles a year, the Jews have
become so impoverished that they are
hardly able to keep their houses in repair,
and many Of them literally live among
ruins.
According to the statistics collected re-
Gently by the Jewish Colonization Associa-
ton, not less than 1872, 1855 Jewish families
numbering 100000 persons, were obliged
in 1898 to apply for the relief known under
the name "Moes chitim.' According to the
D.. l..