The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-06-01
JEWS IN AMERICA.
RAPID GROWTH IN NUMBERS,
WEALTH AND INFLUENCE.
Their Progress in Every Field Of
Activity Relatively Greater
Than Il That Of Any
Other Race.

A committee Of Jews IL making ar
rangements for the celebration Of the
250th anniversary OF the settlement Of
Jews in this country, and more par
ticularly Of the grant by the Dutch
West Indies company in 1856 of social
and political privileges to Jewish
settlers in New York, as 1t Is now, re-
ports the New York Sun. Jews were
not allowed to acquire zeal estate and
to exercise in quietness their religion
within their houses but we're ex-
cluded from employment in the public
service, were not allowed ito open re-
tail shops" and were enjoined to build
their houses "close together in a con-
venient place on one or the other side
Of New Amsterdam" though actually
they seem to have resided where they
willed.
Their exclusion from retail trade
proved to be to their advantage, since
1t drove them into foreign and inter-
colonial trade, and Jews, though few
In number. became among the most
prominent and successful Of the i'm
porters and exporters Of the colonial
period. How few they were is indi-
Gated by the fact that even at the be-
ginning Of the last century the Jewish
population Of the whole union was es-
timated at less than 5000 and had in
creased to only about $4,000 SO lately
as the middle Of that century.
Thereafter, however, they increased
with relative rapidity. SO that by 1880
their numbers were estimated at about
quarter of q million. Then came the
great Jewish immigration, since which
the Jewish population Of the United
States has grown to about a million
and q half, of which about one-half
are in the city Of New York. The
American Jewish Yearbook for the
present year estimates the total num-
ber of Jews in the world at about
II 900, ,OO0 Nearly one-seventh of them.
therefore, are now In this country.
The only countries where there are
more of them are Russia, with about
100000. and Austria-Hungary, with
about 100000, and 1t is from these
two countries that their emigration
to the United States is now most
numerous.
Already there are more Jews in the
city Of New York than in all Ger
many by nearly 100000, and the vol.
ume of their immigration to this port
is now greater than ever. II they
shall continue to come at the present
rate their numbers in this country
will be doubled ten years hence, and
will be greater than in any other OF
the world except Russia
The progress Of the Jews in America
and more especially In New York, In
every field of activity, is relatively
greater than that Of any other race
This Yearbook gives many pages OF
biographical sketches of American
Jews who have attained political and
social prominence. Its long list ol
Jewish periodicals contains the names
of FIVE Yiddish daily newspapers in
New York, besides many weekly and
monthly publications in the same
jargon. In the last congress of the
United States five Jews are enumer
ated: Representatives Emerich, oi
Illinois; Meyer, of Louisiana; Gold
fogle and Littauer, of New York; be
sides Isidor Rayner, senator-elect
from Maryland. all Of them demo
Gratis except Mr. Littauer, a repub
lican. In the present congress the
Jewish representation Is larger. The
division Of Jewish citizens between the
republican and democratic parties II
not calculable. Very many Of then
are neither, but are socialists, tn,
party Of which, relatively so strong
on the east side of New York, is made
up Of Jews chiefly.
The celebration Of the coming o.
Jews to this country is set for mex
autumn, somewhere about Thanks
giving day. Exercises will be held IL
every synagogue and Hebrew Sabbath
school In the union. and there will
be also an imposing public celebra
ton. The event. too, will be signal
lied by the publication Of historica
souvenir book and the erection OF
permanent public memorial. for whicl
subscriptions will be made by tn,
Jews Of the country. This event. con
tended Hon. Oscar s. Straus at tn,
Jewish conference on the subject 1,
the early part OF this month. was a
national In Its scope as the landing o
the Pilgrims" and accordingly 1t
celebration should be national rathe
than merely local. He would mari
1t by "a memorial Of some kind whicl
would stand as signpost to all thos
who come after u.s."