Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-13
THE JEW IN AMERICAN POLITICS.
First of the Race 20 Enter the Presi-
dents Cabinet.
Iseslie's Weekly.

LeSlie'S weekly.
Jews are beginning to form such large
element in the American population, and
so many Of them have figured prominently
In all sorts Of activities in the United
States, that It seems odd that the Hon.
Oscar S. Straus OF New York City, whom
President Roosevelt has recently selected
for Secretary Of Commerce and Labor,
should be the first 70 enter the cabinet.
Mr.. Straus himself has been I'm the dplo-
matte service, having been a minister 20
Turkey. Many Jews have been in each
branch of congress Several OF them, in
Guiding Maryland's senior senator lsador
Raynor, are In congress now. Some OF the q
have been on the federal bench. But Mr..
StTaus will be the first member Of a presl-
dents official family. II Is a notable dis
tinctlon most worthily bestowed.
In American Journalism, from the days
of Mordecai NJ. Noah. OF the old Courier
and Enuqlrer Of New York. down to those
Of Joseph Pulitzer OF the New York World,
Adolf S. Ochs, of the New York Times
and Philadelphia Ledger and Edward
Rosewater, Of the Omaha Bee, who died
few weeks ago. Jews have been prominent
Jacob II. soAin. Isaac n. Seligman, Ed
ward Lauterbach, Henry siegel. Walter
Damrosch. and Felix Adler are among the
scores OF Jews who have national prom
inence in their various fields OF work
Moreover, the relative conspicuousness of
the Jews is increasing. For one reason this
is because the Jewish ingredient is grow
ing faster than any other element OF the
American population. OF the H. 600 Jews
in the world, Russia has 100000 Austria
Hungary 2OOO,OOO and the United States
! 10000. And while the number is decreas-
ing In Russia and is stationary in Austria
Hungary, It is increasing with great rapid
ity in the United States Before 1910 we
/ will pass Austria Hungary in Jewish pop
ulation. and by 1925 we will beat Russia
and take the leading place among the
worlds communities as residence OF the
descendants Of Abraham.
/ New York City has 10000 Jews, which
is half the aggregate for the United States;
which is more than there is in any entire
country in the world except Russia,
! Austria Hungary and the United States
which is seven times as many as are In
London, and which is thirty times as many
as are in Jerusalem. New York has
twenty times as many Jews today as were
in Jerusalem during the height Of Jewish
power, when that city was one of the
worlds greatest capitals. Every fifth per.
son met on the streets of New York CITY
today is a Jew And the Jews social ano
business Importance exceeds even his nu,
merical strength
Oscar s. Straus has two distinguished
brothers, Isidor and Nathan. One of these
Isidor, declined the Office OF postmaster.
general I'm Cleveland's cabinet OF course
the fact that oscar s. straus was a Jew
had no effect in inducing President Roose
welt to offer him a place in the cabinet
Race or religious considerations have nc
weight one way or the other with Mr.
Roosevelt. The choice was determined al
together by considerations of fitness fol
the post. Mr. Straus for many years ha,
had a high reputation for learning, publ,
spirit, and clear-headedness, and his serv
ice in the cabinet will greatly strengthen
council which already contains man!
strong men.