The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-03-23


opportunity he has known in eighteen
centuries of aimless wandering
Ever since that reckless Jewish an
cestor, looking in the face of Jesus in
Pilates Court, cried out "His blood
be on us and our children. the He
brew has been called man without
country or flag, foreigner in
every land.
But in the United States the har-
ried Jew may become into his own.
In the American Ghetto there is no
fear of midnight raids and massacres.
There can be no Kishinef here
There is no Pale in Yankee1and II
in all the world there is a place
where the age-long lamentations Of
the distressed Israelite may cease, it
is here. And how has the Jew meas
ured up to his chance in this land OF
opportunity? Has he proved a
worthy son to the other who adopted
him? Let his history answer.
While the Jew is not rated as a
fighter, he has taken brave part in
all our wars. 1t is said that in the
proportion to his numbers he out
classed every other race or national
ity in the Revolutionary war by two
to one David s. Franks was on
were twenty-four other Jewish Off
GERS enrolled. There were Jews III
the war of 1872, and in the Mexican
war. Seven thousand Hebrews were
enlisted on both sides of the Civil
war, and Abraham Lincoln presented
medals of honor for brilliant mill
tary service to seven OF that race.
There were 1000 Jews in the recent
war with Spain. The first volunteer
enlisted and the first man shot in the
conflict were both Hebrews.
Commodore Uriah P. P. Levy held
the highest command in the Ameri-
can navy before the Civil war, and it
was he who abolished corporal pun
ishment on board the battleships
1t was Commodore Levy who gave
to the United States the first statue
which was given to the Government
to be put in the Capitol. This was
a figure of Thomas Jefferson done
by a Frencha sculptor. 1t was ac-
cepted by Congress in 1873 by res
olution offered by Senator Charles
Sumner.
The Jew is always ready to assist
in public enterprises, even though
last $4,000 necessary for the COM
pietion of Bunker Hill Monument
was given by Judah Touro, a Jew,
who was not even resident of the
state of Massachusetts,. In 1876, at
the Pennsylvania Centennial, the
Jews of the United States erected a
monument to religious liberty which
was executed by Moses Ezekiel, of
Richmond, Va. the foremost sculp-
tor of his race in America. AS early
as 1871 seven Jews contributed to
the building of the steeple of Trim
ity church. When the fortunes of the
Revolutionary army were at such a
low ebb. the financial depletion was
ameliorated by the gifts Of Haym
Solomon. who contributed $3.50. 900.
George Washington is quoted as say
ing that had it not been for this
timely gift the cause Of the strug-
Cling colonies might have failed.
Aside from his many services since
its discovery, the Jews claim to
America is strengthened by the fact
that FIVE members of his race came
with Columbus on his first voyage
of discovery. and the expedition was
financed with the personal donation
of 100000 by Luis de Santangel, a
Jew, who was chief tax collector for
King Ferdinand of Spain. The sec
oiid NOSdS was AibdiINd ny lii~
money raised from conhscated prop
erty of Spanish Jews The first mem
Der of Columbus party TO set foot
on American soil was Louis de Tor
res. a Jew, who acted as interpreter
for the great explorer, and who was
the discoverer of the use of tobacco.
Gabriel Sanchez was another Hebrew
member of the party. and he obtained
the first grant from King Ferdinand
to trade provisions and cattle to the
Indians Bernal the ships doctor
and Rodrigo Sanchez, the superin-
tendent OF the ship, were both Jews.
The fifth Hebrew OF the party was
Juan Cabrera. who was a personal
friend of Queen Isabella. Both the
map and astronomical instrument
which enabled Columbus to hold his
course were made by Jews
The first Jew to settle in America
was Jacob Barsimon. who came 20
New York in 1854, followed shortly
by twenty-three others from Brazil
These two dozen. the nucleus OF
New Works present Hebrew popula-
ton that is rapidly climbing TO the
million mark, were bitterly resented
BY Peter Stuvvesant. who denied
them the right to hold any religious
services TO bury their dead, or TO &c
any retail business. What contrast
10 conditions now. when the Jews
are leaders now in so many lines OF
activity notably. banking, law, cloth
ing. jeVelry, fine arts and the stage
Thai the presence Of the Jews il
New York in such numbers has en-
abled Manhattan to take her present
rank among the cities is conceded by
Mayer Fitzgerald Of Boston, who de
elarcd II reeeist speech that the
reason FOR the baekwardness Of his
city in the commercial world was
that OF the thousand men on its
Chamber of Commerce only two oi
them were Jews.
To those. Of his critics Who tauni
him with having always been a ira
der. the Jew replies that he was not
allowed to make his choice of vo-
cation AT the pfesent time IN Rus
sia he can not own property any
where III the Empire. he can not owr
factory shares. nor shares ia any
I business: he. Is not allowed to holo
commissions in the army; he car
moi Inaccurate school for elthel
levi or Christian. he car not be q