The Washington herald., 1907-03-03


Aside from his many services since its
discovery. the Jews claim to America is
strengthened by the fact that five men,
bers Of his race came with Columbus on
his first voyage Of discovery, and the
expedition was financed with the personal
donation Of $4,000 by Luis de SantangeI.
a Jew who was chief tax collector for
King Ferdinand Of Spain. The second
voyage was financed by the money raised
from the confscated property Of Span
ish Jews. The first member of Column
bus party TO set foot on American soil
was Louis &c Torres, 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 OBJ
tanned the first grant from King Ferdi-
nand 20 trade cattle and provisions TO
the Indians. Bernai, the ships doctor.
and Rodrigo Sanchez. the superintendent
Of the ship, were both Jews. The fifth
Hebrew Of the party was Juan Cabrera,
who was a personal friend of Queen Isa-
bella. Both the map and astronomical
instrument which enabled Columbus 10
hold his course were made by Jews.
The first Jew to settle In America was
Jacob Barsimon, who came to New York
in 1854. followed shortly by twenty-three
others from Brazil. These two dozen, the
nucleus Of New York's present Hebrew
population that is rapidly climbing to
the million mark, were bitterly resented
by Peter Stuyvesant, who denied them
the right TO hold any religious services.
to bury their dead, or to do any retail
business. What a contrast to conditions
now, when the Jews are leaders in so
many lines Of activity, notably banking,
| law. clothing, jewelry, fine arts. and the
stage. That the presence of the Jews in
| New York in such numbers has enabled
/ Manhattan 10 take her present rank
among the cities is conceded by Mayor
/ Fitzgerald, OF Boston, wLO declared In a
recent speech that the reason for the
/ backwardness of this city in the COM
/ mercial world was that Of the thousand
men on its chamber of commerce only
/ two were Jews.
/ To those of his critics who taunt him
4 with having always been trader, the
/ Jew replies that he was not allowed TO
make hts choice Of vocation. At the
/ present time in Russia he cannot own
| property anywhere in the empire; he
cannot own factory shares, nor shares In
/ any business where land must be used .
| he is not allowed to hold commissions
| in the army: he cannot inaugurate a
/ school for either Jew or Christian; he
| cannot no 2 college DrOfessor and was
| only recently permitted TO be a lawyer
| At the present time there Is only one He
! brew judge In all of Russia No Jew can
act as a teacher for a Christian, and
| Christians are forbidden to enter the en-
/ ploy of Jewish families.
/ Having been forced to obtain a liveli-
/ hood by any shift for so many hundred
years has sharpened his trading sense
and made him keen financier. -Four
Jews were among the organizers of the
New York Stock Exchange and there are
now lis Jewish millionaires in America
a proportion OF one out Of every thirty
five. The Jewish wholesale houses do a
yearly business of more than a billion
dollars The Hebrews own $500. 0o0 coo
worth of property In New York alone.
Hayman Levy, a fur dealer. taught the
secret of getting rich 70 the first Astor,
who worked in his employ.
There are several universal traits of
Jewish character, which, If observed by
other nationalities would tend to make
them equally successful IN life. The first