New-York tribune., 1907-11-06
RUSSIA'S ROTHSCHILDS.
Baron Gup@berg, No5o Here, Scion
Of a Financial Dynasty.

Baron Gunzberg who has just arrived in this
country from Europe. is scion Of the Jewish
family which occupies with regard to Russia very
AAuch the same position that the Rothschilds pos
sess in England. in France and in Austria. The
Iedl FOUNDER OF the family that wonderful old
baron Try GUnzberg who, after acquiring an al
tosether colossal fortune in Russia. partly in
grain at Odessa and partly by financial deals in
St- petersburg, betook himself to Paris to enjoy
MS wealth. and played a very prominent role in
the French capital toward the close of the sec
ond Napoleonic empire, his entertainments at his
pa!ece in the Rue de Tilst exciting amazement
by their inordinate luxury, even in that era Of
insane extravaganza. The mansion was in those
days the most gorgeous in Paris and the mag
nlhcent Gobelin tapestries representing scenes
from the life of Don Quixote were celebrated
throughout Europe, and source Of inordi-
nate envy to Empress Eugene.
While the Gunzbergs. who have remained the
principal Jewish banking and grain house in Rus
sia, have no foothold in society at ST. Peters,
burg and have been barred from court yet the
members of the reigning house of Russia have
never disdained TO accept their hospitality at
Paris, and the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess
Vladimir in particular have been In the habit Of
frequently attending the splendid shooting parties
at their big game preserves in the neighborhood
of Versailles.
Ono of the Gunzbergs. Baron Horace, undertook
to prove to tho late Car the baselessness OF the
popular belief prevailing in Russia that Jews WERE
as rule. unified for agricultural labor and dis
inclined thereto. by setting apart ten thousand
acres of his estate in the province OF Bessarabia
as settlement for Jewish agriculturists And in
asmuch as the oppression of the Jews by the Rus
sian government has been mainly due TO the con-
Vicuon that the Hebrews injurious to agri-
culture, the staple industry of the empire and that
by establishing themselves everywhere as traders
and money lenders they sapped the resources
or and reduced to poverty and ruin the peas
ahlry engaged IN agriculture, the baron arranged
that on the ten thousand acres which he had set
apart for his experiment the Jews should be re-
strlcted exclusively to agriculture and debarred
from trade. and that should stores money lending
establishments or dramshops be found necessary
they should be kept only by Gentiles. It is great
~ 10 be regretted that before this interest
Ing and important experiment could be brought to
conclusion Baron Horace died. and not long af-
terward the late Car himself gathered to his
fathers and the matter allowed to drop
The Gunzbergs do not seem to entertain quite the
same regard for the financial honor OF their name
as the Rothschilds and other great Jewish houses
Of finance in Europe For two years ago Baron
Salomon Gunzherg committed suicide by blowing
out his brains at his house in Paris IN consequence
Of his disastrous specuations in sugar, while some
years previously of his brothers failed for an
enormous sum. without the other members of his
family coming to his rescue. The crisis OF his
affairs ascribed largely to his extravaganza in
connection with the Partisan half-world. and it is
record his having paid a bill Of $4,000 merely
for the lingerie of tho at that time lovely demi-
mondaine Alice Howard.
Baron James Gunzberg, through the threats of
his father to withdraw all his interests from
Russia, managed to secure commission in one
OF the crack regiments at St Petersburg But as
stance at Berlin the other officers Of tho regiment
by means OF boycott and analogous measures. made
life so intolerable for him that he was only too
glad to resign.