Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-05-19
MAYOR GAYNOR AND THE JEWS.

Mayor Gaynor is making good" with
the large Jewish population of New
York City. There are said to be ap-
preaching a million Jews in the Me-
tropolis, more than ever gathered i'll
one city since the destruction of Jeru-
salem. Indeed, some dispute whether
Jerusalem in it's palmiest days ever
saw as many Jews within it's gates
as are now resident on Manhattan Is
land
Naturally, Mayor Gaynor's political
opponents claim that his recent refusal
of permit to a street evangelist who
wanted permission to carry on a pros
elyting campaign in the streets in the
JEWISH quarters was a sop to Jewish
sentiment and direct appeal to them
for support. This is rather low view
to take of his action. AS mayor OF
the city it is his duty to avoid any
thing that will seem to tend to dis
turb the peace, and it is not improb-
able that street preaching in the
ghetto district, for the avowed purpose
of changing the religious faith of the
people, might well provoke disturb
ances.
Since this incident Mayor Gaynor
has addressed the convention of the
great Jewish order of B'Nai Birth and
paid tribute to the Jews as the sup
porters of good government and ciJi-
zens of peace, industry and progress
siveness. In closing this speech ne
spoke of the oppression of the Jews
in Christian countries and the debt
the world owes to the race, as follows:
1T is a woeful blot on Christian
character. No other ages of the world
present anything so dreadful. 1t Was
caused by rel gious race hate with
out precedent and without cause. In
Asia the Jew was never treated in this
barbarous way, but only in the Christ
ian countries of Europe. We all now
deplore it deeply and want to confess
it and make amends for it. And this
We may sOlace ourselves with-name-
ly that as rule every time a large
intellect, came into rulershfp any
where he made haste not only to pro-
tect but to emancipate the Jews, and
clothe them at once or gradually with
the rights and privileges of citizen
shin.
In this country the equal status of
Jews was fixed forever by those two
great fundamental instruments of gov
ernfent, the declaration of independ-
ence and the constitution of the Unit
ed States. In the light of examples
Ike these, how infinitely small the
ruler of Russia appears even at the
beginning of tile twentieth century!
But we have to remember that he is
not free agent. but 9 largely the
tool and victim of a E'~7tad, corrupt
and avaricious church and aristoc-
rary"
Speaking of the hatred of Jews be-
acuse of their religion, the mayor de-
clared:
Disconnect Christianity from the
teachings, traditions and lineage of
Judaism, and how much is left?
When we look around the modern
world we see what debt we owe to
the Jews. In literature, art science,
Craftsmanship and loyalty to free
government we are Indebted to them
on every hand. In finance and com
meree the Jews have reached the
highest ranks everywhere. If they do.
not cultivate the soil it is only be-
cause they are not permitted to own
land and have not been for centuries
in Europe.
Wherever the Jew goes his pride
of race and fidelity to his religion re-
main With him. And why should he
not remain proud of his religion, the
purest in the world-namely his be-
lief and worship of the one true and
ever living God, the Father of all
mankind, which he has preserved and
brought down to us as the one great
unbroken lineage and tradition of the
world, while the people about him
were all the while setting up and wor
Shipping all sorts of false gods?"