418 



JEWS. 



subject with good effect, especially on behalf of 

 foundlings, victims of calamity, and of conta- 

 gious diseases. Already a few public hospitals, 

 insane asylums, homes for foundlings, etc., exist 

 in Tokio, Osaka, Akita, and Nagoya, which sup- 

 plement the work of the private hospital, which 

 are means of income to physicians educated in 

 Western medicine and surgery. The Akita 

 Benevolent Association is the development of 

 an asylum for orphans, the aged, and the unfor- 

 tunate, which was founded in 1829. The rules 

 and regulations of this association, published 

 April 4, 1892, are now circulated over the em- 

 pire to encourage imitation. Already charity 

 bazars, concerts, and theatricals are now the 

 fashion, and in Tokio are under the patronage 

 of eminent men and women. The world-famous 

 actor Danjiro in 1892 gave 3 representations 

 in aid of the poor said to be the first Japanese 

 instance of the kind. There are also the Red 

 Cross Society, and special organizations for re- 

 lief in epidemics, such as cholera. In case of 

 earthquakes, inundations, fires, and famines, 

 public subscriptions are made, and the Govern- 

 ment furnishes relief. In 1891, 784,423 persons 

 were afforded relief in food, shelter, tools, seeds, 

 or by remittance of taxes to the extent of yen 

 984,095, as compared with 1,165,113 persons at 

 an expense of yen 1,009,286 for the previous 

 year when the great earthquake took place. In 

 1890, 17,487 sick, infirm, or aged were aided 

 gratuitously by public funds, and 128,872 per- 

 sons assisted temporarily repaid their loans ; 

 5,431 foundlings were succored at a public cost 

 of yen 28,761. 



JEWS. Abroad, one turns first to Russia, 

 where the process of nationalizing, felt by all 

 creeds and classes not of the dominant faith, is 

 peculiarly severe in its relations to the Jews. 

 The silent rebuke of the civilized powers was not 

 without its effect, so far as any open outbreaks 

 are concerned, but the laws of expulsion to the 

 pale are strictly enforced, with their attendant 

 hardships. Within the pale immigration is now 

 assisted by the Government to a certain degree. 

 A rabbinical conference was called by the Czar, 

 and the first sessions were held in November, 

 but its practical result is not yet known. In 

 Germany and Austria-Hungary Semitism is grow- 

 ing less intense. The Ahlwardt disclosures were 

 a boomerang for the party, which is now being 

 understood as hostile not to the Jew alone, but 

 to capitalists in general. The rise of an organ- 

 ization opposed to the anti-Semites, with a jour- 

 nal of its pwn, supported by many non-Israelites 

 of distinction, is a happy augury. In France the 

 anti-Semites suffered severe defeat. In Switzer- 

 land the agitation against the Jewish method of 

 slaughtering animals succeeded, and the subject 

 was discussed in Germany and elsewhere. In 

 Roumania prescriptive measures are still en- 

 forced, but in Bulgaria civil and religious liberty 

 is maintained, while Turkey's attitude continues 

 peaceful and progressive. In England the Rus- 

 sian migration, with its effects on the labor 

 world, has been the subject of newspaper and 

 parliamentary debate. It has been shown that 

 the accessions of pauper aliens have been few. 

 Still the problem of Russian immigration re- 

 mains. A new director has been appointed for 

 the Argentine colonies, and the condition of the 



colonists maybe summarized thus: In the prov- 

 ince of Santa Fe Moiseville. 436 ; Monigotes, 69. 

 Province of Buenos Ayres Mauricio, 789. Prov- 

 ince of Entre Rios Clara, 999 ; San Antonio, 

 291. On land purchased by the colonists them- 

 selves : Province of Cordoba Ballesteros, 69 ; St. 

 Julio, 30. In all, 2,683 colonists, who possess 

 5,276 oxen, 1,128 milch cows, 331 mules, and 

 2,076 horses. About 40,000 acres are sowed, most- 

 ly with wheat and maize. In addition, over 

 100,000 vines and fruit trees have been planted 

 in Clara colony alone. Among the colonies are 

 distributed 8 thrashing machines, 8 steam en- 

 gines, 97 reaping machines, and 6 other machines 

 (steam and horse power) for maize ; 24 sowing 

 and 4 mowing machines, besides 1,345 plows, 843 

 harrows, and 264 agricultural carts. The build- 

 ings actually erected are : Moiseville, 91 houses, 

 1 school, and 1 synagogue, also 150 wells sunk ; 

 Mauricio, 314 houses, 2 schools, and 320 wells 

 sunk ; Clara, 270 houses ; San Antonio, 111 

 houses, 1 synagogue, 1 school, and 29 wells sunk 

 a total of 793 houses, 3 schools, 2 synagogues, 

 and 499 wells. 



According to the blue book on the census of 

 India, issued this year (although its statistics 

 bear on the year 1891), there were 17,200 Jews in 

 India, of whom 10,500 are in Bombay, 2,800 in 

 Aden, 1,300 in Cochin, and 1,450 in Calcutta. 

 There are twosectionsof the community white, 

 and black. In the ranks of the native army are 

 many Jews, who, while maintaining the princi- 

 ples of their faith, have adopted the language 

 and much of the social customs of the Maratta 

 population by whom they are surrounded. 



Despite obstacles social, political, and relig- 

 ious the Jews abroad continue to display com- 

 mendable activity in every sphere. In pure 

 science, medicine, and philology their progress is 

 more marked than in literature proper, although 

 there is a gratifying addition to the ranks of 

 young writers in England, Germany, and France 

 in particular. There has been no interruption in 

 the work of erecting new synagogues and public 

 institutions. More attention is being paid to in- 

 dustrial training, and an agricultural school has 

 been organized near Hanover. Special incidents 

 of interest were the gifts of a million francs fora 

 maternity hospital in Paris, without distinction of 

 'creed ; of a consumptive hospital by Baron Na- 

 thaniel de Rothschild, of Vienna, and the late 

 Baron Bleichroeder, of Berlin ; the election of 

 Maurice Loewy as Vice-President of the Paris 

 Academy of Sciences; the silver jubilee of Dr. 

 M. Elsta'tter, Finance Minister of Baden ; the ap- 

 pointment of M. A. Isaacs as Solicitor-General 

 for Victoria, and election of Nathaniel Levi and 

 Emanuel Steinfeld to the legislative council ; and 

 the lecture by Chief Rabbi Adler, of London, be- 

 fore the Church of England Sanitary Association 

 on " Sanitation as taught by the Mosaic Law." 

 Claude G. Montefiore's Hibbert Lectures were 

 published in London, together with Joseph 

 Jacob's " The Jews of Angevin England," and I. 

 Zangwill's " Ghetto Tragedies." An Anglo-Jew- 

 ish historical society was founded. S. Alexander 

 was appointed to chair of Logic and Philosophy 

 in Owen's College, Manchester. Dr. Kayserling, 

 of Buda-Pesth, continued his researches as to the 

 Jews and the discovery of America. Among 

 works published about the Jews and Judaism 



