OSCAR S. STRAUS. Membrr lVrmanrnt Court of Aribtra tlon at Tbe Ilagur. IT is now 250 years since the first He brew, whose name has been pre served, arrived on American soil. Ke was Jacob Bar Slmson. He came to New Amsterdam from Hollaed on the Pear Tree on July 8. 1C54, followed in the same year by a band of twenty-three refugees, prob ably from Brazil, on the St. Catarina. The first arrivals in New York met an unfriendly reception, utterly at variance with the Dutch character. They were a small band of refugees, probably from Brazil, and expected to find in New Am y *terdam a haven of rest after their weary pilgrimage. They were regarded, however, with little sympathy. The settlement of the Hebrews on the American continent antedates by fully a century the settlement of Jamestown and me coming of the Pilgrims and the Puritans. The world's history is linked together far closer than a super fi< ial observer imagines. Tt is known beyond doubt that there were at least five Hebrews with Colum ns—the interpreter, the doctor and the • surgeon cf tho fleet, besides two sailers. Emilio Castrlar. the statesman of mod ern Spain and her President in 1573 dur ing the hundred days of her republican ic-gime. as well as the historian Kay certifies that the closing chapter of the professors of Judaism on the Ibe rian Peninsula was the beginning- of their history upon the American continent. Among the earliest and certainly by far the most,, advanced and intelligent of the. colonists who came to the aetr world were fugitives from the Inquisition, who were chiefly Hebrews. It is an undoubted fact that the He brews were among the first white settlers in large numbers on the American conti nent. Their first coming within tne limits < 1' the United Stutt-s was only thirty-four v*>ars after the arrival of the Pilgrim Fathers on the shores of New England. They participated in the war of the rev elation and gave in proportion to their numbers more than their quota of officers, men and moafy to the patriots' cause. No less than 7000 Hebrews, officers and men, participated in the Civil War. In Newport and Philadelphia. The earliest Hebrew community in the United States after that in New York was that at Newport, R. 1., which traces :;s beginnings to emigrants ' from New Amsterdam in 1G55, due probably to the chilling atmosphere of the Dutch town. More families followed, attracted by the liberal principles adopted by Roger Wil liams as the basis of his commonwealth. About a century later important acces sions were made of settlers from Spain. Portugal and the West Indies. In 1763 a synagogue was dedicated, there being Then about sixty-iive families, including merchants of high standing, among oth ers Aaron Loi>ez, a rich ship owner, and Jneob Rodriguez Rivera, who introduced the manufacture of spermaceti into America. The revolution dispersed the Hebrew community, which settled In other sections, the city losing gradually its commercial prestige. The Touro fam ily bequeathed a turn sufficient to main tain the old cemetery and synagogue, the latter a good illustration of old colonial architecture, and after long years of si lence it is again occupied for worship. Judah Touro Is one of the truly famous r.ames xn American Hebrew history. In Pennsylvania the only Hebrew settlers were of German stock, Lan caster and Easton being the oldest , communities, Joseph Simon, Myor Hart and Aaron Ltvy being pioneers. In Philadelphia records are kept of two early settlers, Jonas Aaron (1703) and Arnold Bamberger (1726 j». The first assembly for public worship dates from 1747. The Rev. G. M. Seixas. favorably known for his patriotism, with a num i Ver of Hebrews who escaped British - lie in New York, established the first Portuguese synagogue during the Revolution. The Philadelphia com munity rapidly increased In numbers and influence. Here was established the first Sunday-school (1S38). in which Rebecca Gratz, whom Washing ton Irving suggested a model for Re becca in "Ivanhoe," was the leading spirit, and the first short-lived Hebrew college he colonists Abraham de Lyon Intro- \ 4*uced grape culture. In the Revolution i Mfc Hebrews of Savannah were stanch patriots, and on Its capture by the Brit- Ish in 177S MonSecai Sheftall and his son. both officers In the Colonial army, were ° confined In the Drf*WJ »nln. JCot less t notable were the Hebrews of Charles ton, a close study of whose history has just been made by Dr. Elzas of that city. Their oldest congregation dates from 1750. The community increased so rapidly that a new synagogue was erected in 1794, their strength being augmented after the Revolution by the settlement there of many New York Hebrews. Francis Salvador was a friend of the patriotic leaders. In later deca4es the community was to form one of the largest and most cultured in the land, and the Hart, De Leon. Moisse, Lopez.-Lazarus and Cohen families gave dignity and distinction to the Charles ton Hebrews. Here, too, was the home of Penina Morse (1797-1SS0) the poet, whose hymns have long been chanted in the Sunday-schools. In Maryland, where the "Jew doctor." Jacob Lumbrozo, was tried in 1658 for blasphemy, it was many years before full religious liberty was granted, and not un til 1824 that two Hebrew officeholders were elected without being obliged finally to declare their belief in the Christian religion. To-day they are prominent in art. law. science and the university world, as well as in commerce. In "Louisiana the Hebrews have pros pered since Judah Touro saw service at the battle of New Orleans, and have sent their representatives to the State Legisla ture and National Congress, as have other States of the South. Among those were Philip Phillips, Judah P. Benjamin, Ben jamin F. Jonas, "L. C. Levin, Isidor Ray ner and David S. Kaufman. Hebrews took an active part in the de- What American Hebrews Have Done. THE American Hebrew is a fac tor in American life, and not an unimportant one. Numeri cally there are a million and a half Hebrews in the 'United < States— about 2 per cent of the total population, yet it Is a 'question whether any other single element in the population has accomplished bo much toward the development of the wealth and power of the States as this one during the 250 years since the He brews first settled in the land. v There are some 750,000 Hebrews in New York now, as many as in all the rest of the United "Etates.- These constitute 20 per cent of the total population of this Western metropolis. The contribution of the Bebrew to the building of the commer cial and financial supremacy of New York has been more than proportionate to his numbers, for the Hebrew has had gen erations of training in commerce and finance which well prepares him for city life In the metropolitan business circles. A study of the pursuits followed by the Hebrew is interesting, for it is a mistake to think that the Hebrew 13 either a middleman or a small dealer. There is scarcely any trade or profes sion In which he will not be found, and while he is not afraid of manual labor the tendency Is to combine this with Intellectual effort. Hebrews are pro 3ucers, not merely in the narrow sense that the farmer Is a producer by sow ing the seed and reaping ten or twenty Cold, but with raw material and the application of labor (hey produce the Inished article. . They are producers, .00, in another sense, making new-mar cets for productions of all kinds, and joining the ends of the earth by a com nunlty of interests. In art America has given to the, vorld several first-class artists like JSzekiel, the sculptor, and Mosler, the lalntcr, besides many lesser lights. ll u&trators and caricaturists. The Hebrew has always . been,, at racted to Journalism, and his power 'of ireanizatlon, study of details and ln ellectual readiness have made him sue- WHAT THE HEBREW HAS DONE IN 250 YEARS HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN BUSINESS. THE PROFESSIONS ART, SCIENCE, LITERATURE AND PHILANTHROPY velopment of Texas. Samuel Israel, Abra- ] ham C. Labatt, Jacob de Cordova and ; Henry Castro were among the pioneers. \u25a0.' Virginia formed its first v congregation < about 1791, although some immigrants set- . tied within the limits of the State a cen- ! tury earlier. In the emigration that led .to the up-; building of cities in the Ohio Valley He- ; brews were participants. ' In Ohio the first Hebrew settler was Joseph Jonas, who arrived in Cincinnati March 8, 1817. What a change in ninety years ;In that 'city, ! whose Hebrew community ranks among! the most public spirited and progressive ; in the country! Here is the Hebrew. Un- ! ion College, where • graduates fill many ', important Jewish pulpits; and here, too, > labored for many decades Drs. I. M." Wise! and Max Lillenthal. ; The Hebrews of Chicago date their be-! ginnings from 1841-3. To-day the commu- J nlty closely competes with New York in < its curious contrast between the old-fash- \ ioned and new-fashioned elements. • ' Hebrews were among the gold-seekers! in California in 1549, and have done more J than their share in the development of < the Northwest, its mines and j seas and ! railways, with men like Sutro, Michael ] Reese, Sloss. Gerstle, Friedlander, Hell- < man, Rosenfeld, the" members of the j Alaska Commercial and the North Ameri- 1 can Commercial companies. Over one ] hundred Hebrews were in the First Call- < fornia ' Volunteers, that saw service in < the Philippines, and Jacob Voorsanger, ] rabbi, professor and editor, of San Fran- < cisco was one of the founders of the) California Red Cross Society.- ' - j cessful in this field. One is the in ventor of the so-called yellow Journal ism; another Is -trie manager of "AH the news that's fit to print," and be tween these are. Journalists large and small, managers, editors and hundreds of bright reporters. The contributions of the Hebrew mind to permanent American literature are not very numerous. There .have been tuneful poets, like Emma Lazarus, and Penina Moise: a few, novelists and essayists. .'One noteworthy production of American Hebrew scholarship Is the Jewish encyclopaedia, Just completed. It Is the general impression that the Hebrew is first and always a business man, end it is true that for ; many cen turies the denial of his right-to enter any profession savo that of medicine drove him to commercial pursuits, but ': as soon as the '. shackies were removed he hastened into' the learned, profes sions. That this Is sols proved by the fact that in almost every Hebrew fam ily there is at least one lawyer or phy sician. ••'\u25a0'-; '\u25a0\u25a0.*. \u25a0" . "\u25a0 . . \u25a0 : J-.- It Is no exaggeration to estimate the percentage' of .Hebrew; lawyers as "at least 50 per cent and that of physi cians as not less than 45 per cent: Many in each of. these professions have attained eminence," for there have been o and are several \ Judges -on the bench of the courts and some of the leading medical authorities are of : . Hebrew stock. Politically, especially in New York,*the Hebrew element is one to be "reckoned with. - The alignment b;: however, -never, made along religious lines.". The Hebrews belong to all ; political 'parties', yand'.' as) a. rule cast an intelligent jvote." It /has-been, proved that in campaigns * where ques- -.-. tions of morality or ; political". purity are issues a large vote ", f or )\u25a0 the better! side | comes from the notably Hebrew districts.' The Hebrews havenot,"' however, -made' It * a point of haying};: full $ representation! \u25a0 . though 'many have served ' in \u25a0 offices from i Aldermen to jUnlted I States" Senator.^ One '. of : the best types ; bf -\u25a0 statesmen, . serving :•? bis country at personal .sacrifice," is that }, THE SAN;- : FRANCISCO; : ;CXLI2: i of Oscar S. Straus, Minister (under Dem ! ocratic and Republican regime alike) to ! Turkey, and active still lln the ; Interest !of peace between nations and between [employers anu employes. | • It is not eenerally known that Hebrews > took an active part in the agitation which [led finally to the Declaration; of Inde > pendence, the documentary proof of which (lies in the non-importation resolution of j .1765, a copy of which is preserved in Car penters' Hall, Philadelphia, and bears dis tinctive Hebrew names. They are.Sam son Levy, Benjamin Levy, Joseph Ja [cobs, Hyman Levy Jr., David Pranks, | Mathias Bush, Michael Gratz, Barnard > Gratz and Moses Mordecai. | A large number of Hebrews fought in > the revolutionary war, and Haym Solo- Jmon of Philadelphia loaned the revolu [ tlonists the then enormous sum of JGOO.OOo. ! not a cent of which has ever been repaid Ito him or his heirs. An entire volume, i showing how large the contribution of the I Hebrews has been to the armie^ of the United States has been published by ! Simon Wolf and there it is notably, proven ; that the Hebrew has been always ready 1 to volunteer for the service of his coun try in even greater proportion than might | have been required. 1 More than 4000 He- •brews were In the army during the late war with Spain, and even ; among- j the • ."Rough : Riders" there were seven. As was only natural,' the Hebrews ' have • taken [= part :, in financial business to a large degree; for they; had been the world's, first financiers, ; and 'their.:in t'ernatlonal- connections 'have ',y\ given them special facilities \ for, the carrylngr on of exchange between nations. ©rte r , of the founders, of the Stock Exchange \was a Hebrew." '>:''\u25a0\u25a0.'.'\u25a0 : \u25a0\u25a0\u25a0'"'y'V :* V^The wide variety of jHebrew pursuits is little 1 appreciated; yet it is difficult to ; find | any- trade, profession Vor; business K in- which \u25a0; they, do-and^ civil ; en- : ; gineers, : and; there are" Hebrew 'igradu- : ates'of Annapolis and;of. West Points fi'-," In ttiorbuilding VI trades':; more ?-'and. more «' Hebrew,^ carpenters, \u25a0 j masons i and glaziers' are being: employed,*; especially,* in : ; New,:.Tork iCityi*; where > the l' Hebrews 'g f are ; taking. so .prominent ! a par t- in ; eon- ;? i tracting and ; building.'iThey. are spread : lngr.!out j" also '^intor the % country,';, taking \u25a0 -:-- :. \u25a0••\u25a0• .•: \u25a0 1 - i .-;- ; "\u25a0;.'».\u25a0.\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0:\u25a0..\u25a0\u25a0-.\u25a0 "\u25a0: up, the deserted farms o£ New England, cultivating:; the soil "of. \ New. Jersey; and establishing ; farms :'\u25a0 even ;In the IDako tas. > •( It "i is estimated that the Hebrew f ami population -Is between ;10,000* and i 5.000. . i'^9^^n^^^g^Sj^SSß9S ."As teachers, the .Hebrews- have, also beenTsuccessful.; probably -by~ heredity, for, this ; has f been a \u25a0; favorite i profession for . many 'centuries. V? In they develop mentfof the. Intellectual < life of i\u25a0; the country the. Hebrewis v alreadyjdoingr his share, but that 1 work will be greatly, increased J,with:the»added* force* of * the .thousands of 'ambitious young men .who : have . ; lately^ arrived * here.., In? thel bus!-; ness i worlds he .will ]] to h pro gress*' extending . his activities ; tolmahyi industries ; as i he « finds ' room . for : his in genuity; and industry.'. - - ' l% -^ Hebrews in Philanthropy and Society. FROM the sociological side the American Hebrew has had many problems to solve. The three separate and distinct tides and -types of immigra tion have made It possible to dispose of these 'problems gradually and in turn. Those first settling in the United States were chiefly of Portu guese stock, and equipped as they were with .culture and means they took part in the affairs of the colonies on a par, with other settlers," reserving only the ' right to worship God when and how they pleased.-- * When the great German influx began in 1848 ' and 1 thereabout ; different prob lems'arose. The Americanized He brews who had been in 'the country for several generations 'were • not over pleased . to see the* uncultured, poverty stricken men. pour into the States, and, while, they helped them- when in dis tress,' they -were refused admittance iritol their family circles. But the Ger mans were Independent and formed their own religious and social organiza tions. They went ".further and began the great reform religious movement of which > ohlyi mutterings had been heard before. ..They; founded!" benevolent or ders," which established asylums, homes' and ; hospitals in/; many of " the large ' cltlaa. Each congregation &ad tta charity branch, generally In th» hands of the women, and the foundations of the philanthropic institutions wcr* broadly laid. Clubs were formed after the Ger man model, where men and women as sembled for social pleasures, and in th« course of time the German element be came dominant and more conspicuous than the Portuguese congregations by mere force of numbers. Twenty-five years ago the poor wir» limited in numbers and well cared for. The criminal was so exceptional a* to bm almost negligible. Then came ths perse cutions in Russia and Roumaala, and hundreds of thousands of more or less he'.pless men were driven to America. Baron de Hirsch, recomlzln? tha imme diate need, established the Hirsch trust. which has taken upon Itself tha Btrensth ening of the weak links in tha philan thropic chain and the supplying of miss ing links. By the aid of the trustees of thta fund the great Educational Alllanca building was erected in the tenement dis trict of New York, and as the Jewish People's Palace it has reached thousands and hundreds of thousands who mi£bt otherwise have gone astray. Its purpose has been, in a word, to transform tha Immigrant Hebrew of all ages and classes into the intelligent > and patriotic Ameri can citizen. The hundred thousand dol lars that In expended by the alliance every year Is better spent than nine tenths of the so-called charity given In alms. It is truly preventive work, pre venting crime, preventing ignorance and euff?rins. preventing degradation. Th» vast building of the alliance is crowded at all hours until late at n!ght with the uplifting work, which an elastic system. has proved most necessary. Thera are classes to teach English to young and old; there are clubs of all kinds stimu lating thought and bringing culture; there are classes in cooking. In needle work, in millinery. In art and music, as wall a 9 in civics and history. It is a hum ming hive of Intellectualizlng and moral izing activity from week end to week end. The example set by the alliance has been followed In every large city In tb« United States, . until now this uplifting machinery Is at work all over the coun try. The material welfare of the immigrants has been looked after no less carefully, for it was most necessary- Approved methods of dispensing monetary aid hava been adopted by uniting the societies of each community and forming an intimate connection between the charities of the different cities. This "has prevented abuses such as pauperizing and reduplication, and . ha 3 introduced a system into the work and eliminated almost altogether the pos sibility of Imposition. Helping the immigrants to help them selves has been the rule followed from th« beginning. A policy of distributing tha laborers is followed constantly in the at tempt to relieve the great Eastern cities of congestion. Not only are there em ployment bureaus, but there are labor dis tribution offices, which send thousands of workmen to those points where employ ment i 3 waiting: for them. Agricultural colonies have been founded In New Jersey, and many farmers have bean established on the deserted farms of New Ensland and In tbe Far West. The agencies have learned how to select thoso^ adapted to farm life, and the distribution of these goes on apace. In order to train the young for farm life the National Farm School has been founded near Philadel phia by Dr. Joseph Krauskopf and Its graduates are sent annually to the State . agricultural stations and in time will act as leaders of farm colonies. The life of the working: girl Is cared for In such institutions as the Baroness de Hlrsch Working Girls' Home, where thu unprotected working girl find 3 not only a home. . but also many opportunities for elevating herself and, improving her con dition. It was no small task for ths three hun dred thousand American Hebrews to care for and lead four times their own number within the last twenty-flve years, yet that is precisely: what they have had to do. .The responsiveness of their charges has aided materially in the work. The poor have; helped one another greatly. They have done so even to the extent of found- Ing Inns for temporary aid. loan societies and hospitals.