JEWS AND THE HOLY LAND.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1014, 2 January 1911, Page 6

JEWS AND THE HOLY LAND.

1> — WHAT THE ZIONISTS ARE DOING. ] When the Holy Land was visited by the late Sir Jloses Jlontefiore in 1827 (says the correspondent of the "Standard"), the Jewish population of X , alestine numbered about 500—a figure then considered to be an enormous one.- Some 80 years later we find Palestine boasting ot a Jewish population of over 50,000—a truly remarkable* metamorphosis. The majority of these came from Russia, Rumania, and Galicia, from which countries they fled from persecution and tyranny. It is these very refugees, who have turned tho country in and around Palestine into a veritable "Garden of Eden," and such places as Tiberias, Galilee, Safed, and Hebron, which not many years'ago were considered places, better fitted for the antiquarian and archaeologist for the purposes of research than for the civilised inhabitant, are- to-day prosperous Jewish colonies. With the financial assistance and advice of the Rothschilds and other wealthy members of the Jewish race, in Europe and in tho United States, settlements' have been founded wherever suitable' land .could' be obtained, and, as a result, there are to-day exceedingly over 30 of these settlements west of the Jordan alone.

, The most important . and largest of these .' settlenVents or colonies is that of Zichron, which alone comprises over 2-100 acres, and boasts of a population of somo 1100 souls. A well-known Englishman, who . visited the country, eloquently remarks, that the development... of these beautiful and picturesquo agricultural colonies is,a romanco of realism. Millions of vinos and fig trees, olivo trees, citron trees, and orange trees have been planted, "whilo vast numbers of young mulberry trees are now feeding silkworms." Zich- V ron is "a sort of miniature. Palestinian Paris, for the people here livo somewhat luxuriously. ' Their great wine-cellars, Ftcred with wine and brandy, manufactured here, almost rival ; those of Rischon. This is truly a garden city, for it has a magnificent garden in tho centre."

Here is a "live" answer to those who constantly declaro that the Jews as farmers and'agriculturists are hopeless failures. Among the innumerable other superb plantations may be mentioned the Rischon-lo Zion colony (near the port of ■Jaffa), the. Ekron, Rehoboth, ■ Schweiah, and Em-el-Dschino.l colonies. Although not quite as large as tho Zichron.colony,: and unable to boast of so large, a population, Rischon is, nevertheless, considered to be the "parent" settlement.

'Founded in 1882, with tile assistance of a loan, ■ granted-by Baron- Etlmond de Hothschild (which has already been paid off), there are now already planted there as many .as'2oo,ooo mulberry trees and ovcr'half a' million vines. This colony also boasts of a hospital, library, institute, and many other educational establishments. ■ .

A traveller might thus make his way over i Palestine, north, south, cast, ' and west, and yet wherever ho may cast his startled eyes, these -miniature Parises will be espied on all sides. In this way Zionists all over the World hope to gain back tho land of their fathers. The further prosecution of this work, however, is at its present stage becoming gradually somewhat more difficult-owing to tho .extremely-hostile attitude of the Turkish officials in regard to the sale of land.

The passport, limiting the stay of all foreign Jews in Palestine to three months is still' in vogue, and, with these and other restrictions, Zionists are now compelled to drop their lofty ideals and aspirations; it is hoped, however, for but a short time. Tho Young Turks arc extremely jealous of their power, and are determined to maintain the integrity of their ,heterogeneous empire .against nos r siblo complications. But it may be confidently stated that if the Young Turks selfishly intend to Jimit Jewish enterprise and activity in the'empirc in this fashion, it is then clearly evident to the most optimistic and sympathetic onlooker that, the consummation .of the economic . and material regeneration of the Turkish Empire will becomo utterly impossible.