A PERSECUTED PEOPLE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3199, 29 September 1881, Page 4

A PERSECUTED PEOPLE.

Horrible stories of cruelty and persecution — strangely inconsistant with the boasted enlightenment and tolerance of the 19fch Century—come to us from Southern Eussia and Germany. What is euphomistic&Uy termed an " Anti-Semitic Agitation " has set in. This may not sound anything vory dreadful in theory, but, as exemplified in practice, it means that the unfortunate Jews living in the districts referred to aro hounded down by infuriated and evil-passioned mobs, their housee sacked, and themselves subjected to gross personal violence. The consequence is that this patient, law-abiding, longsuffering people, who have always been noted for their industry, their submission to constituted authorities, and for the many qualities that go to make up the

character of a good citizen, have been driven from their homes in hundreds, and eren to find if poseibV, f •!■ t 1 «"n selves and their families, a huw , '. •'' ?'•'•" from thr. cruel sufferings towh' ..' been subjected. Tlie tales of .•■ <• violence which camo from Gr i > in> <" ' • Itiissia by tho mail are such as m il.<? otjo wonder whether we avo not retii'.'-im,' lo Imp horrors of the 14th century, when thou?ai"U of unhappy Jews 'were mossai-r-'d in cold bloodj nnd'even burned alive. Certainly Ihe legislation vrhir-h ifc is proposed to introduces into Germany for the benefit this unhappy race — whose only fault seems to be that their natural abilities enable them to take a leading position in trade, commerce, the learned professions, and indeed most of the walks in life—reminds one strongly of the laws which prevailed during " the dark ages." The statutes concerning finance are to be altered so as to hamper the Jews in their money-lending transactions ; the number of appointments held by them are to be limited by law 5 an especial check is to be placed on the number of Jewish Judges ; teachers belonging to the proscribed race are to bo absolutely dismissed from primary State schools; no Jew is to be allowed to edit or contribute to a public journal; and power is to be given to local bodies to prohibit altogether the settlement of Jews in their districts. These are a few of the measures proposed by the Anti-Semitic League, while some of the more ' advanced thinkers' advocate the confiscation of all Jewish property above a certain amount, and interference with their religion 'in so far as it seems antagonistic to national interests. . It becomes us, who are dwellers in a new country, who boast of the absolute freedom accorded to all ,to express our detestation of such an abominable revival of tyranny and persecution as that now we be witnessed in the Old World. We are glad to see the people of Australia are doing this in a practical manner by subscribing liberally towards the assistance of the unfortunate victims of the scandalous outrages which have been rerpetrated. No doubt if a eimilar movement were started in New Zealand it would meet with cordial support.—Exchange.