The high dignitaries of St. Petersburg who had been disturbed in their work of Jew-baiting by the outcry of the civilized world gave full vent to their hatred in their conversations with Baron Hirsch’s deputy.  White reported afterwards that the functionaries of St. Petersburg had painted to him the Russian Jew as “a compound of thief and usurer.”  Pobyedonostzev delivered himself of the following malicious observation:  “The Jew is a parasite.  Remove him from the living organism in which and and on which he exists and put this parasite on a rock—­and he will die.”  While thus justifying before the distinguished foreigner their system of destroying the five million Jewish “parasites,” the Russian Ministers were nevertheless glad to lend a helping hand in removing them from Russia, on condition that in the course of twelve years a large part of the Jews should be transferred from the country—­in the confidential talks with White three million emigrants were mentioned as the proposed figure.  White was furnished with letters of recommendation from Pobyedonostzev and the Minister of the Interior to the highest officials in the provinces, whither the London delegate betook himself to get acquainted with the living export material.  He visited Moscow, Kiev, Berdychev, Odessa, Kherson, and the Jewish agricultural colonies in South Russia.

After looking closely at Jewish conditions, White became convinced that the perverted type of Jew which had been painted to him in St. Petersburg “was evolved from the inner consciousness of certain orthodox statesmen, and has no existence in fact.”  Wherever he went he saw men who were sober, industrious, enterprising business men, efficient artisans, whose physical weakness was merely the result of insufficient nourishment.  His visit to the South-Russian colonies convinced him of the fitness of the Jews for colonization.

In short—­he writes in his report—­if courage—­moral courage,—­hope, patience, temperance are fine qualities, then the Jews are a fine people.  Such a people, under wise direction, is destined to make a success of any well-organized plan, of colonization, whether in Argentina, Siberia, or South Africa.

On his return to London, White submitted a report to Baron Hirsch, stating the above facts, and also pointing out that the assistance which should he rend red to the emigration work by the Russian Government ought to take the form of granting permission to organize in Russia emigration committees, of relieving the emigrants of the passport tax, [1] and of allowing them free transportation up to the Russian border.

[Footnote 1:  The tax levied on passports for travelling abroad amounting to fifteen rubles ($7.50).]

2.  THE JEWISH COLONIZATION ASSOCIATION AND COLLAPSE OF THE ARGENTINIAN SCHEME