is but an
unsuccessful attempt on the part of Jewish anarchists who wish to
proclaim themselves as the apostles of a new national mission
invented by them. The fact of their forming a large percentage in
the camp of those opposed to the Russian civic order may be
explained by the artificial manner in which vast numbers of pupils
from among the lowest classes of the Jewish population are attracted
into the secondary and elementary educational establishments. These
pupils are without means of a livelihood, and they lack, moreover,
all religious beliefs; they are embittered not only by their
personal unfortunate position but also by the pressure of the
restrictive laws which weigh heavily upon their fellow-Jews in
Russia.

The defects which should be truly combated by Government and society
are: a) Jewish exclusiveness and separatism; b) the endeavor of the
Jews to bring the economic forces of the population, in the midst of
which they live, under their influence (i.e., exploitation)....

Having established the true dimensions and characteristics of the
"Jewish evil," we are naturally expected to answer a question of an
opposite nature: are the Jews to any extent useful to State and
society? This question, though very frequently heard, is not quite
intelligible, for every subject, who fulfils his obligations, is
useful to State and society. It would be strange to put a similar
question concerning other nationalities of Eastern origin in Russia,
such as the Greeks, Armenians, and Tartars. And yet this question is
raised with great frequency in the case of the Jews, for the purpose
of proving the need of repressive measures and framing a stronger
indictment against the Jewish population. There is no doubt that in
certain lines of endeavor the Jews are extremely useful. This was
already realized by Catherine, who admitted them to the
South-Russian coast in order to introduce commercial activities and
bring life into the country,.... The peculiar nature of their
commerce and credit is useful to the State, because they connect the
remotest regions by commercial ties and are satisfied with
considerably smaller profits than are the Christian merchants....

We must not, first of all, engage in too comprehensive plans of
reform and imagine that the Jewish question can be considered in all
its aspects and solved at one stroke.... Gradation and cautiousness