Yiddish poets of the United States equal, if they do not excell, the poets of the same tongue in other countries――Morris Rosenfeld――“Yehoash” and Sharkansky――Bovshoer and other radicals――Zunser――Old fashioned novelists――The sketch writers who are under the influence of the Russian realistic writers―― Abner Tannenbaum――Alexander Harkavy――“Krantz,” Hermalin, Zevin and others――Abraham Goldfaden and the playwrights who followed him――Jacob Gordin and the realists――Yiddish actors and actresses――The Yiddish Press――The high position attained by the dailies――Weekly and monthly publications. CHAPTER XLIV. PRESENT CONDITIONS. THE NUMBER AND THE DISPERSION OF JEWS IN AMERICA. CONCLUSION. Dispersion of the Jews over the country and its colonial possessions――The number of Jews in the United States about three millions――The number of communities in various States―― The number of Jews in the large cities――The number of the congregations is far in excess of the recorded figures――The process of disintegration and the counteracting forces――The building of synagogues――Charity work is not overshadowing other communal activities as in the former period, and more attention is paid to affairs of Judaism――The conciliatory spirit and the tendency to federate――Self-criticism and dissatisfaction which are an incentive to improvement――Our great opportunity here―― Our hope in the higher civilization in which the injustices of the older order of things may never reappear. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. FRONTISPIECE (EZEKIEL’S STATUE OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY) COL. ISAAC FRANKS JUDAH TOURO RABBI ISAAC LEESER DR. ISAAC M. WISE RABBI SABATO MORAIS DR. MARCUS JASTROW MICHAEL HEILPRIN LEWIS N. DEMBITZ JUDAH P. BENJAMIN HON. SIMON WOLF COMMODORE URIAH P. LEVY JULIUS BIEN KASRIEL H. SARASOHN EMMA LAZARUS HERMAN ROSENTHAL CHIEF RABBI JACOB JOSEPH MISS SADIE AMERICAN PROF. GOTTHARD DEUTSCH HON. JACOB H. SCHIFF HON. OSCAR S. STRAUS JUDGE MAYER SULZBERGER HON. BENJAMIN SELLING PROF. SOLOMON SCHECHTER MARTHA WOLFENSTEIN MORDECAI MANUEL NOAH INTRODUCTION. THE JEWS AS EARLY INTERNATIONAL TRADERS.