The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-05-23
AMITsEMESTs THIS EVENING.
New York. Wednesday, May s3, 1919.
A New Problem In American Society.

New Problem IN American Society.
The excitement growing out Of the sad occurren-
ces at Astor Place, has subsidized. Calm reflection
has succeeded the passionate outburst OF feeling.
The bodies of those whofell have beenquletly com
mitted to the earth; and the public attention, at
1racted by other TOPICS with characteristic lncon-
etancv appears almost to have wholly lost sight OF
that subject which, only few days since, was the
allabsorbng and engrosslng theme ofconversatlon.
Ont of those occurrences, however, a serious
question has arisen, which it is not likely will be
disposed of by any summary process and that
question has reference to the relations subssting
between two distinct classes in this community, In
yoving considerations of the highest possible in
terest and Importance.
Within the last few years, it has been apparent
10 philosophers of all grades, from the most astute
pundit of the Historical Society down to the refec-
tive FISHERMAN of Fulton Market, that new and
formidable barriers, lines Of demarcation, and
Cdious distinctions, have been creating dvIsionsand
hostilities between the working classes and those
who style themselves the exclusives of New York
society We now behold IN this community
state of things which was not dreamed of in the
philosophy of the last generation. An aristocracy,
based on those European models which it apes,
has at length assumed certain degree of shape
and consistence amongst us. Exhibiting in its
style and mode of living, in its manners, Its dress,
Its ordy dwellings, its external aspect and appear
ance, its unconcealed scorn of what it desgnates
the low and vulgar, in everything which marks
1t as class, the same form and features
which have, under various phases Of civilization,
in the old world, characterized those classes who
have arrogated to them selves the exclusive right
TO the riches and honor of this world; this New
York aristocracy has, of late years, grown up into
distinct portion of the community, playing all
manner of fantastic tricks, in its frppery and tin
sci, as if resouely bent on provoking the spleen,
the ridicule, and the hate of the great body of
the people. Without respectable descent, without
intellectual culture, without those graces and ac
complishments natural or acquired, which, under
other systems of government, have at least given
some color to aristocratic pretensions, we have
seen this New York exclusiveness" repeatedly
Rssail and offend the intelligence and virtue of the
popular masses, who really constitute the health
and strength of our glorious republic. Now, we
see these " exclusives figuring in the saloons of
fashionable watering place, shocking our plain,
American notions of decency and propriety, as
they faunt their 6nery IN the voluptuous move
ments Of some newly imported meretrcious dance.
Now, they excite the laughter of Broadway, as they
roll along its uneven pavements in a carriage with
helldic bearings, and footmen attired in outland-
ish livery, all carefully copied from the flash turn
OUT of some adventurer at a German Spa, whom
they innocenty believed to be a genuine marquis
or baron. Again, we find them attempting to in
aroduce the Italian Opera, on the same offensive
system which prevails IN the aristocratc capitals
of Europe; and, true to that keen regard for the
s'almighty dollar" which never seems to desert
them, even in their most ridiculous vagaries pur-
chasing the right to their "crimson velvet SOFAS -
On terms which do, indeed prove to be TO the poor
manager " an awful sacrifice
Now all this aping the manners of the rotten
aristocracies of Europe, has not been without its
bad effect upon other classes Of the community.
II has aroused in some quarters natural emotions
of contempt and disgust; but in others, deep
feeling of resentment and hostility During the
late Disturbances this hostile feeling undoubtedly
manifested itself IN such manner to occasion
serious alarm in the minds of those who wish well
to our republican system. 1t is greatly to be de-
plored that through the folly and impertinence of
certain classes, so inconsiderable in number
or influence the seeds of discord and disunion
should thus be disseminated amongst u.s. But the
facts cannot be disputed, and who are to blame
tHty WIN, ldChlUS HuHlIty anu CHtTlty, tHOsc
great Christian graces, and actuated by the lowest
sefshness and brutality, seek every opportunity of
wounding the feelings of their fellow brethren of
mankind, who, either poorer or more honest than
those so-caled exclusives possess but small
portion of this worlds goods; or they who, amid
Toll and anxiety and all the torturing struggles
which mark the life Of poverty, do, occasionally,
mufmur at the hardness Of their lot, when the con-
seriousness OF 1t IS SO unpleasantly excited by the
osten'atlous displays which seem 10 be designed to
mock and gall ,hem9
But there is another element Of d;scord NJ ,xorls
amongst US, ana the late occurrences at Astor
Place have attracted to i, an unusual degree of
attention on the part OF thoughtful men. That el-
ement Is the disorganzing and destructive in.
5uence exercised on the poor and working classes
by the socialism of the editor of the New York
Tribune and his associates. Under the most sre-
Cicus DISCUSSES, the promugators in this country of
that dangerous creed, of which Proudhon may
now be regarded the great apostle, have been en-
deavorins TO engraf upon the mind of the working
men Of this city the doctrine that 'property is
robbery'-that the rich are the oppressors of the
poor-that the whole form and structure of the So
cal organization must be remodelled so as to dis
tribute property equally among all Crafty, artful,
and irritating appeals TO the passions ofthe toiing
artlzan, the idle and the dissolute, have been con-
tnuaily made, for years past in the columns Of the
Tribune, and thus that feeling of alienation and
enmi'y, which the vices and follies and insulting
os,entaton of the Exclusives had originated be-
tween the two classes, has been fostered and in
famed. Besides the organ of the socialists,
other journals, from whom we might have expected
better things, have stimulated and fed thus growing
feeling of hostility and dscord Thus we have
seen The Cowle g. Eaqni,er pressing an issue be-
iwecn The exclusive and that winch i, calls