Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-02-12
COLOSSAL T

Stltuteu tue theme OIL countess euuSlonS
in nll ages and in all climes, and men
are but little better for all that has been
written. When Senator Wade let OF a
few commonplace remarks on the SUBJ
ject, property sensitively took
the alarm and raised such a clamor that
the Senator was frightened at his own
words. But we doubt if any ordinary
person can contemplate without serious
misgivings, tho announcement that
Baron Rothschild, who recently died in
Paris, was worth two thousand millions
of francs, or four hundred millions Of
dollars. 1t was observed Mt the lime
that he was n charitable man, and that
the poor Of Paris deplored his loss
deeply.
Yet during all the long weary years
that he was engaged in amassing that
~stupendous fortune, mon and women
wero starving to death, or committing
suicide from want and suffering in that
very city of Paris. Who can tell the
multitude of unfortunates who, wrecked
in fortune by changes on the Bourse
wrought and controlled by this man,
have plunged into eternity to escape
suffering and ~reproach? Who n tell
how often the loaves Of the baker have
been reduced and the poor punished,
because some of Rothschild's operations
had run up the -four market? Who can
tell how many widows and orphans
have had their little all engulfed in the
maelstrom of fiscal operations that
brought ruin to thousands and fortuued
him.
Charity How many millions did he
| give to the poor? In order to be truly
charitable he ought to have devoted
about half his fortune to such persons,
for nothing else would have relieved
him of the responsibility for the evil DO
had wrought in seeking to pile up such
tremendous boards. Stephen Girard
achieved n colossal fortune in COM
merce, but he left the bulk Of it to edu-
cate the orphan children Of the poor.
John McDonough, of New Orleans, fol-
lowed his example. George Peabody
has not waited for his death-bed to
warn him of his duty. He has given
his millions to the needy.
But these arc American millionaires,
and inspired with the American ideas Of
the greatest good of tho greatest num-
Der. How could any ono expect such
things of men like the Rothschilds? 1t
is related Of this one, who died worth
four hundred millions of dollars, that
when Audubon, the great naturalist,
was about to publish his famous work
on o%rnithology, he waited on the mil
liorairc with q letter of introduction,
was treated rudely, refused u sub
scription, ordered to send his book
when printed, and whom it was sent was
refused its price. 1t perhaps required
such n soul to amass such n fortune.
lie could not take his money with
him into the next world. In fact all he
carried with him to the grave was a
wooden box. But he still contrived to
let the evil of his system survive him.
For the wealth Of the Rothschilds is
jealousy guarded against division by
preventing the children from marrying
out Of tho family. Even to the day Of
his death he managed to keep those
nearest to him ignorant Of half his
wealth by opening a great number of
accounts in false names.
How often have the schemes Of this
dead Rothschild produced embarrass-
ment in the markets of America? How
often has he not spread ruin over thou
sands of our couutrymen by means Of
influences centering in his houses in
London and Paris over which no Ameri-
can could have any control? There
have been times when such men were
| supposed to have rendered great public
| services by the command Of fiscal re-
sources. But tho present Emperor of
France has emancipated governments
from dependence on this class, by means
of his great popular loans raised by APP
peal to the whole mass Of the people.
That invention has exploded the bubble
on which the reputation Of men like
Ro:hschild has been resting. In any
age, in any country, under any circum-
stances, such colossal fortunes are nui-
sanccs. So far from beneftiug the
people in any way, they increase the
downward tendencies Of the poorer
classes; and all the b~eneyolence the
millionaires can achieve by their gifts
or requests will not atone for the
misery they infict upon millions Of the