The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-09-20

1t has always been conceded, In Amer
lea as we'll as in all other Republics, that
political equality does not necessarily i'm
Div social equality. 1t is equally true
that the time has never been when social
gradations hav. enot existed, even in this
democratic country. 1t is only in theory
that we are free from the social distinc-
tions called aristocracy and democracy.
We have the thing without the name.
At least, we endeavor to repudiate the
name. But the name itself has not ev-
erywhere been suppressed. We have Of
ten heard of the " F. F. vs." The First
Families of Virginia The old fam'-
lies" and similar terms. In the earlier
ages of the Republic we approached
nearer our ideal of a pure democracy
than at present Wealth or rather pow
erty was then more equally distributed.
But as wealth increased, large estates
were accumulated, and handed down
from generation to generation, carrying
with them the tastes and habits and opin-
ions generated by their use until we have
as really, though not as ostenslbly, an
aristocracy, founded rather upon wealth
than upon name, more grasping more
tyrannical and if possible more contemp-
tible than our European neighbors.
American society has not, does not and
will not refuse the recognition OF class
distinction. But those distinctions have
not been made prominent. and have sell
dom been arrogantly assumed, though
they have been tacitly and with regret
recognized. The word aristocracy has
ever been hateful to the minds OF the
people and these distinctions have beer
As much as possible kept out of mind
But we are coming more and more to see
and yield to the inevitable progress o.
events. Our aristocrats are beginning
TO claim this recognition, ant
more and more ostentatiously eacl
wear. All we now lack to make OIL
snobbery equal to that of Great Britain
is the title of nobility.
After all, full acceptance of tn
claims might remedy some Of the evil
which now, in our transition state, op
press us most heavily. \ condition o
things most unenviablc is the result o
the present unsettled social status. lac
US see how people Of small means regar
their relations to the weather. ones. De
cidedly with envy and desire to initiate
To the utmost of their means, and be
You'd their means, they ape the airs an
mimic the manners and 1aunt the dres
Of the more wealthy inviting want an
hunger and disease and crime by thei
extravaganza. The hardships which Ia
boring men and women feel are in grea
measure due to vain struggle to hide tn
line of demarkation which divides tn
affiuent from the poor. This desire t
conceal poverty is fertile propagation {
evil. The many men who have rise
from the ranks Of poverty to wealth,
they have done so legitimately, have a.
complished it by rigid economy and flu
acceptance of the fact Of its necessit.
and of the folly of an attempt while poi
to initiate wealth. When poverty ain
at display not justified by resources
rank fraud is committed. Is poverty
disgrace that it should be concealed ?
man is a working man why should
he ashamed of it? We find less of tn
deceptive trickery and concealment whit
is too transparent, to accomplish mo
than satisfaction to the person practislr
it, we find less of it in countries whe
there Is a recognized and clearly de6n'
aristocracy than in our own so-called d
mocracy. So much the better for mora
there.
There is one advantage Of our state
things, however, which operates We
sometimes. 1t stimulates an ambition
rise in the social grade by its very a
pearance Of openness to oompetitio
The only drawback to this advantage
that it has a natural and almost newt
BILE tendency to defeat itself either by e
travagance Of pretension or by temp,
ton to wrong practices for the purpos
Of attainment.
There is no question that the work.
men Of America might vastly impro
their condition and accomplish much
the good of the world if they would 81
ply assert themselves, not as aristocra
but as workingmen unashamed Of thu
condition and their work, renounce VI
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