Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1872-01-31
HomR-mApE sHopDY.

The term "shoddy," as applied 20
people OF naturally low degree, who
have suddenly become autocratic by
fortunate speculations, has been IA
miliar enough Of late years, especially
In the East. The term vas originally
applied to a species Of fabric or cloth
rewoven from old WORKOUT wooden
goods, which had been picked to pieces
BY machinery and mixed with new
wool. This fabric entered most extern
sivsly into army blankets, clothing,
etc., and numerous individuals with
profitable furnishing contracts sudden
ly became rich by 1t. Shoddy, how
ever, now onters largely into the warp
and wool Of the human race, and es-
pecially Is it emblematic Of the poll
ticians Of the present day, and the
worn-out political hacks Of the Demo-
cratic party particularly. Old and
"frall," they are always liable to be
picked to pieces, and are ever ready to
be mixed In with some moro perma-
nent element, domestic Oh foreign,
promising better strength and success,
In order to carry out their ends. But
shoddy they always are, aud into shod-
dy they must return. There Is plenty
Of shoddy right here along the old
Comstock range as we'll Us elsewhere
individuals suddenly made rich by for
tunate mining stock operations, unex-
pected rich strikes ut the lower levels;
individuals who, now enabled to move
about and minglo in with high-toned
society, are as much out Of place as
Chinamen's donkeys among tlne-bred
racing stock. Then we have both here
and elsewhere shoddy among the rail-
road rings and circles Of society, the
golden key of admission being shrowd
and successful railroad speculations
and investments. Money is position
and power, yet there are positions and
powers which money cannot buy ; a
grand charmed circle of true human
refinement; the high intellectual
wealth of mind and soul into which
shoddy may never enter. Speaking Of
railroad shoddy, a correspondent at
| Sacramento thus writes under date Of
the 18th instant:
~ attended the Undlne Boat Club
| soiree last evening. 1t was gorgeous
but why should it not be? Tho club
Is composed Of railroad men. and they
have plenty of money. Mrs. K. X. was
out In full glory. This II. Il. aristoc-
racy is n plant of the fungus species.
a la shoddy, and like 1t grows ont Of
the corruptions Of Representatives and
| officials. What q dear, nice Uncle
Sam he Is, to build railroads and give
them to individuals. Ifelt like crying,
to think he would not give me a little
railroad Of a few thousand miles In
length, besides all the nice, pretty
country OH each side, and let
me charge the people rs much
as 1 felt like for travelling,
or sending their stuff over 1t.
Then 1 might stick up my little
nose at tue people who gave me all
these nice things, and wear tho finest
clothes, and live IN the incest houses,
and give the handsomest parties, which
I would take good care none Of tho
poor trash got into unless l wanted to
use them as tools to do some Of my
dirty work. As l sat watching the
crowd passing BY, like m continuously
revolving panorama, and noted the
silly looks Of vanity, hauteur, pride or
conceit on the faces Of nearly all
those ladies whose husbands have been
successful In speculation, which gave
Thorn position, Icould not help feeling
n species OF pity for them. | pitl,d
their servile helplessness, In that they
had no more true womanly indlyidu-
atty than to take pride In belonging
to a rich man, occupying q position
only a degree above the horse In his
stable /; simply a peg for him to hang
rich clothing and jewels upon ; 3 fig
IRE to assist In displaying his shoddy
wealth; no hope or ambition beyond
being the best dressed woman in the
room,' and displaying the least posi-
BILE nse Bah! shoddy will be shod-
dy the world'over."