The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-01-24
American Society.

From very sensible and well con-
sidered article in the St. Louis Repa6h-
can we make the following extract con-
cernnip one OF the chief crises Of Amer.
lean society:
1t cannot be denied that the social
life of the American people-though
partaking o. that outside show which
wears the semblance OF vigorous and
supersbundant health-is not nearly 90
pure and strong as it wss, and more
over is rapidly retrogradiDg. 1t is the
old story over again. The luxury and
corruption which 90 often follow ia-
tional greatness are poisoning the
springs Of society, and slowly but surely
Graduating those principles and prac-
tees which give permanent vitality to
governments. 1t would appear as If
our people had come to the deliberate
conclusion that because their mar
vellous growth set at naught all
previous experience, therefore they
could safely afford to desplse
those iuflexible rules of common
sense which are as firm and lasting as
the laws OF the universe 1t is not to
be expected nor desired that we should
be content to live precisely as our fa-
theirs lived but surely we ought to take
care that our fondness for improvement
upon the old ways does not bring evils
which our fathers escaped American
extravaganza has become proverblal,
We pay more tor living and get
less for it than any other people; but
we insist that what we do get shall be
so served up as to attract the enYIous
gaze of the unthinking multitude. II
the whole truth must be told, Amer
can life ia fast degenersting into a vnl-
gar scramble for money, and a ulgar
to spend money foolishlv.
We are getting to be-if we are not al
ready-a nation Of snobs, devoured
bv mean admiration OF mean
things. We are endeavoring to ape
European STYLE without having the in
situations and surroundings which
make that style tolerable. We go
abroad not only for the fashion OF our
clothes, but for the fashion of our liv-
ing; and what is worse than all, we
bring home the poorest fashions and
leave the best behind We boast Of
our polit cal independence, and perhaps
we have even too much OF that article;
but in social independence we are sadly
lacking. Instead of deciding for our
selves what shall be the shape and size
OF our domestic arrangements, we allow
our ne:ghbors and friends-prOvding
thew stand on the same or a higher
social plane-to decide for US. Our
houses are built not so much for the
comfort and convenience Of those. who
inhabit them, as to win a favorable
verdict from the public. The furniture
with which we fill them is selected with
more regard to the opinion OF the cas-
ual guest or occasional caller, than tor
the demands Of necessity or taste. We
do not ask what is it worth :? but
" what does it cost p and the article,
whatever it may be, is generally esti-
mated, not according to its intrinsic
value, but by the price paid for it. 1t
is passing strange, but no less true than
strange, that though we draw our origin
from English and German stock more
than from any other source, our social
life is utterly different from that which
prevails in England or Germany. In
those countries, while wealth is eagerly
sought, it is used by the gamer for sim
pie purposes. 1t is not invested In
trinkets and gewgsws for the benefit OF
the mob, but 40 expended as to produce
the largest amount OF solid happiness
for the possessor. Thisis why English
and German home life is so much supe-
rior to our own. They have the SUBJ
stance-we the shadow.
The fierce strife for money, and the
ignoble uses to which we put it, are do
ing infinite damage in another direc-
ton. The family is the chief support
of the State, and whatever tends to de-
stroy the purity and sanctity OF the
former, is to the same extent endanger-
ing the existence of the latter. Mutual
respect and affection constitute the sum
and essence of true marriage; and when
these are thrust aside to make room for
other and lower considerations, the
family relation has lost it's highest
meaning and it's hottest power. We
need not say to what extent matrimonial
alliances in this country have passed
from the management OF Cupid
to that OF Mammon and how thor
oughly the promptings OF love have
been subordinated to the dictates Of
finance. In what is termed by courtesy
"our best society" love match is re-
garded as curiosity OF no ordinary
magnitude; and the man or woman
who selects partner without making
pecuniary resources the crucial test, is
deemed an smiable lunatic, for whom
the law should appoint guardian.
The consequences of these marriages o.
convenience are painfully apparent. II
the cash basis upon which the marriage
was founded hold out, the contracting
parties may get on together with
out grave trouble; but whenever that
basis drops away, alienation and dis
cord are apt to follow, and in many
cases final separation lie the result. We
are convinced that more than halt OF
the divorce suits which disgrace our
legal tribunals are due to this cause {;
and that the number of divorces will
increase until that cause is removed
Can it ever be removed? Will Amer
leans, as nation, ever discard the false
views OF life they now have, ard so
back to those old paths, which, if not
so fashionable, are much more sensible,
so much safer, so much happier Ger
tain it is that il we 90 on as We are now
going a half century longer, American
civilization will be as wretched and as
rotten 8 sham as Roman civilization
under the emperors. or French clvlIlza-
ton under Louis XIV.