The Placer herald., 1874-06-20
DEMOCRACY AND LIBERAL1TY.

DEMOCKACl AND LlBEKALII1.
From the standpoint of disinterested OBJ
server, the munifcence Of JAS. Lick seems
to approach very near the ideal phanthro-
phists, whose acts are only vivi6ed in the
imagination This is the first instance on
record where man has actually decided
away the accumulated wealth of long and
useful life, to be devoted to charity, science,
and patriotism, before he crosses the river OF
death to dwell in the bill of eternal green
beyond Mr.. Lick possessed the qualities
to gather this immense fortune, and we say
that there is none as competent to dispose
Of it as be is himself The magnanimity Of
soul, and the kindred feelings that prompted
him to make this distribution of the millions
of dollars, should be extolled by every true
American, whether foreign or manor born.
Notwithstanding the latitude allowed to
seekers after the filthy lucre by certain re-
ligionists, who would count all things to the
credit of the successful montebnnk, who
surrenders to the church all his ill-gotten
gains for absolution in the end, has seen fit
to brand Mr. Lick with opprobrious names;
these allconquering heroes of the cross take
especial interest in those about to die, who
have large estates.
All foreigners, who study the lives of the
citizens of the United States, are struck
with the difference in the species of liber-
aty between their wealthy counrymen and
ours. 1t is a difference which has its ex-
planation in the difference between an aris-
tocracy and democracy In an oristocratic
society, rising man aspires to found a
family in democratic, public institution.
In Europe, wealth means ability to purchase
broad acres, and to win influence in the
country. In America, the owning of land
is no distinction, there being such an abund-
ance of it, and the descent of estates, with
out division, to posteriiy, is prevented by
the abolition of entail. Even in the few
instances of successful perpetuation of wealth
in families which are found in American
history, no distinction has been gained by
the fact of that success. John Jacob Asior
is better known as the founder Of public
library, in New York, than as the founder
of rich family. The ests sblishment OF
public baths, in San Francisco. by James
Lick, will perpetuate bis memory in TIE
minds of more, and endure longer, than if
he had established lordship on the Pacific
Who are they, in the interior of this coast,
who would not visit, and behold with graft
tude the gifts of the generous donor? The
merely rich man, in the United States, is a
person of no account whatever. He has,
of course, certain amount of power, but
any respect he enjoys is according to his
personal qualities, and TIE use he makes of
bis means. In this munihcence of Mr..
Lick, he does not stand alone. He takes
rank with other Americans, like Peabody
Cooper, Drew, Vanderbilt, Hopkins, and
many others, who have made our county
ilustrious.
Democracy is building up, by its silent
but mastery forces, type of rich men, not
to be found anywhere else in the world
They have breadth of vision, public spirit,
and recognize the obligations of wealth to
society, and if our institutions are not over
thrown by the unscrupulous party in power,
we have seen but the beg ming of the out
flow of this grand stream of American liber'
ality. Each generation will add to its force
and volume.