The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-20
FOR MILLI0NAIRES ONLY.
A CLUE TO WHICH IT MAY BE DIFF
FICULT TO GAIN ADMISSION.

Unsuitable Socicty-A New Club House on
Magnificent scale Costly Frescoing.
Having learned that several of the
weathiest men of the city had established or
proposed to establish new social organization,
a SuN reporter called last evening upon we'll
known capitalist and asked him about 1t. The
gentleman was quite ready to impart the de-
sired Information.
ain a primitive community" he said, q" the
broad distinction between wealth and poverty
answers all practical purposes In tho poor
mans grammar the adjective rich is sufficiently
imposing, and he rarely goes beyond to the com
paratyely richer and the supcrlatiye richest. But
when a community has arrived at the metropol-
itan stage Of development and when fortunes,
moderate large, and colossal, have come to rep
resent the Accommodations Of productive labor,
the comparison Of the adjective becomes a Sc
rous matter. The simple idea ucdUh has I'M
dergone differentiation, as Herbert Spencer
would say. Many degrees have to be recog-
nized from the mere positive to the superla-
tive, II, indeed, the supcrlatve be ever reached.
Phius,' said a Latin author, writing Of Rome
In Its most prosperous DAYS, Is not so rich as
Iallus In'lius IL not so rich az Scipio Scpo II
not SO rich as Crnssus, and Crmssus is not so
riCh-as no wants to be-
" And you think that New York has arrived at
that stage where the distinction between the
quite rich or merely rich and the very rich ought
to be more. clearly defined ~ -,
Precisely. SIR; precisely They call me rich
man, they call Stewart n rich man, and at the
same time they peak Of forty or nifty thousand
others ns ri"h men why, there Is the gentle
rich man. Nine hundred and ninety-nnc out
of thousand would call him rich man. Now,
he Is very industrious and enterprising fellow.
and Is building up quite business in imports
but, you can take my word for 1t, over and
above liabilities he can't call more than three
"Ihi- popular misapprehension must be ex-
cecdugy CALLING to the truly rich p
II Is. sir. And II Is still more CALLING for us
to be obliged to sit in tho company Of men
whose lack Of property renders them unsuitable
associates; to recognize socially men who could
count their millions upon the fingers Of one
hand. II will, Of course, be necessary for ny t.
meet such people in business way We shall
still have to sell them goods and receive their
deposits and invest ments But socially we pro-
pose to have circle OF our own"
THE MILLION CLUB.
How will YOU accomplish ~"
"By means of the new Million club. An or
canization In which the only qualification for
membership will be the proved possession of ten
millions Of unlncumbcred property representing
an annual Income OF one million dollars. This
requirement will keep out the rabble, the small
millionaircs the rag, tag, and bObail of wealth.
"Wil not such an organization be In fact
pluiocmcy, and dangerous to the continuance
Perhaps so, viewed from a Fouhcrlstic and
Communists standpoint. Perhaps not entirely
In accord with the absurd notions ~ equality
which prevailed In the earlier days Of the Re
public, when social distinctions were almost en-
tiftlN unknNMn. Btlt WnN tnoklu tnpSe Ola inc
orizers lay down the law for us and our timcsf
Why, sir could buy and sell the whole crew
that signed the Declaration Of Independence.
"Will the club be purely social In its ohiectsY'
"Well sir don't know rs am at liberty to
enlarge on that phase Of the question. II we
right we earned In earning our millions. II we
choose 70 bring about an oligarchy of wealth, 1t
will only he the outcome OF our own merits
Anybody In this free country can be a ten-mil-
lionairc who has brains enough to make or in
herit ten millions. Unfortunately. the law takes
IN al IL IA = IN q
privilege Of great wealth to make laws for IL
what nrst suggested the idea OF Million
Club"
About a century ago there was similar or
ganzation in London. The bankcr-dramatist,
Prince H1are was prominent member Inc
qualification for membership was the possession
OF the now Insignificant sum Of fln1OO0
plum as Il was called In the financial slang of
the time. For many year have been in CORE
spOndencc with gentleman of Philadelphia on
the subject Of reylNing the excellent idea. This
gentleman who, 10y The way, unites the most
aristocratic OF tastes and a tendcrly human
genius which has made him the chosen poet of
common people, strongly urges that the time
has come FOR The millionarcs OF America TO take
socia ions which must always be unpleasant"
or,Miaay l Ak II you refer to g. Washington
~ refer to gentleman who Is both immense
" wealthy and immensely gifted. Money, or
Moneta, according 70 Hygimes was the mother
Of the MUSES.. My Philadelphia correspondent Is
one Of the few men who, ia wOoing the daughter
have won the mother. cannot be more def
=" who are to be the members Of the Million
project Is IA yet immature and have no an-
thOrty to commit Others than myself To II. So
lar az am concerned inc Milton Gun shall
have my hearty cooperation. Good evening,
sir
MEMBERS ACTIVE AND HONORARY
From another source the reporter learned that
the gentlemen residing ia this city, who have
been able to qualify for membership bv proving
an Income OF slOcI,OOo IA year are Included IN
the following list Mr. Alexander T. Stewart
the Vanderbilts, father and son; X, l., and A.
Stuart, the sugar men; the two Astors, John
Jacob and William ; Mr.. Jacob Gold, commonly
nett, Of the Herald MIR. George Jones, Of the
Times; Mr. Edward s. JaHray, and Mr II. Il.
Clalin.
Besides these gentlemen It is understood that
admission Mr Peter GoeIet the Ron August
Belmont Mr.. James Brown, and Mr. Eugene
Robinson, who has recently earned a right to
membership 10y his tpeculattons IN Lake shore
bershp, and II the huh movement in Vanderbilt
STOCKS should continue short time longer he
will probably he able TO qualify, The belmont;
Coz should Of course be included ia the list, and
there are number of Others.
None but residents Of New York he fun
members, hut any American citizen, otherwise
able To qualify, may become an honorary mem
Der, with all the privileges OF the club, though
without being eligible to Office. Among the
honorary members, actual or possible are Mr.
George Washington Chids, A. NJ, the eminent
Senators from Nevada, Acssrs. Sharon and
Jones each Of the members Of the great mining
Arm OF san Francisco, Flood, Oliren 90;
MIR; winans OF Baltimore, and Judge Asa Packer
Of Pennsylvania
The club will have no constitution, II being
reasonably urged that to bind men whose checks
are good for Sl0,0OO,OOO with petty articles and
bylaws would he in the highest degree absurd.
The President Of the organization will always
De that member who can prove the largest in
come, the Vice President he who has the second
largest &c. The choice for President will no
doubt lie among three members, Mr.. Stewart,
Commodore Vanderbilt, and John Jacob Aston
Il II thought that Mr. stewart will prove the
successful competitor. since Commodore Van
derbilt has somewhat crippled his estate recently
by the gift Of SS.O00U0 to his son william H.
Al present, however, each of the trio evinces
marked reluctance to submit his balance book
TO the Inspection of the Others,
COSTLY INSIGNIA.
Every member of the club will he expected to
distinguish himself from lesser millionaires and
the public generally by means OF proper nsig-
MIA. The decoration of the order is to consist ef
diamond badge, In the shape of a =, contain
ing as many brilliants as the Wearer has millions,
and worn over the breast pocket ON the left
side. This badge will always entito the bearer
to admission to the floor of Congress, to free
passage on any Of Mr.. BENEFITS four-horse
coaches, to entrance within the police lines at
all fires, and 10 a seat Ia any horse car, however
crowded.