Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-03-23
The Aristoeraey OF All.

this Centennial year OF the Republic
the theory OF democracy is we'll
enough; but after all the real prog
ress is the result of class distinctions
and privileges. Culture implies spare
time and abundant means; in
other words, an aristocracy OF some
sort, which must be supported by the
labors OF others. Only by the ex-
emption of some fro n self-support
is it possible for civilization to exist,
much less To advance"
The assumption it cannot be
called an Arguments plausible. but
will not bear examination. Ho vever
much the civilization of the past
anay have rested upon systems OF
privileged classes. the civilization OF
to-day rests upon and is carried for
ward by the working masses; not
slavish toilers. kept down by class re-
strictions, as OF old, but freemen,w who
use their brains rs well as their
hands, and know that all things are
possible 10 Intelligence and thrift.
1t is by those who personally earn
the right to leisure time, very fire.
quently in the process of earning it,
that the great steps Of human prog
ress are taken. AS Higginson clever
ly remarks, history is not written by
the privileges OF the rich, nor, we
would add by the privileges OF the
high born, but by the progress OF the
manly. privilege travelled in is
carriage. with IL clumsiness, twenty
miles day; but when the people
wished To go, steeds swifter than the
wind were harnessed, and long lines
OF steel stretched far away that they
may go in speed in safety. Privilege
could only send its messages by fire
on hill-tops. and thus communicate
slowly joy or grief; but for the mes
sageS OF the people the flames were
condensed into one spark. and sent
across continents and under oceans.
Everywhere we find the failure of
privilege, the success OF the whole.
An aristocracy OF all L want, where
the humblest child may come from
his cradle into grand and glorious
career
This is the ideal that was aimed at
by those whose actions we commem-
crate in the Centennial year. Its
practical achievement may he cele-
braied a hundred years from now.
The aristocracy of birth-hereditary
rank, we mean, not inherited virtue,
Intelligence aud personal power
is done with. Its place has been
usurped by whatHig yinson styles the
aristocracy OF the dollar. In the
struggle for position, wealth leads,
for it has the advantage OF power.
To acquire wealth requires in the
main the possession OF force, albeit
rude and pushing. To keep wealth
requires, even more imperativcly,
personal ability. $50 the aristocra-
cy of the dollar is as foam on the
waves OF p-ogre 50, bright, ,evanescent.
changeable as the wave itself. Ii
represents actual power, not past
possessions like hereditary aristoc-
racy."
But inability to hold is not n COM
mon Inheritance. Nature is averse
to hereditary rank, and titled fami-
lies soon run ont unless sustained by
pie ian blooi; anl still more heavily
weighted i'm the race for life is hered
itary wealth. The aristocracy OF
birth is OF the past. The aristocracy
of wealth rules to-day. But it, too,
is doomed. Their is but one stable
aristocracy possible. and that is the
aristocracy of all, based on common
freedom, common virtue, universal
intelligence and universal labor The
doors shall inherit the ca tn. Scien-
Gfc american.