New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-08
TIE RICH NAN'S FCNERAL.

Mr. Vanderbilt was buried yesterday, after n
plain and transformations fashion, quite worthy
of the thoroughly practical man. The mer-
chant prince is title which the world has
reverentially bestowed upon the creator of an
immense fortune, but considering what mer-
chants are, and what princes have usually
been, we do not regard the combination as a
happy one. At any rate, the rich old man was
carried to his last resting place without
pOmp or parade, and with only those Observ-
ances which his simplicity of character natu-
rally suggested All was done decently and
in order; those were present who had good
reason for being there; and as Mr. Vanderbilt
was not in the strict sense of the words, q
public man, there was no occasion for large
representation and official attendance. The
funeral was not absolutely public nor yet
entirely private, the medium being judiciOusly
attained which the circumstances called for.
When an uncOmmOnly Opulent man dies, the
world improves the opportunity to air few
stock maxims of rather musty morality. We
are reminded that as the deceased brought
nothing into the world so he can take nothing
out of it, but goes as he came, naked. The
pauper shrugs his shoulders cOmplacently as
richer than he is to-day" and those who
should know better drily comment in the same
way. But when we come to consider the matter
closely, there is really no reason why the same
philosophy should not be applied to any death,
whether of the rich or the poor, the iustrious or
the ignoble, the learned or the ignorant.
The greatest possible wealth is in life itself,
and death is browning act of insolvency
which is the common lot of all. Very few
people care to take their departure, whatever
their circumstances Why should the death of
great capitalist set us to pressing more than
the death of great general, or scholar, or
statesman What are the monuments which
these leave behind them to themselves, more
than his achievements to q dead millionaire :
Compared with the higher life into which
those whom we call the dead enter, what is
anything which anybody devses to the world
If we are to set down all terrestrial achieve
mcnt as absolutely worthless, the next step
logically must be the abandonment of all
mortal enterprise and human production,
and final dissolution of society itself Besides,
it must be admitted that the consistency is
not very evident between our universally ac-
cepted principles of economy, the real value
which we put upon wealth, and the contempt
which we are apt to express for it whom u
rich man dies. 1t would be easy for any one
to pass through life as poor as he is when
passing through the gates of death; it is not
difficult to be thrftless and careless and i'm
proyident; yet this is not the course to which
the wise exhort us, nor is anybody in the least
the more respected because he despises money.
The question respecting the distinguished per-
son who was buried yesterday is not whether
he took his wealth with him, for we know
very well that he did not; but whether the
wealth which he left behind him will add to
the worlds best resources, and consequently
to the worlds happinessY
In this case, fortunately, the problem Is an
easy one. II commerce be honorable, if the