Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-02-19
HunsrInrs Of ,hn Rioh

SNSSeN'
suTeTings of the Rich.
New York WOrld.l
+" Your newspapers make a great
FUSS" said one Of the wealthiest
men in New York to a World re-
porter, "about the sufferings of the
poor man during these hard times,
but | don't see that any of them
notice particularly the diabolical
stress Of the rich man."
The reporter wasn't aware that
the rich man suffered at all.
"Thst," said the man of wealth,
"is because you don't know any
thing about it. Why, sir / under.
60 more actual, absolute torture in
an hour than any poor wretch in
this city. If | hadn't cent in the
world, I'd have some sympathy,
some rest, some assistance. AS it
is, Pm bounded to death. Pm de-
spised, beset, annoyed, condemned,
backbitten, waylaid. The papers
write editorials about me. Ii | go
to church / am told that a camel
can get through the eye of a needle
slicker than | can get into heaven.
If | don't dress my family in an
extravagant manner, | hear that /
am an old skinfit; if | do, l am
told that all | think of my money is
to make a vulgar show with it. l
suppose | worked as hard as any
man for more than two.thirds Of
my life to accumulate a fortune,
but | believe most people think |
ought to give it away and COM
mence over again. In winter like
this you've no idea of the hardships
of the rich. If | help all the peo-
pie who apply to me, | might as
we'll go to the poor-house, and yet
all Of them expect it, and most of
them, | dare say, are worthy, It's
out Of the question. So they curse
me, | suppose. All the benevo-
lent societies, charities, public
institutions and church organiza-
tions have their agents out. am
waited upon by committees, run
ners, clergymen, secretaries. They
send me half D hushel of letters a
day. They drop upon me In the
most unexpected places. They get
into my private Office. They wait
in my library before | am up. They
sit or my front steps. They follow
me into the horse cars. What is a
manpto do9 If | let them have
their way my name will be paraded
as if | wanted to advertise my
charities. II | don't the press will
want TO know what he has eyer
done for New York? The other
day a reporter came to me about
my will. He said the public would
like to be informed as to the pro-
posed disposition of my property,
at my decease. ! suppose if / were
to get cold in my head, there'd be a
brigade Of them quartered under
my windows. | begin to feel that
a rich man is a disgrace to the COM
munity that somehow ! have
committed a crime. Idon't like to
look a man square in the face for
fear his hatred Of me will show
itself, or he will stop and ask me to
lend him $1,000 to get his starving
family some food to eat. l tell you,
sir, this winter is awful on the rich
man, He doesn't even eat his din
ner in peace. HoW can he when
there are 10000 who are dinner
less! His money gets to be re.
proach to him, and he feels as if
he'd like to give the whole Of it
away in one lump and try the lug
ury Of being poor for awhile. But
you needn't say anything about
that or Pll have 2 fresh battalion
here to-hlaryow, and half the idlers
in town will be writing me letters.
In feet, | wouldn't say anything
about it, if I we're you, but it's a
fact the rich man suffers in q hard
winter a good deal more than tho
poor man. You take my word for
it. And the poor don't pity him q
bit.'