Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-12-11
RICH PEOPLE.

VAS, intimates that this country Is go
ing to everlasting smash and demnition
on account Of the vast accumulation OF
wealth in the hands of few New York
millionaires. Ii repeats with fire.
quency Indicative of alarm the colossal
wealth Of VANDERBILT GOULD and
other stock waterers and stock gam
her. This is well enough. TIE peo-
pie are entitled to the information, and
the World is to be commended for furn-
:shing il, and If it secures monopoly
of that branch of New York journalism
we shall not complain. What We OBJ
ect to is the lugubrioUs wsy the World
has of treating the subject, as for ill.,
star &c the following:
Tie decline of ancient Rome COM
meme ed when the desire for large
wealth became the overmastering pas
sion Of the upper classes. Constant
c,ruuests had caused vast booty to
flow into the capital. New vices had
been imported from Greece and Asia,in
which everyone longed to indulge. The
sudden fortunes that had been made
during the war created sort OF disgust
'Or the honorable but slow accumula-
;i,n of money by legitimate trades and
cati!ngs. aud excited - craving for swift
aud Sudden riches. Where hundreds
would once have suiliced, millions
were coveted. The simplicity and mo.
rally of former times were forgotten.
PrOdigality and vice took their
place. Aristocracy pushed democracy
aside. Effemnacy and profigscy de.
siroyed manly virtues. Honor and
honesty, bouh in public and private life,
were overlooked, and men resorted to
the most desperate and diShonOrable de-
vices to secure the wealth for which
i!.cy hungered. Does not history read
= .cssOn TO the people Of the United
states: Is not the craze OF accumula-
len tie evil most to be dreaded at this
,iue: Does it not spring from the de-
lire for Indulgence in luXuries and vices
imported from abroad? Is it not sharp
en6d by the example Of the sudden for
tunes made during the war, by the eX-
travsgance that marks the adminIstra-
ton of the National Government, and
10y the facilities offered by the laws TO
fraud aud rascality?
The World, in referring to Rome,
commits an egregiOus blunder in so far
as it essays to run a parallel between
the United States and the City of the
Caesars; in that it refers to the upper
classes" There are no upper classes,
in Roman sense, in the United States.
VANDERBILT, with his 500, 600, is
of no more consequence than the man
who attends TO the parlors of the Maud
5. Both are citizens, both equal before
the law; one has as high title as the
other, and it is quite within the range
of possibility, not 10 say probability,
that the man who looks after the tenn
reIature, respiration and digestion OF
the man of extraordinary talent is bet
ter informed and more of a gentleman
than his employer. VANDERBILT has
money, ana that is about all that can
he said about him. His father, in his
youth, navigated mud scOw, and his
son, in his advanced years, having an
abundance of cash, has taken the race
horse craze, aud is making himself
ridiculous generally.
When he opens his mouth in public
he makes fool of himself, and earns
the contempt OF the pOpulace. His in
Iluence begins and ends with his money
and there are hundred thousand men
in New York whose influence is vastly
superior 10 VANDERRUT'S. He has
what he can buy, and without his
money would never be heard of. Now
and then such men as VANDERBILT
and GOULD use their money for base
purposes, but they will never be able to
jOste the integrity of the masses or de-
iisct by the thOusandth fraction OF
hairs breadth the purposes of the
Anne ricau people. The people of the
United States are rapidly growing ia
wealth, in most cases legitimately.
! Every man who works is striving to
better his condition. Some will in
crease their fortunes more rapidly than
! Others. The condition is Inevitable,
hence croaking is not in order. Rome
does not illustrate the situation. There
are, venal officials eorrupting in their
influence, but the world should know
that the people are indig-
nant, and have resolved TO
turn the rascals out" The people are
declaring that the Republican party
must go'-go with its monopolies; go
with its HUBBEIIS and DoRSEYs; 60
with its rings and rascals; go with its
frauds and forgeries, and go, too. in
J spite of its money. There will still be
men who will wreck banks and other
institutions, men who will water stocks
and engage in bucket-shop gambling.
but they will not be able to debauch our
civilization or arrest the grand march
I of the republic. The Democratic party
is coming into power. There is TO he a
reign Of integrity and economy. The
paths will be sought aud found; officials
will be held to strict accountability, and
our esteemed contemporary will then,
| We hoTc, be happy.