The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-06-03
The Feeling Toward Rich Men.

The Spectator, writing Of English million
aires. says that OF dislike to an individual
because he Is rich II sees no sign In Eng
land II finds no trace OF popular hostility
to the millionaires there, and no feeling, as
In America, that millionaire should do
something for the public" 1t Every much
doubts, indeed, ""if legacies to chapities ex-
citc any great respect " in England.
Neither is there any hostility here to. rich
men as such, and legacies TO charities are
not held In higher esteem in the,United States
than In England. People In this republic arc
generally disposed to watch with kindly in
terest a mans progress In wealth. and to
take degree OF pride and satisfaction in his
pecuniary success, especially when he makes
his own fortune as nearly everybody has to
do with us.
They like to see the growth OF business,
whether they are themselves Immediately
employed In II or are only outside observers
The stories OF the careers OF men who have
gone up from poverty to wealth have always
been popular reading In the United States
Young people are stimulated by their study
with hopes OF attaining like prosperity.
Therefore, instead OF regarding 1t with envy,
and being provoked to bitter hostility by
tho success Of the rich man, they take pleas
ure in contemplating his progress.
We do not remember case where public
man, for instance, has suffered in his politi-
cal prospects simply because he was rich.
Provided he had made his money squarely,
his wealth was not counted against him. and
did not raise up hostility to him anywhere.
No man forfeits the good will OF his neigh
bors by getting rich in legitimate way, nor
does his success engcnder among them feel
ings OF envy or hatred.
The growth of wealth In this country has
been enormous within the last twenty-five
ycars-so much 80 that before tho war We
were poor as compared with to-day. At
least the fortunes deemed great then were
insignificant in comparison with those OF this
time, and the number OF men who were then
esteemed wealthy was small. All except
very few of the rich men OF the present have
made their money since 1860. Before that
time the majority OF them were poor, and
their prospects Of winning fortunes were not
greater then than those Of thousands to-day.
The ranks OF wealth are all the time re-
cruited from poverty. new class OF rich
mon will come up during the next quarter of
II century, and it will be composed chiefly,
IL not almost entirely, of those who are now
struggling to make both ends meet. In
every department Of trade and manufacture
vigorous and cnterprising young men are
forging ahead not because they have capital
in money, but because they have capital in
brains and energy A man with n new idea
OF practical value, and who knows how to
use it, never had Il better chance than he has
now, and nowhere better than in New York.
Twenty years ago the retail merchants
who are doing to-day tho greatest trade in
New York were keeping little shops on the
Sixth avenue, and nobody dreamed OF the
possibility Of their supplantng the great
Broadway houses. Twenty years from now
just as Unforeseen changes are likely to occur.
Nobody can prophesy in whose hands the
in those OF very many who are now poor.
or course. under such circumstances there
must rather be n popular ambition to get
rich, and popular hope OF attaining the de-
sired end, than popular hatred of tho rich
or OF those who have already won the race so
many are running. II the father sees no
chance for himself, he yet may dream Of for
tune for his son, since he knows that nearly
every rich man in New York started where
that boy now is.
But the people are more than ever on their
guard to protect themselves against the
combinations OF rich men to despoil them OF
what belongs to them. They do not hate
rich men, but they know that wealth gives Il
power of aggression which needs to be kept
| in check