The Osceola times., 1883-08-11
ASTOR AND BELMONT.
The Fall Of Two Young Millionaire Poll
ticians.


New York Letter in Chicago Herald.
lam compelled to record the ruin of
two young millionaire politicians-Wil-
liam Wallace Astor and Perry Belmont.
They went into politics on the English
idea that aristocrats can appropriately
play at ruling the common people. As
tor went to Albany rs Republican as
semblyman, and ruined his chances of
reelection by voting submissively with
the jobbers. Then he struck out for
congress, and his famous personal can
yass" ensued. He made the round of
all the saloons in his district, treating
the loungers in each place and taking no
change from $40 gold piece; he attend
ed a political associations ball and
danced with its belle, who happened to
be girl from tobacco factory; he
shook hands effusively with workingmen
in their places OF employment, and all
this with such palpable feeling of con-
descension that he gave ofiense instead
of gaining favor. Moreover, that course
damaged him immensely with his veal
thy and fashionable neighbors, who read
copious reports of his previous days
doings in their morning journals, and
were disguised by his syncophancy He
made the most strenuous efforts to cir
cumvent the reporters, but their carria-
gcs usually kept up with his own. He
was defeated overwhelmingly in dis.
trict nominally Republican. President
Arthur, looking forward to social soidity
here after his services in Washington
are over appointed him minister to Italy
and all the world knows what fool he
has made of himself in Rome.
Well, about Belmont He went in
politics as Democrat, choosing | ona
Island district in which he could claim a
residence by ostensibly living on his
daddy's stock farm. He was elected to
congress under the guidance of ex-Edi-
tor Hurlbert. of The World, and got
along without serious mishap in Wash
ington. But at home his prospects have
all gone to the dogs. John Devoy, edi.
tor of the Irish Nation, reeklesslv ard
uniustly assailed old man August Bel
mont for having diverted some Feniau
fund money into British hands. and the
millionaire prosecuted him into the pen
itentiary, where he is now serving six
months sentence. What's the conse.
quence? Every Irishman is down on the
~, 4 Il L., IL e.. 1
The handwriting is so distinct on the
wall that, when the local Democratic
leader were lately invited t. a grand
dinner in his honor, so many of them
declined that the project was abandoned
Politics will not much longer be play
thing for Perry.
So are ended the political careers of an
Astor and a Belmont They have de-
monstrated that money will not buy favor
with the American people. 1t takes
brains. Often the menial requisite is
unfortunately allied to dishonesty or
meanness, but that is better than to Let
moneved mediocrity win.
But it is too hol here to discuss poll
tics. The city was almost empty on the
Fourth of July. Some thousands and
went to Long Branch. There | came
across ex-President Grant. Everybody
addresses him as general, which would
seem that his military glory surpasses
his civic glory in popular estimation.
He sat and chatted on the veranda OF
George w. Childs' cottage. He doesn't
know vet for certain whether he will
come down for the summer There
came along a most remarkable double
decked, red and yellow and blue wagon,
gorgeous enough for Vermont peddler
and odd enough for a circus street pro-
cession. 1t was built for green grocer,
who loads it every morning and sends it
on the rounds among the cottages. That
started Grant on his experience rs a
Long Branch householder.