Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-05-09
v~ndsrbllt's Poverty Of RionesI

The public journals are embellished
now and then with reports iu advance
OF hundred thousand dollar ball to be
given by Mr.. William IL. Vanderbilt,
and detailed account Of the gorgeous
occasion is furnished the newspapers
aftNr the fact. Indeed, public notice in
advance of the cost of the Vanderbilt
! balls, with details of the price Of flowers,
of the caterers bills, of the dresses to be
worn, etc., are as-much q part Of the
Vanderbilt balls as the balls themselves;
and the rather intelligent public that
Mr.. Vanderbilt sometimes hastily con-
signs to damnation, is not in any degree
misled by the sorry spectacle Of q man
who possesses only great riches. trying
to buy social esteem-about the only
commodity that is never in the market.
The Vanderbilt balls come along as reg
ularly as do seasons, but the same med
ley of speculators, politicians, shoddyites
and social strugglers come and go all the
time.
It must be evident to a sensible, prac-
tical business man like Mr.. Vanderbilt,
that no measure Of extravagant expend-
iture in flowers, suppers, silks, satins
and diamonds, will make the New ORR
social public regard him as any other
than William H. Vanderbilt, the son OF
his father, with much clustering about
the family name and fortune that it
would be generously charitable to forget.
He knows how to buy or wreck rail-
road. and how 10 draw the ribbons on
the fastest horsee, and how to compel
Wall street to pay homage to his finan-
cial power; but he car neither drive nor
lead that often obstinate and ever capri
cious element Of humanity that assumes
TO be the society Of the period. 1t will
smile or frown at will, and even the
wealth OF o Vanderbilt knocks at its
doors, clad in all the trappings of the
old and the new world, without respon-
sive welcome.
Mr.. Vanderbilt is the richest private
citizen Of any nation in the world. His
millions, and he has houses and lands
and railways and horses and paintings
and statuary and fine raiment until they
must pail upon his taste; but what good!
He will die just rs other men die, and
who will keep bis memory green? We
have yet 10 hear of church, school, a
library or charity that owes its exist
ence to his generosity, and the poor and
friendless do not lisp his name with the
gratitude that cheers the benefactor.
Hard by his grand palace is the unfin-
ished cathedral, that If completed by the
Donation Of half Of his legitimate income
1or twelvemonth, would be perpetual
monument Of the usefulness Of his life,
and il would stand as faithful sentinel
against tho mob that sometimes turns to
destruction in the fruitiess hunt for
bread. There are o thousand channels
in which the rapidly accumulating wealth
Of Vanderbilt could be made to pay a
much larger and better interest to its
owner. 1t would not be in added mil
liens to the already unneeded millions Of
the richest citizen Of the world; but it
would brighten the evening Of his life
with consolation and gather about him
the only sincerity he can find to bless
his name while living and embalm II in
grateful memories when dead. Mr..
Vanderbilt can well afford his hundred
thousand dollar balls to crafty the love
Of display that usurps the better social
attainments of life, as that would be
wasting not more than three days in.
come; but II he would make the shadows
Of the gathering night resplendeut with
golden lining, let him make the world
better and happier because Of his exist
ence. and leave at least some few Of the
posr And friendless to keep his memory
green, when those who revel in his
shoddy gifts shall have speeded his de-
parture into forgetfulness.