Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-07
Rich Mems RIGHTS.

are you getting now?" "Only my
board and Clothes" was the answer.
"Well, that is all get out OF all my
property and work. "reioined Mr. Aston.
Whether the visitor undertook to argue
Chat difference in the fneness
OF textile fabrics or whether he essayed to
explain that there is very natural pre-:
ference to be made between bone and
crust and the productions of $40, 900
chef is unrecorded. Itisprobsble. how
ever, that the young man went his way
profoundly impressed with the narrow
mindedness Of Mr.. AsTor, and we may be
sure that the latter worthy was Disguised
with the reckless demands and vain ina
einings of the youth OF his generation.
Indeed, it is very hard for the rich and
The poor to understand each other. 1t
has ever been so, and We see much old
truth restated in the philosophical remark
OF Mr.. EDWARD ATKINSON that "there
arc two things needed in these days !:
First, for rich men to find out how poor
men live, and second, for poor men to
know how rich men work.
Strange as it may appear, rich men
know more about the poor than the poor
about the rich. The literature on the
subject of poverty is ample, and exists
in prose and poetry, fiction and fact, his
tory and biography, in legislative re-
ports and statistical exhibits, and in the
profound observations Of henry GEORGE,
roLsToI and others.
"The short and simple annals of the
poor" have been very much heightened
end brosdened since GRAY wrote this
line, and from the woman stitching
In the Song Of the Shirt to the CLEANER
OF the ash-barrel and the rag -picker Of
fark alleys their SORROWS and sufferings
have been very pathetically described,
and they receive q world Of sympathy
and some charity.
But who sympathizes with million
aire? Who considers the weight OF his
cares the grievous burden of his re-
eponsibilities; the appalling tension
upon his nerves, and the general
unsatisfactoriness of his life? He can
have his meat, drink, and bed OF the
best, but his head lies uneasily while
the markets are jumping and prancing,
for he fears that from his fevered sleep
he may awake to poverty
CONDEMNED on penury's barren path to
roam,
Bcorn,d by the world and left without
home"
Callous as the world is inclined to be
with respect to rich mems rights, We
rarely think that GOULD, VANDERBILT,
AsroR, HUNTINGTON, and that set have any
troubles at all. All they get 10 what MIR.
As1os got. OF course, they have also
Che pleasures OF station, influence and
notoriety, and such personal comforts as
money can buy, but their minds are the
prey OF many cares their bodies are
no< unassailable by disease; oftentimes
their schemes 60 wrong, and it some
times happens that the newspaper para
grspher touches them on sore spots,
while ct all times they are liable to be-
come victims Of envious tongues.
II is "a singular fact that while thou
sands decry the wealthy these thousands
IRE all trying to achieve like wealth and
striving to enter q circle in which they
infect TO 500 no good. OF course their
iaa Il that when they have achieved
fortune they will make better use of it
man the men at whom they sneer, but
Il 10 observed that they rarely do.
Every man has imagined what he
would do il be were rich. This dreamy
hope begins as soon as a boy is large
enough to stand in front OF shop win
dow aud wish that he we're in possession
Of this. that, or the other toy in sight,
md please his fancy with the thought
Of what be would do were the coveted
articles his.
Generally speaking the acquisition of
property is so slow and ia the result of
such "hard KNOCKS" that the average
man when he has secured it has forgot
ten all about the pledges he made to
himself in his youth and feels no sort OF
obligation 70 give an exhibition of his
"public spirit" for the benefit Of those
who never aided him when he was poor !;
Who never smiled upon him when he
was rising, and never looked without
envy upon him after he became affiuent.
No doubtabout it-rich men have their
wrongs but nobody cares to sing
shem nobody would sing them without
being well paid. And it is doubtful if
this generation viii see political party
incorporate in it's platform q declaration
that the SORROWS of the poor rich men
shall DO respected.
One Of tho sweetest writer's that Viz
ginia ever produced was DIR. GEORGE w.
BAoBY. and one Of the bes. OF his works
(though too local in its references for
vide popularity was What 1 Did with
Ny Fifty Millions" In il he told "a
having occurred what he would do with
ssrest fortune should be ever become
the master Of it. Loving relatives
were cared for; old friends were stfec-
honstsly remembered deserving CHAIR.
Mes we're endowed; worthy young men
were advanced; fine old fellows broken
down by adversely were rescued,
good nevspsper-men were set up in
business on their own account, and
every 5ond ambition Of his youth was
g1ahdsd. All this was told with won.
dsrful wit The chances are that had