The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-10-24
LAsTlMs CLASS LINES.
Why It Is that Enriched Foreigners
Choose to Stay In This Country.

Why It Is that Enriched Foreigner,
Choose to Stay In This Country.
It has often been wondered why
foreigners, and especially Germans
who have become very wealthy in
this country, so seldom return tc
their own country and their own
kindred to live out their remaining
days. They are through making
money and all they now have to do
is to enjoy themselves. The reason
they do not return to their native
land is plain, after it has once been
explained.
The whole question is solved in
the fact that wealth will not lift a
butcher boys son even to the social
status of mechanic. There are
probably few places in the United
States where better information can
be had on this point than in st.
Louis, and lobe-Democrat rep
resentatiye was entertained for a
couple of hours the other day on it
by a party of wealthy Germans.
Said one of them:
"An American who has made
money, no matter what his parents
did for a living, can 60 to Germany
or any other foreign country, and
acquire befitting social rank. But
take a German, an Engiishman, an
Irishman, a Frenchman or an Ital-
ian, and wealth made in this coun-
try will not give him social position
above that of his father or grand
father before him. The lines are
closely drawn, and they are drawn
for good and keeps"
The speaker was asked if he could
cite any certain case of this kind,
and he replied by giving the name
of a lady, one of wealth, refinement
and intelligence, who could be re-
ceived in any class of society and
who would be regarded as an orna-
ment to society here. The name is,
of course, withheld.
"Mrs.-would, l know, like
very much to live most of her time
in the part of Germany where she
was born and raised, among her
relatives, but she cannot do so with
any degree of enjoyment. She tried
it once and had enough of it in a
very short time. Here she is re-
ceived in the best of society and is
regarded as the equal of any. Over
there she is plain Mrs., the
daughter of a kings forester, and
all her wealth could not raise her
to the notice or social status of a
mechanics wife. The Kings for
ester is an individual who wears a
uniform and a three-cornered hat
and carries a long staff, and bows
and scrapes to everybody. He is
not on social equality even with the
butcher, and in her native country
Mrs. must remain his daugh-
ter socially, and be bound by his
social status, as long as she lives.
Education, refinement, intelligence,
wealth-all 90 for nothing. This,
of course would not suit her, and
for aught there is in the Fatherland
of interest to her, she might as we'll
be formally exiled."
The conversation here became
very general and the comments were
free and to the point, emphasizing
the unbearableness of this condi-
tion of affairs.
"The point is just here" said one:
"We love the Fatherland. We
would enjoy living with our kind
red and giving them some of the
benefit of our success in this coun-
try. But we have enjoyed free
America and its business and social
advantages and encouragements
too long to submit to such restric-
tions. For instance, my father was
a small farmer and gardener and /
have near relatives who are still in
the same line. If I could give them
more Importance in this vocation
even and lift them up to the equal
of their acquaintance regardless
of business lines, I would very
gladly do SO, and l would enjoy
living among them a good portion
of the time, but ! might as we'll try
to dry up the Mississippi river with
a sponge as to make an effort in
that direction. You can readily
see that under such circumstances
there is no pleasure for me even in
a visit, and, might say, none for
them either. / have money and
can afford to enjoy life, but | can
not have social intercourse above a
gardener. They are poor, work
from morning to night, and wear
wooden shoes, and in their limited
sphere could not enjoy my money
if / was to heap it on them. 1t is
q good deal like one man having
and another none. The one
who has not cannot respond to the
others social expenditures, and by
and by they become distasteful to
him. It is the same way at the
theatre. / might take my old Ger
man aunt to the theatre, but / would
have to take seats where the social