The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-09-25
FAILURE OF Av. WHITE.

The fnilure Of Mr.. &. Y. White, OF brookiyn'
does not appear to have excited the sympathy
In his behalf which. under ordinary circu"'
stances. the failure OF a man 80 well Known
and 40 highly distinguished for the integrity
of his dealings would have certainly aso"seo
No one familiar with his career or informeu
a. to the general spirit which has controneo
his life would deny that be Is entitled TO re-
spect or ia surprised that he has long enjoyed
high degree of popularity in the community
in which be resides. Why. then. should tue
announcement Of his bankruptcy have called
forth 80 few expressions Of commiseration TOT
the fate which has overtsken him.
The EXPLANATION is not far TO seek. IL IS
simply this: He failed in consequence oil MS
trying TO manipulate the cost of ono OF the
priue necesssries Of life. His aim WAS to cor
ner one Of the principal articles of food. and
thus to raise its price, which would have
insured an enormous addition to his own for
tune A. the expense Of millions OF human
beings. TO whom the increase in the expense
Of living which would have followed the
success of his scheme would have been
very serious burden.
Mr. White was already In the possession OF
several millions Of dollars which he acquired
by dint Of sound judgment and OF long ex-
perience in tho business which be pursued.
But he was not content with this large for
tune. On the contrary, when the stock mar
fet sank into a state Of inanition he deiib-
erately turned to grain. and with an infatus-
ton which has proved mos. disastrous he
strove 10 increase his princely estate by max
ing life distinctly harder for the toiling mil
lions who already have imposed on them as
much as they can bear.
This case of Mr. White really presents
curious moral phenomenon which cannot be
studied without feeling of profound per-
ple1ity and surprise. Human nature is full
of contradictions; daily life furnishes thou
sand instances but here is an instance among
ten thousand. If Mr. White had been per
sonally reproached for having laid we'll
considered plan to openly rob his feilov-men
Of their earnings by compelling them to pay
more for the necessaries Of life he would no
doubt have expressed himself in terms of
mingled scorn and indignation aud resented
the imputation as an extreme insult
Such charge both he and his friends
would have looked upon as utterly incon-
sistent with the whole tenor of his career and
the spirit Of his daily lifo. Was be not an
honorable man. exact in his dealings with his
fellows, Just, honest and upright robbing no
man and permitting no man TO rob him And
yet Mr. White calmly went TO work. formed
his plans with as much skill as he could com
mand and deliberately and quietly waited for
their contamination.
Under the circumstances. IS they turned
ont, the only man who was very seriously in
jured was Mr.. White hiToself. but this vas
by force of mere chance which he did not
foresee and which he could not control. If
Mr. White could have had his own way a
very large proportion of the people of the
United States. and the very proportion which
could most lily bear ii, would have been
strsitened in their ability TO purchase what
is acknowledged to be the very staff of life.
In other words. he sought TO make himself
richer than lie already was at the expense Of
the tears and suiYerings Of several millions of
human beings.
In the light Of this fact. it is not surprising
that his failure has not been materially sof-
tened 10y the sympathy of the thousands who
have known and admired him.