The morning call., 1891-12-24
a PAR ALEEL.

An interesting parallel may be drawn be-
tween the lives of two distinguished men
who died this week-Senator Plumb of Kan
sas and the Duke of Devonshire The two
careers curiously illustrate the different con-
ditions of life in this country and in En-
gland. Both ended their lives in the same
station. Plumb was member of the Senate
of the United States. Devonshire was a
member of the British House of Lords. But
the steps by which they reached their emf
nence varied widely in the two cases.
Plumb was the son of poor man, and
was taken from school to earn his living at
the printers case. He became an editor,
and SO found his way into the Kansas Leg
islature. When the War of the Rebellion
broke ont he enlisted, and rose without pat
ronage or help to be Colonel of a regiment
After the war he was chosen Senator of the
United States, and during the fifteen years
that he has served continuously in the Sem
ate bis abilities won him esteem and power
the control of one of the most important
committees in the body, that of Public
Lands, and a measure OF influence which
was remarkable, considering that he was
never able to make speech. The same
abilities enabled him to acquire affiuence
and to become the leader of the banking
community in Kansas, as well as one of
the principal mine-owners in Colorado. All
these triumphs were due to bis unaided in
teliect and his uns werving integrity.
William Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire,
was born in the purple. SIX Dukes before
him had borne the title which William and
Mary had conferred upon the great Wing
leader who had set James ii at defiance.
His father was never Duke; he took the title
on the death Of his grandfather-the sturdy
old Wing peer who deserved to have had
on his tom bstone the epitaph which the first
Duke of Devonshire wrote for his-"A hater
Of and hated by tyraDts." At q he was
elected a member of Parliament; at the
same age Plumb was working at the case.
Three years afterward he took his seat in
the House of Lords as Earl of Burlington,
and, on the death of his grandfather, as
sumed the title of Duke of Deyonshire. For
over half a century be has been one of the
hereditary lawmakers of England. He has
never had to stir hand to hold his position
or increase his wealth. His landed estates
have been increasing in value SO fast that
he has required the services of several
agents and stewards to collect his
rents, gather in his income and in
vest his surplus, Mr. Plumb lived
TO the END Oh his days In a
modest two-story house at Topeka. 1t is
not known that he ever INDUCED in the
luxury of country house. The Duke OF
Devonshire owned Chatsworth House-one
Of the most magnificent homes in England,
with a conservatory finer than the Queen
-Hardwicke Hall, Bolton Abbey, HaIker
Hall. Compton Place, Itsmore Castle, be-
sides Dey0nshire House in London. He
must have been embarrassed to know under
which of these royal roofs he would shelter
his head.
Senator Plumb left Eve children. who will
enter life with means enough to choose their
vocation. But they will be nobodies in the
crowd; If they want to make name they
Will have to fight for it as their father did.
The Duke Of Devonshire's eldest son is the
leader of the Whig- Liberal party in En-
gland, position which came to him by
virtue of his rank, and without any exhibit
ton of ability on his part. He had another
soma young man of great promise-who
was murdered a. Phoenix Park, Dublin. A
third son is In Parliament. A daughter
married the son of the Count of Ellesmere,
who is in the highest social circle in En-
gland. Whatever is good or desirable in
this world lies ready to their grasp. The
new Duke, who is known as Lord Harting-