The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-05
MONEY HAsNO CHARM
WALTER WELLMAN DECIDES NOT
TO BE A CAPITALIST.
He Arrives Mt This Sage Conclusion Aft
CT @ Voyage on Millionaire's Yacht.
An idaho Monte Cristo's Disappoint-
ing Experience in Washing ton Society.
Especial Correspondenco.l

Ing Experience In Washington Society.
| Especial Correspondenco.l
AT SEA, OFF LONG ISLAND, Sept. H.
l was trained practical printer, and
love the printing business; my voca-
ton is that of newspaper writer, and
| love that. Yet whenever l have been
asked what profession l would follow if
| could take my choice my reply has
| been, "a capitalist"
| To me it has always seemed, as /
doubt not it has to you, dear reader,
that an ideal existence would be possess
sion Of a big fortune, with no worry
about income save how to spend it, with
no demand on ones energies save pur-
suit of new plans for having fun.
But take it all back. do not want
to be a capitalist. will stick to the
newspaper business, working hard for
living, hacking my dull brain to please
both readers and managing editor, and
when fall back done for, worked out,
no longer able to satisfy public and en-
ployor-as it is said all writers fall back
sooner or later-I will take up the stick
and rule and set type. Anything but
being a capitalist.
This change of heart is due to O
knowledge which have recently ac-
quired of the capitalistic business.
have discovered that it is not what it Is
cracked up to be. / have studied an OBJ
ject lesson in capitalism till l have
become convinced it is q thing to
be Stunned as we would fly from the
nimble germ of cholera or the insidious
bacillus Of yellow fever. This object
lesson Is my host on board the gallant
yacht which is now steaming toward
New York harbor.
1t is not nice to sit down and gossip
about ones host-to use him as an OBJ
ject lesson-but in this instance DELHI
erately violate good taste in order to ac-
complish tho worthy purpose of con-
vincing hundreds Of thousands Of read
ers who are not capitalists, but who
yearn to be capitalists, that they will be
much better off if they remain what
they are.
Two or three years ago out in Idaho
was young miner. He worked with
his hands down in the bowels of tho
earth. welding pick or spade, some
times for others at 80 much per day,
sometimes for himself in claims located
by himself or partners. He was steady
and Industrious young man, and in
course Of time saved up $4,000 or
$4,000.
Another miner had claim for sale
and offered it to our hero. The latter,
whose name was De Lamar, examined the
mine with tho alertness and acuteness of
an expert. He concluded it was good
thing and offered $1,000 for it. But
this offer was not accepted. The owner
had hopes of getting bigger price from
Senator Jones, of Nevada, whose agent
was at that very moment inspecting the
property.
Senator Jones is one of the keenest
men in the world on mines, now that
Senator Hearst is dead. If no had gone
to Idaho himself he would have bought
this mine If 1t had cost him $500, 900.
But his agent was not enthusiastic, and
the best the senator would do was S1O,-
O00 Young De Lamar saw this 5000
and went it $4,000 better. and for Sl2,-
600 the mine became his
He know he had good thing, but his
widest dreams had never pictured the
reality. In three months the promising
minc-the west is full Of promising
mines-had been developed into one Of
of thousands 1t was worth millions.
All good things come to New York for
market. De Lamar brought his mine
to Gotham, but was induced to go on To
London. New York has silver, but
London has gold," said Tom Oohiltree.
to whom the young Idaho miner had
been introduced. London Is the place
to finance big thing. Over there mil
lions lie idle yearning for investment"
So De Lamar. and Ochiltree went on to
London. The latter had entree over
thore. He knew clubmen, lords, mil
lionaires galore. He was popular with
them because his stories had made them
laugh. They had confidence in him
because he was trusted by John Mackay,
although perhaps they didn't know that
Mackay paid Ochiltree SIS, 1000 year to
entertain him-$5, 900 year to be
millionaires court clown. De Lamar
knew this, but he didn't care. "Tom is
a good clown and earns his money, and
he is q square man and can get in with
those rich nobs ON the other side, and
that's all want"
They did got in with the nobs on the
other side. They talked mine to them.
Experts were sent all the way to Idaho.
The surveys and assays We're verified,
for nowadays our English friends don't
buy American mines with their eyes
shut. And finally London company
bought two-thirds interest in Mr.. De
Lamar's mine for about g800, 600
100000. This great sum was paid in
cash, and thus it was my host became
co,,;fol;ot