Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-04-22
NEW YORK'S 400,
They Are n Remarkable Lot, But Not in
the Way They Imagine.
The Four Hundred of to-day is not

The Four Hundred of to-day Is not
the Four Hundred of five years AGE.
Let one of them lose his money: how
quickly he drops out. Is he auy bet-
ter because he has money? Is he any
worse because he has lost it? A
thoughtful glance at the men and
women who are before the public in 4
social sense will teach a lesson preg-
nant and most suggestive. They. IN Il
large majority, are men of no special
headgear, and women nOticeably friv-
olOus. 1t is within the memory of
every intelligent observer when the
N2nderb!ltS were not asked in What is
known as society. Do vou suppose
that John Jacob Astor, the original.
the good old peddler. the graduate
from butchers SHAMELESS, shared the
hospitality OF the old Dutch kHickcr-
bockers or Of GOtham's best people,?
Still less could he find acceptance in
the Glddy-headed thrOng. and if | read
Alright, says 10 Howard in the n. \.
Rec0fder, vulgar as was his origin,
meager as was his education, incOm-
plete as was his social endowment. he
had too much native common sense to
care for either the one or the other.
He knew what he was fit for. He was
an excellent servitor in q Butchers
shop. He was a competent butcher;
he developed early the trading IN
stinct, and his nose for progress was
unusually keen, as is evinced by the
marvellous purchases of land made nv
him III times when such transactions
were regarded as the very height of
folly. But the AStors of TODAY are
actually quarreling among themselves
as to which is the Mrs. Aston If the
good ladies who indulge in THIS knew
the mirth they excite, il thyl cuu.I
appreciate the hither verge of the
comica side Of the situation, they
would, let it be hoped, III the interest
of honest American womanhood, blush
at Such utterly un-American, uonSenS-
ical airs and WoUld-be mraces.
Look at rugged Cornelius Wander
bilt, the elder. Start with him GA hi-
flat boat. Come up with him rs that
well-packed head of his DRAMATICALLY
ran out in various directions. and nj
ways along the right line to wealth, to
usefulness, to helpfulness. See how
he grew, and then mark the procession
following. See what his son William
II. did and then come with me and
look at his sons, the grandsons OF the
original Cornelius Cornelius and Will
liam K. In society? | should say so.
Why? 1t won't be said Because they
! are Christian gentlemen" There are
several others Of that kind in New
York. 1t won't be said "Becausc they
are railroad experts" There are thou
sands of such in the land. 1t won't be
said because they are quiet, modest,
courteous, hoSpitable." Such, thank
God, is the character of millions Of
Americans. Why, then?
Obviously for the same reason that
the Astors two generations ago were
| admitted into what is technically
known as society-because they have
ample means and are able to hold
their own in any race whore wealth is
n factor.
But where you will find one such
| man as the late John Jacob Aston,
where you will find one such man rs
Cornelius Vanderbilt, you Will find
scores of lunkheads whose aspirations
are of the McAllister stripe. Aping
| the weaknesses of foreign lands, copy
! ing the eXcresenceS of people who live
under totally different conditions, they
have developed an obvious desire tc
| impress upon their fellows that they
are really 400 very uncommon imdi-
| yiduals.
And so they are.
But not in the way they imagine