The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-09-08


Hamilton Fish. of New York. who died
yesterday In his seth year, was a very able
and useful man of very rare type He
was born TO great wealth, he was educated
under circumstances that usually are not
the cradle of eminence either in business,
Law. literature or politics. Few men born
10 great wealth rise TO eminence. II they
are virtuous they usually pass their hives
In career of inglorious ease. Sometimes
they collect rare books, as Millionaire
Ienox did, and pass their DAYS in a
library: sometimes they have a taste for
art, and a gift of conversational wit, like
that possessed by tho late Thomas q. Ap-
pieton, OF Boston. which seems to make
them the pleasant light of some narrow
circle of metropolitan culture; sometimes
they have passion for fancy farming. for
horse breeding, for yachting, for outdoor
athletics, for angling and fowling; some
times. though rarely. they are phiian-
thropic in apractiesl way. II the man
born TO large wealth is not = man Of refine
ment, gentle dreamer, rather than a
daring doer in life. he is not seldom most
offensive snoh, who delights in liveries. in
the inane aping OF the shsllowess side of
English aristocratic life, and II he Is an
animal he becomes ilaunting fellow, n
Crcrsus with the manners aud tastes of a
groom and gambler, the dupo of Phryne,
the slave Of Baeehus, in whose ranks he
marches With the ssiyrs. lie IL the patron
Of everything that drags men down into
the ditch. the weli-dressed cynie that splits
on every good cause and snecrs al all
men who seek by unselfsh effort 10 en-
large the comfort and happiness of the
people, as eraek-hraiued seasimensallsm
marching in the robes of statesmsnship.
Bat men born to great wealth are not
always alniahie. indolent. obscure dream
ess or dahhleEs in art, literature and an.
cient pottery. for sometimes they are
filled With high sense OF duty TO make
the most Of saeir opportunities, 90 bless
the world and deserve its blessing. Some
times they are able and devoted men of
business. leading lives Of domestic purity,
faithful IN business, yet serving the Lord.
Sometimes they devote their enwiahle
leisure to severe aud systematic study of
that noblest feId Of intellect, the solution
of the pressing social and political
problems Of the day, working IS
hard for pahlie usefulness and emit
nent statesmanship as the ordinary
man does TO win his bread. az this last
eisss Of men. born wish The silver spoon Of
q great fortune, who have ably woa the
golden crown Of Large eivic eninenee aud
virtue. vas Hamilton Fish. lie alway.
lived like . gentleman. but he "a. no.
tainted with the modern passion ~ rnu.h.
room mslllonaires 20 ousdo his nesghhors
in empty display. or by ga1ish exa.ava-
gaase make the vulgar stare and wonder
sna shsn embrace ais knses, hoping he
weula @ses 'em up for the eoys"
Ne. Fish steadily sirove 10 become
worthy al the name Of an able and useful
American statesman. and be succeeded in
has ambition. Tor no msn ever served the
nation With more shlliiy and discretion
In the place oi SECRETARY Of state thaa Mr..
Fish since the days of Daniel Nsasssr.
unless Il be seward. and Seward had E,oFe
than once 10 be radically .es right BY lin
coin. Who knee he wss sometime. srisy.
oasly Wrong. Ext nised States Senator
k1nands. 80 . nsnees al sas eommissss