Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-06-29
ARlSTocRAcY AND DEMOCRACY.
Thoughts on the Marriage of an American
Girl to a British Earl.

The marriage of young woman Of New
York to a young man of the British aristoc-
racy who bears in it the title of earl was an
important event. All weddings are impor-
tant events, for they are of momentous con
sequence to the human race, which is per-
petuated by them.
Merely as forming another link between
British feudal aristocracy and American
democracy the matrimonial union of yes
terday was Of no special significance. In
these days even England itself is democrat
tc, and everywhere aristocracy is losing
the privileges which have given it peculiar
power and consequent distinction in the
state.
The title of earl is of social Importance
almost exclusively for the extinction of
the British house of lords at the hands of
the dominant democracy cannot be far off.
The peerage continues only at the mercy Of
the ruling democracy and not in any way
as its political master. The English aris-
tocracy itself only survives with its feudal
titles and it's incongruous symbols because
1t has become democratized. 1t is recruited
from the ranks of the common people and
has come to have little of the character Of
class separated from the mass of the COM
munity by an aristoeratic lineage. The
majority of the aristocratic titles of Eng
land are borne by families scarcely older
than this republic, and in many of them the
blood of democratic America flows
The young man who was so fortunate as
TO lead from the altar an American bride
yesterday is of the more ancient aristoc-
racy, dating back to the time Of the Nor
man conquest, but that longer lineage
gives him only a certain precedence over
more recent recruits, and withoutmoney to
support even that superficial distinction he
would be of little account. The first essen
tial of an aristocratic state is the possession
Of money, and the accumulation of money
Is an opportunity within reach of the de
mocracy, which thus has the chance of at
tanning the distinction necessary to the
other. With money come the means of ac-
quiring social accomplishments. Money
also is q magnet which attracts the in.
stinct Of self preservation in the aristocracy
to matrimonial alliances with the democ-
racy that obliterate the line of social sep
aration between the two.
This process of mingling the aristocracy
with the democracy is going on in England
all the time and increasingly, and very nat
urally it is extended to this country of great
IOTJuueS ny Jub lndITldBb Ol iInBllSuHtn Oh
aristocratic titles to American girls richly
lowered. The titles these young women
receive in England have no importance
here, and even there their consequence is
only social and, with the progress of Eng.
fish democracy, transitory. The substance
is the money which supports the social
state, and money here can do the same. 1t
does not need an anachronistic feudal title
1,
tain consequence. Its consequence is in.
trinsic, and its power is inherent.
A coronet is a mere gewgaw, more es
pecially ON the head Of one who wears il
merely by the right Of marriage and not as
the symbol of the individuals historic line
age. Even as such "A symbol it typifles past
rather than present power In the old days
of feudalism earls were actual officers Of
the kingdom, each having supreme author
ity in his own earldom or county" under
the crown. A coronet meant something
substantial then. It was badge of author
ity. Now the title Of earl is really worth
only about as much as the title of Mr., eN
cept that it includes the possessor in the
peerage and admits him TO the house oil
lords, where actually he is subject to til,
democratic house of commons-the rea
bOuTCe VI All pOllLlttl power III Eni5liLlb
His wife is called countess, is styled my
lady" and is right honorable" but these
are mere decorations. If she be an Amer
lean woman, she has stepped down from the
first place, which she occupied here, and De
scended to the level of the third rank in the
British peerage.
An American lady who marries a British
earl exercises right of choice which is in.
alienable and for whose use she is not open
20 criticism, but she does not advance her
self in the social scale A British earl is OF
consequence in this republic only so far a.
the distinction is intrinsic in him as a man
Even in England his Fictitious consequence
because of his title is passing away and
giving place TO the power of money purely
This country is accused of worshiping the
almighty dollar, but the great and special
seat of that devotion Is England. NowheIt
else In the world is money so powerful. II
Is the real social ruler, not title, for title il
a gewgaw that money can buy, and henct
the bauble Is bound to fall into popular
contempt 1t will be associated with tht
pretension and self assertion which suggest
vulgarity at a period when simplicity i:
made more and more the test of refinement
| New York Sun.