The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-10-13
PROUD AND ARROGANT,
Are the People Of America Becoming.
40 Says our Rural
COrrespOndent.

Arc Juc TeOpIo OI AmcTlCH DcCOulluSs
NO Says our Rural !,
Correspondent.
The people of this great republic
are becoming verysaristocratic. In
colonial times, while yet under the
tyranical rule of Great Britain, the
colonists were in general very sim
pie in dress and manners. In New
England it was made crime for
any one to adorn himself with gar
men&s which were considered very
costly or extravagant unless he
could satisfactorially prove that his
financial standing was such as to
warrant him in so doing. The dis
play of jewelry upon the person was
almost positively forbidden, and as
consequence great simplicity pre-
vailed. Even the great general and
statesman, George Washington,
who could well afford much display,
was very original in dress as we'll
as humble in his manners. Jetfer-
son, Polk, land many other renowned
characters, chose as matter Of
taste to be plain and natural in all
their ways. But should you observe
for an hour alone upon the street
of one cf our American cities like
New York or Chicago, and take
note of the rich apparel worn by
their occupants and then select one
of the most gaudy and artificial of
them all and follow him to his
home, or, better still, to his daily
occupation, you' are very likely to
find that he is poor clerk or as
Sistant for some wealthy citizen,
occupying menial position and
receiving remuneration in compar-
ison, yet keeping up the appearance
artificially of a millionaire. Why
is it? Simply that appearances are
very deceptious and we do not take
the time nor trouble to arrive at a
right conclusion. There is super
abundance of gloss, pride, deception
and artificiality exhibited in this
world, and no mistake. Let us COM
pare mediocre clerk receiving a
salary of say SO per week, with the
skilled laborer receiving twice this
amount. How are they regarded
in Society? Why society bows
with smile and honor to the eight
dollar clerk and frowns on the six
teen dollar laborer. This is dis
graceful; aoork is a0ork, and all work
is honorable. Permit us to say that
this mode of selection shows not
only dull intelligence but also a
lack Of plain common sense. A man
should be honored for what he is,
not for what he seems.
In the early part of our career as
a nation we were purely democrat
ic, all were considered equal. Line
age was not counted as a distinc-
tion between any two individuals.
Lineage is now being considered in
America as 1t always was in Eng.
land. We are fast tending toward
aristocracy. Who will deny It? OF
course there are exceptions. Sup.
pose, as sometimes happens, that a
man in moderate circumstances es
should suddenly come into possess
ion Of great riches. Mark the diff.
ference In that man. The people
and neighbors with whom he was
friendly and sociable before, he will
now scarcely condescend to notice
He and wifeg along with noses in
the air and the swell pug dog bring
ing up the rear, and their whole
mein gives forth this insinuation
"Big I,""Little YouW
i 1t has been truthfully said thai
the merchant who could live on
five hundred a year fifty years ago
now requires five thousand. Eligi
bility to public service is fast be-
coming a financial transaction OF
question, the grade Of Office heine
determined by the extent of the
applicants pocket book. We all
know the oppression of some mon
archial governments, but when
money elects man, how much bet
ter is he fitted for the place thar