The herald., 1894-10-25
SCANDALS OF TIE PLurocaAcx.
Mushroom Aristocrncy Is the Proper OBJ
ject of Intelligent Contempt

e'"-~Ff-N - IT, - 49, =
Mushroom Aristocracy Is the Proper OBJ
ject of Intelligent Contempt
About year ago scandal in the AS
tor family kept the tongue of gossip
busy for the season. The conduct Of
Mrs. Coleman Drayton, daughter Of
the house of Astor, caused her separar
tion from her husband. Attempts to re-
habilitate her in society have failed,
and she has taken up her permanent
residence in Europe.
The existing Vanderbilt scandal ID
caused by improprieties on the part of
male member of the family. He is said
to have been nagged into revolt against
his homo by the imperious petulance
and offensive social airs Of his wife, Z
poor but proud beauty and belle of aris-
tocratic southern birth, who said at the
time of her nuptials that, as between
blood and money, it was condesoension
on her part to marry the richest man in
the United States.
The peculiar filth which made the
Astor and Vanderbilt scandals uncom-
monty nauseous has not adhered, SO far
as the public knows, to any of the do
mestic relations of the Gould family.
But the stories about them have not
been such as to excite envy Of their gild-
ed lot if its harassments and humilia-
tions must be taken as an inseparable
part Of the possession. Unbounded
wealth is not specific for mental dis
tress and heartache, and it does not
bring honor, obedience and troops Of
friends to the undeserving.
These greater and minor scandals are
more noticeable because they are blots
on a mere upstart aristocracy. Two gem
erations back these families had the
most obscure beginnings. The original
Astor laid the foundations of his wealth
in the sale of minkslzins, catching and
slzinning the minlzs himself in their
habitat along the Mohawk. The original
Vanderbilt acquired his first capital in
boating garden vegetables from New
Jersey across the channel to tie New
York markets.
This is not to the discredit of the
original nor of the present Astors and
Vanderbilts. Only men of great minds,
great industry and great daring could
have created the immense fortunes
which the present Astors and Wander
bilts inherited and which have increased
in their hands, But it is ridiculous that
the first and second only in descent from
these founders of wealth should imagine
that its possession makes them class
separated and distant from the people, q
peculiar and elevated social rank, the
cream Of the social mass Ancient aris-
tocracy, if not degraded by vice, has
traditional title to respect Mushroom
aristocracy is the proper object of intel
ligent contempt.
That these newly rich people apply
their riches to unfructifying uses and
that some of them live scandalous lives
is no justification of the theories of COM
munism and anarchy. A dissolute rich
man, no moro than avirtuous rich man,
is the just object Of spoliation. To rob
the wealthy and distribute their prop
erty or to render its possession insecure
is not proper punishment and is not
cure for the vices, abuses and evils Of
wealth.
There is another lesson. Not much
that IS the best in life depends on the
ownership Of wealth. The sturdy vir-
tues in which the best human society is
founded are buttressed in the homes Of
the people--the common people, not
raised by wealth to invidious elevation
above others, and not depressed by pow
erty below the comfortable level Of ev-
eryday life.
The wholesome and reputable classes
who live by trade, industry and the
professions have no leisure nor DISPOSE
tion for illicit pleasures that are enjoyed
in an atmosphere of scandal and bear
ultimate fruit in misery. Honest Amer
ican homes--the homes of the American
millions, not Of millionaires-are the
fortresses of popular virtue, and there
the principles of liberty regulated by
law are impregnably intrenched. Chi
cago Herald.