The sun., 1894-10-15
Men of Fashion in Trade.

The circumstance, lately reported, that
young man of property, prominent in the
circle of fashion, has gone into trade, is re-
n,arkable only because his not having been
engaged previously in some sort Of regular
business is unusual in New York, and even
in the society to which he belongs.
Generally our men Of fashion are men OF
affairs also. The number of them who pur-
sue pleasure exclusively, leading lives OF
leisure purely, Is so few that they suffer for
companionship. During the business hours
Of the day their clubs are almost deserted,
and are desperately dull places. Even Of
their own kind, there is only small part
who have acquired the art Of using leisure
gracefully. Hence, after having submitted
to being bored as long as they can stand it,
the prospect Of getting some business en-
ployment Is welcome to them. Even II they
do not need money, they want occupation
for their time and as it is great
mistake to suppose that they are de-
ficient in ability, their chances of getting
along in such undertakings are better than
the average. They are usually hardy fell
lows whose physical endurance has been
strengthened by manly exercises. More
over, It is reasonable to suppose that they
have inherited something Of the business
sagacity which built up the fortunes that
enable them to live in leisure. The very rest
less energy that drives them into their sports,
and even into dissipation, it may be- serves
to impel them to engage in the competi-
ton of practical affairs, in which the mass
of their associates are straining every nerve,
and for which their own inheritance Of quail
tiles ought to give them peculiar adapted
ness. Pleasure as a steady occupation soon
grows tiresome to such spirits. As they
get more mature they want other employ
ment and conceive other ambitions.
At this time, too. there Is another incentive
driving many Of them into gainful employ
ments. They want more money. The in
come of estates has declined SO greatly of
late that. unless they are large and the
revenue is not subdivided, it is not sufficient
for the expenditures to which people of
luxurious habits are accustomed. Even il
the young man he OF an indolent dis
position, he had rather go to work
than go without the amount of money
he wants. Undoubtedly, us we have
said, the mere craving for something to
do explains in certain instances the change
but generally the impulse is the same with
these young men of fashion as with other
people who go into trade. II is the desire
to make money. They do not 20 to work for
fun simply,
The young man whose entrance into
trade has led us to make these remarks
has gone into the business OF liquor selling
He has not opened a saloon, as it is
called but an establishment from which he
sells liquor by wholesale: and his partners
in the business are of the same social circle
as himself Their choice OF that particular
department of trade is not at all extraord-
nary for men of their associations. 1t has
been frequent in the past, and at present
there are many such men engaged in it. 1t
seems to have had a special attraction for
them, probably for the very practical and
sensible reason that it has proved to be
profitable. Morally, Of course, there Is no
difference between selling liquor by the
cask or by the glass. The retail business
depends OH the Wholesale. The distiller
supplies the jobber, and the jobber supplies
the barkeeper. Such men rs those to whom
we refer, thinking it no wrong to buy and
to drink liquor, cannot see why it is wrong
full to sell it. Accordingly, they regard the
liquor business as the legitimate trade II is.
Others of the young men Of the same
social antecedcnts are cultivating model
farms, raising horses, and conducting retail
trade. Wall street no longer offers sur
passing attractions for them, At any rate,
they are wise to keep out of 1t.