The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-05-09
A TITLED Ti,hDUCEI,.


Little lilo Knows About Americans.
chiedeo Tribune.
Tho Marquis do Castcllanc, whose aon
married Miss Anna Gould, came over to
this county to attend tho wedding,
stayed fifteen days on tho scaboard .
aud has written long essay showing
how little no knows about America aud
Americans. Ito says tho nation is a ro.
union OF linen without ancestors" Il
! statement 40 absurd that 1t needs no
disprooi. Probably no meant that the
great majority Of tho people hero do
not boast OF titled ancestry, but even
in that case they nro no worse of than
the masses OF Europe, aud both have
the advantage OF not being called on to
blush with shame over tho recital OF tho
deeds OF their forciathers. Tho phrase
quoted hardly could have been written
except by ono who holds 10 the notion
that mono but few aristOcrats arc en-.
titled TO respect.
Tho cldor Castellane was uncomfortA.
bio amid tho rush OF business in Now
York city, and equally so among tho
lounging people at the National Capitol.
lilo found fault with the senate as cor.
rupt. stating that one OF them received
l2,000.0OO francs for his vote on sugar,
and another big reward for voting TO
compel the United States to purchase
several millions OF silver each month,
but forgots to mention tho Panama and
other scandals which embraced mem.
beri OF the French cabinet. lie is sore
because, despite all tho efforts OF the
Gou!ds. he found nothing here which
he thought worthy TO be called
"socioly" there being. practically speak
ing, mo official world" as functionaries
are regarded with horror" by the PEG.
pie. Wherever did he obtain that
notion?
The marquis says Americans take
no interest in the matter OF art" Who
told him so2 Or did he discover the
"iac," by his observation? II SO he
must be very shortslghtcd, have looked
in other directions. II he could find no
evidences OF art patronage or artistic
taste In New York or Washington lie
might have come TO Chicago. Here he
COulu llhNe IOuuN Ou cAulDitiOil, an
they still arc being exhibited. many
works OF tho two artists OF his own
country, France, who just now arc at-
tracing the most attention at home.
These are Monet, n painter OF the i'm
pressionist school, and Ra:Iaelli OF the
same school, who devotes himself prln-
cipally to illustrations oil character
among the common people. He would
have found here art Institutes and col.
lections worthy OF high recognition by
the iastidious society" in Europe. and
some one might have told him OF the
wonderful exhibit at the Worlds Fair
and OF the great interest taken in it,
as perhaps the most popular feature
OF the grand display. lie SAYS tho PEG.
pie OF the United States "cultivaie
letters very little" This is strange
statement TO make in regard to \ nation
which has drawn TO its tlourishing uni
versisies and other schools OF learning
many OF tho brightest minds OF the
Old World, which has numerous libra.
ries OF no mean magnitude and value,
which is reproducing from the presses
o: the land at rapid ratio old classics
as we'll ms new ones, which contains
thousands OF literary societies. each de-
voted to the study OF particular authors
in detail as well rs in series, and which
pAtronizes literature in the practical
way Of buying books to an extent that
exciies the envy OF booksellers in
France and other European countries.
That the tathor.in.law Of the Gould
heiress saw none OF these thinga and
heard not OF them may be ascribed to
tho fact that he did not mingle with the
right sort OF people, During his short
stay OF fortnight. here he looked only
ut the butterflies OIL the one hand or the
grubs on the other, and did SO with gu.
pcrcillous eyes prepared in advance to
dcspise both. This is to DO regretted,
but hardly to be wondered at. The
marquis must belong 10 the order OF
supposedly favored mortals whose only
word Is titled aristocracy, and to
whom all else is unworthy OF notice.
Perhaps he had degned to honor this
country with his august presence little
longer lie might have seen reason TO
think it possible the people OF the
United States are not all Doors or igno.
rant brutcs who have no right to be
recognized by tho bearer Of title OF
nobility. lie might have discovered
his mistake In Il less painful manner
than did the aristocrats whose oppres-
sons were tho reason or excuse for the
French revolution OF little more than
Il century ago, and he then would have
been ablo to avoid placing himself in
the ridiculous attitude OF man who,
with superior facilities for obtaining in.
formation, has undertaken to writo
about things and conditions OF which