The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-03-07
FEEL FOR THE POOR
NEW YORK HEIRESSES WHO HOLD
SoCIALISTIC OPINIONS.
4 Radical Coteric of Millionaires' Dargh-
ters-They Object to the Unequal Divi-
sion of Wealth-Niid American Edi-
tons of sBIarcella.'

derbllt, daughter OF Cornelius, Pauline
Whitney, whose father is William c.;
Edith Shepard. Orme Wilson and four Or
five other girls, whose families are enor-
mously wealthy, do not believe in the
rights Of property. On the contrary, they
are very radical young ladies and have
come TO the conclusion that this social sys-
tenn Of ours is all wrong They have re-
gently formed an organization for the pur-
pose OK passing resolutions to that effect.
These heiresses style themselves the
"Downtrodden They have an official
organized existence and meet regularly for
general debate and discussion, which, at
times, takes a decidedly infiammatory
tone. Were these young ladies TO express
some of their opinions in certain public
purlieus theySwOuld be in danger of pun
ishment as anarchists.
The trend of thought among the youn-
ger element Of what is known as the -Four
Hundred is pronouncedly socialistic. It
is no uncommon thing to hear such well
becashsd misses as Miss Vanderbilt and
Miss Whitney denounce the unequal dis
tribution of wealth with all the fervor OF
youth, if not of logic. All the Vanderbilt
young ladies, for that matter, are mark
ediy radical and go in for all manner OK
unconventional opinions Miss COnsuelO
Vanderbilt, for instance, thinks there
should be no prisons. Human beings
ought to brought out of their evil ways by
kindness and love. Miss Pauline Whitney
is an ardent advocate of woman suffrage.
Miss Edith Shepard thinks there should
be law against people having SO much
money while others have next to none at
all. All agree that the income tax is a
very good thing indeed.
1t was only natural perhaps that, find
ing themselves in such thorough accord,
these young misses should unite on gener-
al principles.
Miss Gertrude Vanderbilt is probably
the leader among her young friends. Ever
since she began TO think for herself this
fair girl has manifested decidedly origi-
nal turn of mind. She is well acquainted
with the literature Of socialism, and her
views of the rights of property and aggre-
gated wealth are as advanced as Views
! could well be- Her papahardly knows what
to make of these tendencies. Nor do the
young companions of Miss Gertrude allow
her to Guido them in radical notions. A
meeting of the ''Downtrodden" is some
thing simply awful. The whole organiza-
ton has long ago reached the conclusion
that the conditions of civilization have no
ethical sanction. The members have an
other grievance in the costume of feminin-
fly. Women should clothe themselves aft
er the fashion of the ancient Greeks. Miss
Whitney made the address on this subject
at the last meeting.
The "Downtrodden'' do not limit their
activity to talk They make it a rule to
go about among their fellow creatures
who, like themselves, are overwhelmed by
| misfortune. One campaign will be in the
interest of the flower girls. They gave a
dinner TO a number of them. They also
read to the sick in hospitals. Another
good work is the investigation of special
cases of misery and the preparation of re.
ports to be read at the meetings. Minutes
are kept in rigid exactness. When the
Sloane girls went into Salvation Army
! work, they were acting under orders from
| the .'Downtrodden." What they see and
hear is duly written up for their meetings.
Naturally the young ladies have come
! to be recognized as specialists in certain
| fields of investigation. Accordingly we
| have Miss Whitney an authority on the
/ land question. This young lady thinks
{ all the men in the country should be made
| to spend two years farming, on the same
principle as in foreign countries they put
! in the same period as soldiers. This would
not only enlarge the range of their ideas,
| but bring them in close touch with nature
and add to their healthfulness. 1t would
| also tend to relieve the congestion of mu-
nicipal populations, besides subscribing a
variety of other useful purposes, all of
which Miss Whitney olucidates with skill
! and gracefulness. Miss Orme Wilson has
theory about animals. Horses in her
| opinion are unnecessarily i'll used, and
/ they should not be continually hauling
| heavy wagons about the streets. And 50
on through all the members of the little
group.
The 'Downtrodden" are very close cor
poration. They do not admit any Tom,
Dick or Harry, or rather any Jane, Mary
or Ann, who comes along. Miss Consuelo
Vanderbilt was refused membership be-
cause she is too conservative. The young
lady is not in favor of woman suffrage.
The 'Downtrodden" meet every month
| at the houses of those whom convention
still obliges them TO allude TO as their par.
ents. Amid almost oriental luxury they de-
! nounce the accumulations of wealth that
today makes the contrast between rich and
poor so pitifully sharp. These young la
dies have helped many people who would
certainly be astonished could they know
the source of their win1falls.
What the parents of the young ladies
think of all these doings may probably
best be surmised Bishop Potter, who
knows all the girls quite well, does not
think favorably of all their opinions, and
1t is whispered that he had them in his
mind when he recently told his clergy to
beware of the spread of exaggerated think
ing among the majority of the youthful
portion of their ficcks. The mammas and
papas have SO far been indulgent because
young people are VIGOROUSLY hot headed
and prone 10 yex themselves about the
| universe, mans destiny. the telos of crea-
ton, and the like, and 10 go to bed very
miserable over those subjects. At any
rate, the existence of the 'Downtrodden "
is a most unique fact in the cosmopolitan