The record-union., 1895-03-09
V Gather Forecast.
THE GoULDs AND FAIR PLAY.

The RECoRD-UNIoN abhors toadyism;
1t despises the cringing so often manifest
among our people to mere money. The
only aristocracy to which it lifts its hat is
the aristocracy of brains and moral
worth. It has not failed to express its
which the sensational press has deluged
the reading public about Anna Gould and
her marriage to young Frenchman of
titled distinction.
1t has all been very sickening, this
dragging of these people before the pub
lie eye simply and solely because one is
and the other is titled because some;of his
remote ancestors wore spurs.
But there is something involved in it
dear to every true American, and that is
fair play-simple justice. Miss Gould
has been held up to scorn as having pur-
chased title; she has been stigmatized
as a 100000 prostitute; she has been
told in public print that she has bargained
coldly for a handle to her name," and
that she has purchased a husband who
takes her without affection and only as
an inseparable attachment to her coin.
The Count, on the other hand, has been
referred to as WIFE buyer; as bartering
his title for gold, as selling his birthright
for coin and as having no regard for his
bride above greed for her dollars. One
sensational account went to the extent of
detailing how his mother had telegraphed
him to make sure about ''the settlement"
and that the wires were kept hot until it
was agreed upon first at s., 900, 900 and
then at S3,000,000. But in that very ac-
count there was singular statement that
at the time attracted our attention
namely, that the young man had asked
the girl to marry him without one word
about settlement, and that not until his
mother had wired to him concerning it
had it occurred to him.
Now comes the sequel to the whole
story, and it knocks all the sensational
ism of the last week or so into a corner
among the rubbish of other newspaper
lies and the creations of bright young
men" hired by the sensational press to
falsify and play Paul Pry at SO much
line. George Gould, son OF Jay Gould,
brother of Anna Gould and the RESPONSE
bic head of his family and natural care
taker for his sister, is rich man, but
rich men are not necessarily dishonorable
men. George Gould has as fair reputa-
ton as any young American. His word
is bond, and is never questioned. He is
reputed to be absolutely truthful; he is
strict in business methods, and whatever
his failings in any other possible direc-
tions, he has won reputation as a truth
teller and a square man." as the term
goes.
Now comes George Gould, his sister
being fairly on the way to her new home,
and denounces all the stories of the press
as lies out of the whole cloth. Respect
for her feelings has kept his mouth closed
heretofore. There was no settlement. he
says; no demand for one, and never a
suggestion on the part of the Count or
his family that money was desired, No
money was settled on the bride, and not
dollar was given her by the family. She
has her own fortune of which she is sole
mistress. The Count has handsome and
sure income of mis- own, and equal TO all
demands of his tastes and ambitions. The
couple met in the usual way, and the
Count loved the girl and the girl loved
the young man, or at least they SO be-
lieve. and that was all there is to it.
George is wrathfully indignant at the
stories published about his sister and her
choice of husband, and declares that
they are malicious, cruel lies, and we be-
ieve George, knowing as we do the ca
pacity and the nasty greed for the sensa-
tional by the flash press.
No one, then, has any reason to dis
believe George Gould. There is not a
scintilla of evidence against his word,
aAlo 4S pISdS6S IL Oh Lu9 SET9HgL1 OF q
reputation earned as truth-teller. Peo-
pie should reflect that it is just as pos
sible for rich people to love one another
as for others; possible for an American
girl to love titled foreigner, and tor a
titled foreigner to love an American girl.
We have had many such instances where
wealth was not inducement. The story
of Miss Patterson of Baltimore and
Jerome Bonaparte does not stand alone
in social history.
But all that is neither here nor there;
toadyism and bowling down to the gilded
is abhorrent 10 the self-respecting Amer
lean, but all the same so is lying. and just
as truly there is honor, pride and
nobility in fair play for all, rich or poor,
the titled or the paupers.
THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH BILL.