The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-09-22
rHH EVOLUTION OF THR AMERICAN


sphere of the "toll taker by the sea" are
agitated. The cause of this perturbation
is an attempted emulation of Ward Nc
Allister's literary efforts by one time
aspirant for social leadership in the past.
time circles of San Francisco. In Society
as 1t Really Is one William H. Cham
bliss has exposed to the unkindly obser-
walton of cynical world the plebeian
parentage of the gods and goddesses of
the local swim. laid bare their foiples and
irivolitie, and ridiculed their real or
pretended superiority over the ordinary
OF mankind.
OF course author Chambliss retails
much shat is aged in the memory of long
time and well-informed Pacific coasters,
builds some tall stories on Indifferent and
defective foundations and dilates super
f1ously on u great deal that is inconse-
quential, including himself. But Just the
same the volume will make what dis
tinguished bondsman OF Jefferson Davis
would have termed mighty interestin'
reading to the average San Franciscan:
and to the student of Am erican character
development it is equally suggestive.
The part OF the work which will. in tne
abode of society prstension, cause the
most heart burning, the part whore he
lifts the veil Of forgetfdlness and pushes
away tho shadow of years to lay plain
tho humble origin Of . goodly portion or
contem poraneous Golden Gate aristo-
cracy. IS the most significant to the social
philosopher. It is significant of the
rapidity With which the American
evolves, and especially the Poetic coast
American.
In the facility with which the sons and
daughters Of drawers Of water and hewers
of wood have assembled the social scale is
adduced the most interesting evidence OF
American progressiveness. ~ In the old
world it has taken many generations to
form and solidify that social stratum COM
monty and conveniently designated
"polite society,"; in this country it con-
sumes but one or two. For this fact the
abundance of our natural opportunities
and the measurable freedom of conditions
may be credited. In this land people
have been able to lay cheaply and quick
ly the material foundations on which the
graces and refnements of life may be
built. The impress OF ones early en-
vironment is supposed to be indelibly
| affixed and the youthful environment OF
Sumo of those who shire today in the up
per tendon OF the Pacific coast, and We
might also say in numerous instances.
of the world, were harsh, often degrad-
ing aud entirely unpromising of the de-
velopment of those characteristics which
are the essential attrl butes OF "polite
society,""
The parentage Of these were pioneers
who wrested substance and fortune from
hitherto unconquersd nature. They had
to build from the ground up and had lit
tie time and probably no inclination to
place their progeny on tho plane they
now occupy. The influences and the nee
essities of the ers were all again st the cul-
tivation of the more attractive personal
traits that are supposed and ought to
distinguish the charmed circle we are
considering. Yet the offspring OF this
rugged, toilsome period have advanced
| far beyond the mere stage of eating pie
with a IA ,kin. and Distinguishing be-
tween finger bowl and drinking ves-
sci, and have entered and held their own
| in social arenas abroad which are the
products of many generations OF refining
| forces. It is to their credit that they
have thus advanced and the fact that
| their INN ediate ancestors walked in the
ranks Of poverty or even degradation
should not deprive them OF one iota of
that credit. OF course it is gratifying for
one to be able to scan the genoa logical
tree and see the branches from the lowest
to the top-most hung with the trophies
! of notable achievement or the emblems
of exalted rank, and the consciousness of
such precious lineage should ins pire ar
honest pride and foster soicitious care
for the honored name. But the past
after all belongs to the past. AS witty
Frenchman once wrote, 1.-The man with
nothing to boast of but his ancestry is too
much like the potato. All that there is
good of him is under the ground"
The man or woman who attains promi-
nence in any respectable field of life. So
cial or otherwise, not because Of family
fame, but without or in spite of it, is
after al, more worthy of admiration thar
he or she who shines with the light G
those that have gone before.
That this mushroom aristocracy" OF
ours has it's weaknesses, folbles and lido.
syncrasies Is doubtless true, but the won
der is not that it is thus defective, bu
that it is what it is. in the time it hao
to be.
, The city attorneys Office is preparin,
an ordinance recurring the erectiOn n