Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-05-27
The English Aristocracy.

The English Aristocracy.
The fact has been thoroughly demonstrat-
ed during the past few years that there are
an exceedingly large number OF titled
nincompoops rattiing about in the British
aristocracy. For instance take the Mar
quis Of Queensberry-a man who but for
his inherited wealth and social position
would be little better than street loafer
or cheap lar room bum. This is his
calibre. His instincts are grovelling, as
is shown by his brutal assault upon one
of his own sons, and the indecent letters
he has written to ladies-letters that the
court would not permit to be read in pub
One Of the SONS of this aristocratic house
has been mixed up in the Oscar Wilde
scandals, and another is in the state of
Colorado engaged in a reckless course of
dcbauchery and asininity. 1t was only
his title that secured columns Of space for
him in the sensational papers, during his
recent escapade in becoming engaged to
Denver bar maid.
Such fellows, II they stood upon their
merits, would have neither possessions or
social position. They would be beneath
contempt 1t reveals a fundamental
weakness In the English system of govern
'npnt that, because of the aristocratic titles
that have descended to them from their
ancestors they are hereditary law givers
for the English people They are entire
ly out of sympathy with the masses Of
hcir countrymen. Many of them have
not the brains, even If they had the dis
position, to master the most simple ques-
tions OF the hour, and yet these men have
the right, through no merit OF their own,
but rather in spite Of it. to pass judg-
ment upon the measures passed by the
chosen representatives Of the people-men
who have worked their way into public
life by their own ability and force of char
acter We must not be understood as
claiming that there are not many able and
worthy men in the English aristocracy-
walks Of life by the sheer force of their
own attainmcnts. Such men do not need
inherited titles to lift them above the
plain Of mediocrity. They would win
their way to tho front equally well with
a fair field and no favor But there are
u large number of ineffably cheap and
shallow men in the titled circle, whose
lives arc constant reminder of the great
defects of a constitution which gives them
an Inherent right to participate In the
making of laws for the government of the
English people.
1t was not long ago that tho civilized
world bchold tho spectacle of large
number Of these degenerate scions of aris
tocratic families, pauslng from their vari-
Gus debaucheries, and assembling in the
House of Lords long enough to assist in
defeating a measure for the relief of the
Irish people, which had been under dis
cussion for years, and which, after ex-
haustive debate, the chosen representa-
tives of the English people had passed by
substantial majority. Were it not for
the fact that the average Briton cloves a
lord this antiquated and illogical system
of government, so sadly out of joint with
the Democratic spirit of the age, would
long ago have ceased to form part of
the organic law of England. 1t is evil
dent that the English people are begin
ming to grow restless of the insolent dicta-
ton of hereditary legislative body
Each new scandal in aristocratic circles
and there are many OF them-only
serves to Intensity this feeling. There are
many things to indicate that radical
changes in the plan of government, are
at hand even In, conservative old Eng
land, and there are many who believe
that royalty itself will not long survive
the death of Queen Victoria.