The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-10-18
WARD u,ALLisreR's VIEWS.
Really Thinks = Gentleman May Engage
In Certain Lines of Business.

In Certain Lines of Business.
During the period of our civil war So
ciety became utterly demoralized, and
many persons amassed fortunes by stocks
and gold speculations, and government
contracts came to the surface by their
reckless extravaganza, says Ward Nc
Allister in his wise way in the New
York World. Then came the period Of
railway speculators, many Of them gen.
uine railway robbers, as they acquired
fortune in dishonest and reckless man.
ner, but under our modern leniency we
do not care how man acquires his for
tune so long as he is clever enough to
escape the prison walls.
At present we are just coming to the
reign of the great shopkeepers Shop
keeping has changed so in 90 years that to
manage one of our great dry goods, gro
Gerry or tailoring establishments requires
the ability of general. The modern
shopman is no longer cringing and serv-
lie, but holds up his head as high as the
man who patronizes him.
In the second generation the old time
prejudice which formerly existed van
ishes, and undoubtedly in few years
the millionaire proprietors of our great
Broadway and Sixth avenue stores will
be knocking and demanding admission
to society's exclusive functions.
There is undoubtedly set here who
might be termed reactionary who fight
against this impending change, but our
old family element, / am afraid, must
content themselves with their meetings
of Colonial Danes, Colonial Wars and
other kindred societies, and acknowledge
that "the old order changeth.
The question now arises:
Can a tradesman be a veritable gen.
tleman?
Ireply unquestionably, yes.
The idea Of what constitutes gentle
man is very varied, and a definition is
perhaps different in America from the
definition in England. In general sense
in this country it applies to every one
who is not blackguard, as one work
ingman will say to another, "Be gen.
tleman," or, Behave yourself like a
gentleman.
But of course this is not the idea that
/ propose to discuss. The point is: Is it
possible for man engaged in trade to
have all the instincts and feelings of a
true gentleman, or does the continual
striving after gain give SLOPPY and
commercial tinge to his whole nature?
This depends upon the man himself.
In London man in 1.-THE city" is not
usually found in the drawing rooms Of
the aristocracy, the only exceptions be-
ing where man of good family, usual
ly younger son, has secured a good
berth for himself, possibly with very
| little to do but draw his salary, or where
young man has inherited from his ia
ther business which is carried on for
him by his partners, but undoubtedly a
man is bit ashamed there of being in
trade, and the army, the navy, the
church and diplomacy are considered a
more correct career for young noble
man or gentleman if his means will per-
F, NIT.
f, In America all this is different.
A young man on finishing his educa-
! ton here is generally very anxious to
get to work and find some opportunity
| to commence business career. Our
young men of family and fortune rarely
think of the army, navy and diplomacy
and still less of the church. Not that
these careers do not contain many es.
Unable persons, but they are certainly
not regarded with as much favor as the
! legal profession or as commerce, bank
ing, engineering or mining. Take, foI
instance, young men after completing
their education in England and Amer.
| ica-they are at that period Of their life
much alike-and then take them / 5 years
later. Are the Americans any the less
true gentlemen for having spent that
! time in the rush to secure fortune, OF
does it blunt all their finer sensibilitiesi
The Duke of Argyll answered this
question conclusively, for he put all his
| younger sons in trade.
They are not necessarily any the less
| true gentlemen.
A