The morning times., 1897-02-05
WHY THE VANDERBILTS
COME TO WASHINGTON

! have been at some trouble, writes E.
w. l." III the Pittsburg Dispatch, to dis
cover the true reason for the coming OF
Cornelius Vanderbilt to Washington. 1t
is not to be assumed that his advent
means nothing more than brief stay
ut the National Capital to measure its
society at short range. One of the bright
est OF New York ne wspapers advances
the theory that the important movement
has no deeper meaning than the firthering
of the ambition OF DR.. Depew to be minis
ter at the court of St James. That
would be deep, indeed, but il is not suf-
fiCient.
l am informed upon the authority of
one OF the 400" who has been here for
most Of the season in connection with
matters not remotely related TO the cont
ing OF the Yanderbiits, that Cornelius
1 is but the ayant courier OF a descent
OF the mighty rich of New York and other
capitals upon the political and social
circles of Washington that they may by
their presence prevent legislation mimi
cal TO their class.
| This may seem to be an imaginative
statement but it Is not ST. in any SENSE
| of the word.
| It is the conviction OF the rulers OF the
200 that they have held entirely too
| aluuf from national affairs. They have
thought to rule from the distance OF
! New York They see the tendency or
| the times to encroach more and more
| upon Tie prcrogauves of the million
aires. What they would call socialism,
| but which is merely a curtailment of the
4 nT al he
| coming alarming to them.
A dozen years ago the British nobility
| and the great capitalists and landlords
| who were not OF the nobility, formed
1 what was called the Land and Property
4 Defense League In its proclamation, III
| which it gave its reason for being, it
| showed that for years a majority OF the
| acts OF Parliament had been encroach-
| ing more and more upon their ancient
| rights 1t practically denounced the
| Commons as a socialiStic body. 1t ar
| ranged a program for attack and defense
| The most important feature OF it was
/ tile enplo yment of the society racket for
| all it was worth, A majority OF the Com
| mons were OF a class that had not been
| admitted to the circles OF aIStOcracy. They
| must be given greater attention. The mem
| bers of the league must have their houses
| in town, though most Of them had London
| establishments already, and they must
throw their drawing rooms open to the
| commonalty.
Well this, in brief, is the pun ose of the
400" They are TO take residence at the
| National Capital. They are to draw within
| the gllttering destinations Of their circle
| the Congressional moths who imagine they
| are here to represent the masses, ana show
| them how greatly superior are the classes.
| The last campaign was to them an alarm
| OF danger. All of the political parties had
| too much to say about the rights OF the
| workers, and the usurpation of the million
| aires and biilonaires. There must he new
Influence III national affairs. Theprovincial
| members and officials must he brought into
| closer contact with the money bags OF the
| country. The key teofthe hemovement must
be struck by TO less a Parsonage than one
of the Fanderbiits.