Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-04-05
VULGAR SHOW AND SENSELESS
POMP

Once on time wealth was diStinc-
ton, but now we have q mob of wealthy
men, and there is no distinction in mob
where one man is just like another man.
1t was distinction because the qualities
by which it was patiently acquired were
good qualities = industry, enterprise,
thrift, forethought, etc.-but the i'm
mense DEVELOPMENT of certain industries
and the rapid increase of value in real
estate has in a great majority of cases
deposited wealth in hands not qualified to
use it rightly or enjoy it sensibly. They
have become rich before they have be-
come cultured, and, having passed their
lives in vulgar occupations, they have
no higher ideals than their own desires
If, indeed they would be content with
having plenty of money! But they will
not; they must exhibit it, and get credit
for it! Hence comes the misery of the
newly rich-the obligation of display.
Now, to display wealth requires. a
great deal more drudgery than to ac-
quire it, and those who envy the newly
rich had better pity them. Think how
they have to parade themselves every
where! Think what dreary hours they
spend with tailors and modistes, hair
dressers, maids and Wallets! Think of
the snubs and insults they have to take
from those whose wealth is not new, and
whose lofty social position is their birth
right! Think of the big entertainments
they have to give to people who often do
not know them, and who do not want to
know them; and of the big entertain
ments they have to go TO where the dis
play exceeds their own display, and SO
fills them with envy and chagrin. But
they must go to dinners and brushes in
order to show their diamonds, just as
they must drive to show their carriages
and horses and liveried servants. And,
after all, when they have given up their
life to dressing and dining, and saying
GLOW do you do?' and $50 glad to see
youp'-when they have worn their
nerves bare and spent millions in the
process, they find that they are really
lost in the ruck of a mob of men and
women just as rich as themselves.
The fact is that the senseless pomp
and barbaric ornamentation now dis
carded by the aristocracy of the Old
World as vulgar and inconvenient has
been picked up by the plutocracy of our
day as their only chance of distinction.
They are worth millions, and they want
people to know it, and as yet have dis
covered no better way of advertising
themselves than by frenzied OUTLAWS for
diamonds and dresses and floral displays,
and such mobs of entertainments as re-
quire police environment. If it were the
beginning OF the century instead OF The
end, their splendor would at least have
given them that exclusiveness which is
such a sweet draught to silly pride. But
in these days they cannot get it any
where except in their own houses. Fifth
avenue is no longer exclusive. The race
courses. the ball grounds, the horse
show, the opera, every desirable place,
is swamped by people who are actually
poor, but who have a dollar or two for
the gate money. No, there is no exclu-
siveness now for mere money, and the
new wealth that has cut loose from it's
poor associations, and not achieved
place among the rich, shows it's dubious
position by its outrageous efforts to win
some recognition from them.-Amelia
Barr in American Woman's Home Jour
nal