The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-17
AMERICAN NOBILITY.
Observations Suggested by Astor's Fishy
Line of Decent.

Observations Suggested by Astor's Fishy
Line of Decent.
From the Washington Post.
We have correspondent who is greatly
interested in the latest New York fad,
1.-THE Order of the Crown" He says ne
cannot see why the United States should
go without a titled aristoeracy, when 1t
boasts so many millionaires who could
handsomely maintain the state required
by rank, coats of arms, etc. After an,
our correspondent argues, the princes.
potentates and so on of Europe are mere
~ the descendants of pirates, robbers,
freebooters and the like. Men were MADE
chiefs because they happened to be big
ger, stronger, more cruel ana more doHfl-
neering that their fellows. The filegiti-
mate sons of kings became princes ana
dukes, the daughters countesses ana
duehesses and so 1t went. If we were to
found peerage in the United States now.
upon a basis of simple wealth, 1t would
have much more respectable and valid
origin than any European nobility can
boast Why not therefore, do so without
going back, through doubtful and shady
concessions to an European source?
Our correspondent writes: There is
something absurd about this so-called
order of the Crown. The most careless
observer must be struck by the eoinci-
dence that every one of those who claim
royal descent is either millionaire or
the boon companion of miilionaires Don
you think the coincidence suspicious 70
say the least? Would it not be more Dig
nifed to lay the foundations ourselves
and to make wealth or high social posi-
ton the standard instead of sneaking
back by very devious and indefinite ways
TO some scury king of the middle ages,
who was. in all human probability, an IL
literate and unclean ruffian, with ABOUT
the intellectual equipment or the average
American coal heaverf LOOK at the pun
lished royal descent OF John JACOB Astof'
for instance. Here IL is.
Edward l., King of England, had:
Prince Edmund, Earl OF heL', VIM no"
Joan, m. SIT lhonas de Holiaiio, anu
had:
Thomas. second Eari OF Kent WING nau
Margaret, m Jonn. MARQUIS ol Dolse''
and had;
Joan, nj. James l., hlng OF ocotiaHo'
and mad:
Janet, m. George, Earl Oh Huntiey' ana
had:
Hon. Adam Gordon, OF Aooyhe, WHO
had:
Alexander Gordon, OF sutherland, VINO
had:
Sir John, Earl OF sutherland, VINO had'
Alexander, Earl OF sutherland, VINO
had:
Robert Gordon Bart, OF GofdonstoWh'
who had:
Catherine, m. Col. David Barclay, OF
Try, and had:
John Barclay Deputy Governor OF East
Jersey who mad:
Rev. Thomas Barclay, OF Albany, ~ l.,
who had:
Andrew Barclay OF New YORK CITY,
who had:
Catherine, m. Augustus Van Coftlandt,
and had:
Anne m. Henry White, OF New YORK,
and had:
Helen m. Abraham Schermerhorn, and
had:
Caroline. m. William Astor OF New
York. and had:
John Jacob Aston, of New York City.
Now, doesn't this look fishy? The or
binary life of generation is about 20
years-certainly less than 80. Edward /.
was crowned in 1872, and the difference
between 1872 and 1898 is just GIG years.
We have, therefore, since the coronation
of Edward % generations TO account Tor,
but the table above quoted accounts for
only 70. What are we to do about those