The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-09
Holland" in the Philadelphia Press.

AAoiAohu III the i'iiidueipllld L IcsS.
Mr.. Aston enjoys the unique expert
ence of being the first American to re-
nounce his native country because of
contempt of some f it's institutions,
repugnance for it's demOcracy. and dis
appointment by reason of his own fail
power which he deemed were of right
his.
And yet every one here who is famii-
lar with Mr.. Astors career, or who had
any acquaintance with him, knows that
If there be fault it was in Mr.. Aston,
in his mental character and tempera-
ment. As child he seemed to be of
the belief that while there was not
official aristrocraCy in the United
states, there did exist an aristocracy
or wealth. In early manhood he had
political ambition, and some of the
older politicians remember very well
how in 1879 at the time of the memoir
able campaign in which Senator Conk-
ling attempted to punish President
Hayes for his interference in the New
York custom house, and therefore
brought Alonzo Cornell into promin-
ence as the republican candidate for
governor. Mr.. Astor indicated his de-
sire to take active part in politics. He
was lawyer, although he never prac-
tice6.
He had been student of literature,
and he had obtained degree at Co
lumbia college, but he knew no more of
practical politics than he would have
known had he been of a sudden sent to
China to take post as a mandarin of
high degree there. He was utterly guile
less, unsophisticated, peculiarly intro
spective, at the same time ambitious,
deeming his personally and his wealth
qualities sufficient to give him his
standing at once in his party and in
the legislature. Through the kindly
offices of General Arthur Mr.. Aston be-
came candidate for the state senate
and was elected.
In the senate he was found to lack
tact, his want of experience sadly han
dicapped him, his reserve kept him out
of touch with senators whom he deem
ed vulgar but who could have greatly
helped him, and he became a recluse
without influence, although he seemed
to be sincerely DESTROYS of serving his
district and the state we'll. But he was
unable to come down from the high
| horse he rode, and always suggested to
his associates that he felt that the SEN
| ate should look upon him with the same
| consideration that his own family did,
his usefulness as a politician and ID
| legislator.
Nevertheless, he was fired with the
same ambition which in the same year
impelled Perry Belmont to seek a NOM
ination for congress, and If he had ia
| ken one or two lessons from Belmont
he would undoubtedly have been elect
ed. Belmont was brought up on Fifth
avenue. not many blocks away from
| the Aston home. He was of the same
| social set, and his suddenly proclaimed
| fondness for political life occasioned as
much surprise as did Astor's announce
ment of his desire to go to congress.
1t was then said that no very rich
| young man, whose wealth was an in
heritance. could hope for political pre-
ferment in New York. Mr.. Aston him.
self afterward was of that opinion
| And yet there was a group of young
men of his age, or little younger, who
were making it clear that great wealth
neither advanced nor retarded the po-
liticaI ambition of any man here, but
that it was personal quality and the
use made of wealth that furthered CT
| hindered ambition of that kind.
A young man 10 years younger thar
Aston, of inherited wealth, had come
from Harvard college to his home ir
New York the same year that Mr.. Aston
| was serving his second session in the
senate He had an older lineage
which was of the early aristocracy Of
| New York. He, too, was elected to the
legislature, and in his first term gained
a reputation which has been steadily
increased until to-day it is made per
manent by reason of his administration
of the office of governor of New York
1t is true that Theodore RoCSeVelt'S en-
tire wealth probably is much less thar
Mr.. Astor's income for one year, but
nevertheless, Roosevelt is one of tn
rich young men of New York who's
wealth was due to no eXertions of hi
| own.
Another young man entered publi
life only year or two after Mr.. Asto
was elected senator. His family mann
was as distinguished as that of MI
Astor, and his forbears were Of tn
New York aristocracy when John ia
cob Aston was carrying cakes AM
bread from house to house in his frs
attempt to earn living in this city
His father had been governor, senate
and secretary of state, and, although
the riches of the Astors now fa~ sur
pass those of the Fish family. never
. theless young Hamilton Fish was mum
bered among the very rich men o. Ney
York. He had an instant success y
the legislature. and was at last chose
speaker. and was beaten In his desir
to obtain the nomination for governor
not because he was a rich man. or be
cause his use of wealth had made hr
Objectionable, but solely on account q
political exigencies that compelled tn
nomination of another.
One of Mr.. Astor's chums in the earl
days, Robert Ray Hamilton, seemed
have most promising political caree
before him. He was of distingulshe
family possessed riches, was slngularl
successful in the caucus, the ward, an