The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-28

TO the one who knew the late A. T.
Stewart and Judge Henry Hilton, whose
life has just reached ats close, it has al
ways remained a profound mystery why
the former should have handed himself
and his vast fortune over to The control
of the latter. Stewart was indubitahly
the stronger in character, intellect and
business ability. Hilton was at best a
mediocre man, great neither as LAWYER
nor as a fnancier. He had no personal
qualities which would ordinarily draw to
their possessor any type of man what
ever.
1t was a tragic illustration which Stew
art gave Of the worthlessness of wealth.
He had given his life over to its accumu-
lation. Leaving out of view the pittance
which he bestowed on certain of his ejn-
ployes through his will, he never, either
publicly or privately, applied his wealth
or any part eff it to a really meritorious
end.
His friend, the cx-lawyer's clerk. sur
ViYcd Stewart only to demonstrate how
quickly the gain of ore 10 matter how
enormous, can be dissipated by another.
The marble palace at Thirty-fourth street
and Fifth avenue in which Stewart made
what passed for his home, bleak and
cheerless as the place always appeared
Notwithstanding the extreme richness of
its outward appearance might reveal the
silent shadow of an unhappy wife, as she
wandered restlessly from place to place
through the vast expanses of her living
mausoleum. That it ever fulfilled any
useful part in the lives of the man and
woman 10 whose domestic comfort it was
supposed to have been erected was not
conceived of as even a possibility bv anv
who knew either of them The huge
structure, erected in another section of
the big metropolis, ostensibIy as a
woman's hotel. was a mere monument
to the helplessness of the great merchant
for any activity whatever which did net
involve the accumulation of wealth.
Judge Hilton was the only mortal who
survived Stewart who might, On a rea-
sonable stretch of the imagination. he
said to have entertained even the shade
Of regret at his departure He was viz
tually the only mortal who had benefited
by Stewards existence and career. if he
really can be said to have derived anv
benefit. He was made immensely
wealthy by Stewart: but the newly ac-
quired wealth appeared to be productive
OF but one result, a most perfect demon
stration OF the Utter unftpess for wealth.
either i'll the character of trustee or
otherwise, of the man who ended a worsa
than useless career at Saratoga on
Thursday last-worse than useless con-
sidering the vast opportunities for doing
good, publicly and privately, which came
to him without the slightest effort or the
slightest merit On his part, and his utter
failure to avail himself Of these oppor-
tunities.
To that steadily increasing class of
Americans who live only for the accumu-
lation Of wealth for wealth'e sake, the
end of these two men, Stewart and Hill,
ton, the one rich and powerful in his day
to degree which cannot be even fully
realized in our time, the other lifted to
the greatest heights to which wealth of
itself can lift any man, should have a
dread significance. They have both
passed away leaving behind them not
even trace that they ever lived. Their
generation was not rendered better in a
single particular, but worse. by their ex-
ample. They neither loved nor were be,
loved. The enc toiled and saved; the
other blrndered and squandered. Nei-
Their leaves behind him even a memory
that will benefit his kind.