Evening journal., 1899-05-30
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
MR.. WILLIAM WALDORF AsTOR
AND HIS NATIVE ENEMIES.

article, under the caption Of John Jacob
Aston" to the June number OF the ''Pan
Mall Magazine" his own property. The
article is replete with interesting data.
and a. describes in an exceedingly clear
and concise manner the personal and
business characteristics OF the authors
great-grandfather. Few men can point
with very justihable pride to so sa-
gacious an ancestor as was John Jacob
Astor. perhaps one Of the keenest and
shrewdest business men that ever trod IN
shoe leather. The business man Of to-
day-not the journalist. with his impric-
ticai and visionary conceptions-but the
business man OF to-day. surrounded as
he Is by. the keenest competition, Will
appreciate all this. But it must not be
inferred that John Jacob Astor was
mere money-grub a man who acquired
wealth out OF pure acquisitiveness, for
we are told that "even in the midst Of
indefatigabe industry vein OF sentl-
mental sadness tinged his thoughts with
a strange and retrospective pathos Per
haps this was but trace OF the reverie
of one who, grown meditative as the
shadows lengthen. and passing the joys
and loves and triumphs Of a lifetime in
review, catches beneath a thousand
memories their inevitable undertone OF
tears" We like this phase or character
istic Of John Jacob Astor, for II seems as
II this one touch OF nature strikes the
keynote Of, and gives a light and color
to, the real character OF the man who
was Immersed IN the arduous activities OF
large and Important business career.
And Mr. William waldorf Aston tho
great-grandson Of John Jacob Astor. full
fned a very sacred obligation when he
paid a very natural. very well-deserved
and a very fitting tribute OF respect to
the memory OF the original founder. or
2lst descendant OF the great house Of
Astor.
Mr.. Astor. after stating that I'VE owe
to wealth the greatest pleasures and ad-
vantages that life can OFFER IN education
IN the comforts and rciinements OF home,
In the embellishments Of art, and In the
delight Of travel" makes the following
startling but true, statement: In
America" says Mr.. Aston my great
grandfather's lie and character have
been distorted and caricatured until only
an odd travesiy survives. BY tho press
serious journals. he has-been continually
derided and reviled with the spirit Of
pure malignity which pursues the sue
cossful man. There exists no ampler CO.
plousness of meanness and vulgarlty, no
grosser exhibition OF Ignorance, no
coarser proclamation Of private life. OF
modesty. OF the defenseless. or OF dOmes-
tic sorrow than fills the columns OF these
lupers CHE press) white as snow I re-
member. when a lad. hearing my father
say Of some OF the most vlrulent OF these
attacks, IT is enough to make one wish
to abandon such a countryr--an opinion
I subsequently learned 20 share"
An editorial writer for one OF the
Philadelphia dallies has taken Mr A..
tors trenchant remarks to heart and has
vilihed that gentleman after the follow.
Ing most approved Billingsgate fashion,
Mr.. Aston is rich. and for four gem
eratons his ancestors have been rich.
II IS his only standard. He knows no
other Il Is probably impossible for
him to have any other He has al
ways acted on Il. He has to live on
Il. Take his money away and Mr..
Aston would be, as he Is. a narrow.
selfish man, with no eye for anything
but the main chance. He ran for
Congress, under the impression that
anything man wanted could be
bought He wanted the respect OF his
fellow citizens. He has not had 1t.
This was another thing he could not
buy. He CROSSES the ocean to reduce
his taNes,and he has nicely adapted his
English benefactions TO his social adj
vantage. His own life tells Its own
story OF the failure OF money Unable
10 buy respect. regard or public posi-
dion where both he and his money
we're known he emigrated to a coun-
try where only his money was known
He stands to-day the visible example
that money will buy pretty much
everything but the real things OF life
Without the respect OF his fellows,
Afted by his wealth on a pedestal
where all the narrow. thing ne is has
become known 10 two nations. he.
Nr. Aston. has the regard OF aeither."
The above quotation from the PhiiatIel
phia daily In question is fair sampi
OF the vlrulent abuse TO which Mr.. wa
liam Waldorf Astor was subjected whe
ne was a resident OF this. hts natlv,
country. IL is a fair sample OF the back
alley criticism TO which he has been sub
Jected 10y q considerable section OF IN
American press ever since he has been
resident OF England. And Il Is also IA
sample OF the coarse attacks to which d
viii ever be subjected. so long as hi
name is William Waldorf Astor-and :
long as he Is the possessor OF million
To be the recipient Of rabid and blacl
guardly abuse would seem 20 be the con
mon heritage Of the rich man OF to-day.
The sole reason Of all this unnecessai
display Of animus lies IN the double IA
Of Mr.. Aston having reduced the amour
% his taxation In this country, by reas,
OF his having removed some portion
his taxable Investments. and also by re-
son Of his having elected to reside IN
foreign country Well. II Mr.. Asst
thinks that English society affords hl
me opportunity OF a greater social al
unction than that afforded him by q
ess exclusive society Of his own countr
and II he is OF the opinion that Engli
society opens up before him a wider hs
Of action, field In which he may pos
frfnr"