The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-12
PRINCE Of SN()BDOA
Is William Waldorf Astor, for
Whom America
ISN'T HALF GOOD ENOUGH
TribuIation Attends Him in
His Adopted Land.

New York, Aug I.-Journl says: Will
lam Waldorf Astor obtruded himeslf last
week upon the pubic notice of two coun-
tries by his remuneration Of American citi-
zenship after a long continued whine of
vulgar and silly abuse Of his native coun-
trty.
The possessor of the greatest fortune in
America, the greatest land owner in New
York city, has become a British subject
and citizen, renouncing all connection
with the United States except that Of de-
irving an enormous income from 1t. He
has performed this act Of remuneration,
moreover, under circumstances Of pecul-
lar atrocfty which arouse the disgust Of
all decent Americans, and even of many
Englishmen. 1t Is but natural that all
Americans who stop to think of Aston
should at the same time indulge in an out
burst of wholesome indignation.
This william Waldorf Astor is the great
grandson of John Jacob Astor, who was
born in a peasant cottage in Waldorf,
Germany. He emigrated to this country
in 1874, and made the greatest fortune Of
his day, a fortune which has increased at
an enormous and constant rate to the
present day, and Is the only one of great
size in America which has been enjoyed
by four successive generation. The des-
cendant of the immigrant has now turn
ed em6grant.
Astor's actions In becoming an English
man was promoted largely by his desire
to evade the payment Of personal taxes.
He came to this country In March in or
der to protest against the assessment Of
his personal property at 100000. He re-
sisted the assessment on the ground that
he was not of New York. He Talso de-
clared that the assessment was excessive.
After long wrangle it was decided that
he must pay his taxes. Against this de-
cision he has appealed.
In the meantime he has become a Brit
ish subject, and in the present state Of
the law it seems probable that he will
be able to avoid paying any personal
taxes here, because he can clearly prove
that he has no legal residence in this
country.
Seeing that Mr.. Astor possesses 5000
900 Of real estate property in this city.
and that for many years he has enjoyed
an income OF at least $10.0O0.O00 a year, the
assessment of 100000 seems quite mod
crate. He is not content, however, with
revlling this country and drawing an i'm
mense incaome from 1t, burt declinese to
pay Its low taxes. Cor a combination Of
insult and impudence that can hardly
be beaten.
MT. Astor Is now an Englishman, and
glories in II. The English do not glory
In him. Having strong business in
stinct, they will accept hi mand make
him pay taxes of all kinds, but they will
oespse him. They have plenty of good
men OF their own. and they do not feel
BATTERED by the acquisition Of an Ameri-
can ashamed of his birthplace and fore
fathers. England. which has applauded
the rise of Disrael and many another man
after a life Of fierce strife and opposition,
can have little sympathy with a creton
whose chief grievance is that newspapers
and politicians have been rude to him.
Astor Is now devoting his whole life and
fortune to securing recognition by the ar
istocracy OF England. 1t Is even said that
he hopes to be made a lord, but in order
to achieve that distinction 1t is necessary
for a nobody in England to spend enor-
nous sums of money for public purposes,
and Aston inherits much of the parsimony
of his family.
Nevertheless he Is spending more and
more every year under the spur of social
ambition.
The report Is again current that he
will marry Lady Randolph hurchlll. She
Is one Of the most beautiful American
women in England, and undoubtedly the
cleverest. With her aid Mr.. Astor might
achieve the popularity which he can never
hope to win by himself Against Lady
neither Americans nor English
men of his day. and. of course. a good
good wife goes where her husband goes.
and holds his opinions. She ism ow Wild
ow. is rather poor. and has great ambi-
lions for her two sons. Mr. Astor's mill
poseions would aid her. and applied to her
purpose they would probably do more
good than they have yet done.
Mr.. Astor's social campaign I'm England
has not been a brilliant success. The
Prince has declared that he will not have
the ex-American at houses where he Wis
Its. because "he bores me SOL It is true
that Mr.. Aston secures many titled peo-
pie at his board, but that is not difficult
for one OF his wealth. Those whom he
are the least desirable of their
class. They are the most active in abus-
ing him behind his back Lord Salisbury
Mr.. Balfour. Mr.. Chamberlain and the
other big men Of England are not yet
among the chums of Mr.. Astor, and prob
ably never will be.
Mr.. Astor's action in renouncing Ameri-
can citizenship was fifty preceded by an
one article in the Pail Mall Magazine. in
which he put forward a bogus claim to
noble ancestry. His alleged ancestors in
ciuded the D'Astrog family of France.
one Of whose members he sair fed to
Germany at the revocation OF the Edict
of Nantes. The pedigree has been rip
ped to pieces by an English heraldic au-
thority. The D'Astrogs were well known
-