The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-07-26
Abandoned His Own Land In Order 10
Gain Social Fame in England.
INTENDED TO Be PRESIDENT OF U. S.
ErpatrIatsd BY His Own Rash Act and an
0utcast Abroad, He Nov Seeks a
New Haven In Germany.

This Is the story OF William Waldorf
Astor. a man without a country. Like
the figure in Edward Everett Hales
weird romance. this heir to American
millions seems destined 10 eternal voyag-
ing.
Expatriated by his own act, driven out
by the scorn or the land he adopted, no
friendly haven seems open TO him.
The latest trouble to overtake Mr.. As
tor and his social ambitions Is the Sir
Archibald Milne affair. For a particular
ly open and fragrant insult TO an inti-
mate friend OF the Prince OF Wales the
edict has gone out I'm. England that Mr..
Astor Is 10 be ostracized.
TO escape the ''cut direct" from the So
ciety that he has served only too well for
his own self-respect, Mr.. Astor left Lon
don for Germany last week. Invitations
were out for two large entertainments at
his country place. Cliveden, on the
Thames.
These were cancelled and the expatriat-
ed American started for Ems. followed
by the sneers of social leaders who have
blunt British way OF speaking their
minds quite freely. One point in the As
tor-Milne incident, however, has not
No acceptable theory has been advanced
TO account for Astor's snub not only to
Capt. Milne, but 10 the Military and Ma
val club one OF the most aristocratic in
situations of the city. Mr.. Astor's knees
have bent so unvaryingly before the So
cial gods of the British that his attitude
now is inexplicable.
lie had never had n quarrel with Capt.
iine. The woman who brought the IT,
led officer TO Mr.. Astor's musicale was an
intimate friend, and power in London
social circles. And yet, With curious and
characteristic caprice, Astor caused to be
printed In his Pail Mall magazine a blunt
announcement that Milne had attended
his party without invitation.
One and only one hint has been given
as 10 the cause of Mr.. Astor's action He
is said 10 have been jealous OF Capt.
Milne as a rival lover. Both men. IL In
whispered, were suitors for the hand of
a woman OF noble blood in England, and
the captain was the favored one.
Small business. and the manners OF
man who might better be towing boats
on the Thames than giving garden parties
for English nobility" said the London
smart set.
ASTOR'S SOCIAL DEATH WARRANT.
And that was the end of Mr. Astor so
far as social distinction, n peeragc or
anything else that he bad set his heart
on is concerned. lie has exchanged the
contempt OF America for the cordial dis
like OF England.
Worse still, William Waldorf Astor Is a
bore. The Prince of Wales says so and
among Mr.. Astor's acquaintances the
princes word is law. Society might for
give him certain vulgarity, a good deal
Of arrogance and vast amount OF pre-
tention. but to bore the prince is an un-
pardonable sin In England.
II is worse than being an anarchist. IL
Is worse than going against Tommy At
klns In print. IL is the kind OF a thing
that a man never gets over In the Lon
don smart set.
In looking over n list OF guests invited
10 meet him at house I'm Scotland last
fall, the prince caught the name of Astor.
He ran his blue pencil through IL. Don't
ask him: he bores me-" said the prince,
laconically. and then the ak began to fall
and the Milne incident is merely the final
scene I'm the cutting of of the social head
OF William Waldorf Astor
Looking at the matter In large way.
not many people will deny that Mr.. AS
tor deserves his fate. .ie turned his back
on his native country, spoke OF II bitterly
in foreign prints, cut himself of from II