The Washington times., 1901-08-07
SORROWS OF THE RICH.
How the Man with 100000 u Year
Hu. tn Ecpupniye.

Has TO Economic.
Fifty years ago. though incomes had for
some time been swollen by the profits of
trade and manufactures. a man who de-
rived El0,C0G a year from land or secure
investments was still accounted rich
Lord Beaconsiield then Mr.. Disrael. and
one of the keenest observers of society
who ever existed, fixed the figure even
lower. declaring that with any basis OF
good management GS,00D year without
drawbacks was veritsble Aladdin 3
lamp. Wealth now begins with E2p.V''
year. nor will the possessor OF that for
n,;.,l,- splendid income feel. if Re lives up
to his position, as free from care about
money as if he were really rich. When he
has paid for his country house with its
modern garden and hired 'shootings, for
his London house and its occasional enter
tainments for his wife's and daughters
dresses for n fair moor in Scotland. for
a modest yacht for six weeks in th- year,
and for an annual trip to the Continent,
he will lind that the amount of free money
left to crafty his personal tastes is very
little indeed.
He does not, in fact, feel the freedom
which is the grand advantage Of wealth:
perhaps its sole advantage as compared
with competence. still less the sense OF
complete exemption from pecuniary ahN-
ieIies He has not a pound too much
even if he is a fair manager. ana VIII
find that he has to avoid many expenses
which his richer nelghhorS incur almost
without thinking. and that he Is not reck-
oned over any wide countryside as a man
of very large means He Will not have 10
live quietly, or to keep himself notahly
out of the usual routine OF MS rank hul
the new prosperity of the country has al
tered the scale Of everything. all luNurieS
have increased enormously in cost, though
necessaries have not. and at the end oI
the year he viii begin 70 think whether
this or that outlay could not be ecoho-
mized
Suppose Mr. Semi-Croesus has made or
inherited what used to be the magh. lceilt
sum Of half million sterling. ne VIII hhu
il very difficult out of business to invest
at per cent. for though Americans obtain
: they do it by trusting Industrial specuia-
tions, which the average EnShshtnan oIlGe i';
ont OF the city thinks too uncertain Tor MS
children's future We will, however, al
low him per cent which. on half mil
lion is G19,0Ho year. that Is t3oeg win
the shilling income tax, which is deducted
before the income reaches him, taken of.
He has to buy town house, which Will
cost him G20.0o0 and country house ana
estate in a pleasant county. which with
the necessary rebuilding to suit his special
taste. will run away with 9SO,Oo or tSo,-
600 more. There is the income OF his es-
tate, to be sure to come TO MN. but ne
will find that when he has paid fer repairs
and scolded his bailiff for the losses on
the home farm-indispensable. you know,
for supplies-satisiied his tenants COM
plant, and paid his rates and his uthes,
and hired the extra shootings his Keepers
are anxious for. and provided for the
upkeep of his park, with its lodges and
gytes, and, above ALL roads. that income
is almost a negligible quantity.
Then there are two great houses to be
well furnished on a scheme in keeping
with his new position, which implies a
few good pictures and some marbles, and
many books. all new anc Nlid for at
prices which bear no resenriInce TO those
they will fetch one day at auction. He
of f20pOO: that is. he will have spent in
setting up or installing himself e130,elo,
or in other words, reduced his free in
come to Gli 900 year, a sum which, as
he approaches fifty, will be further reduc-
ed by allowances to his sons. pensions.
and other claims" which have grown
upon him to. say, e10000 year. which is
too little for the scheme of life he has
adopted.
There are so many more rich men than
formerly that everything they seek for,
especially fine houses fine furniture, and
opportunities of sport, has risen in price
by leaps and bounds. The scale has al
tered. and to keep among the first few
requires means which to our grandfathers
would have appeared immense. We see no
proof that vice has increased-certainly
that of gambling has not. though II is far
too prevalent-and We are not sure about
the wastefulness. There seems to be more
of ii because there is more money wasted,
but is the proportion greater? We think
not the number of the sensible and thrift
ty having increased much as that of
the spendthrifts, while the proportion of
the philanthropic has been indefinitely en-
larged i .OniOD Spectator.