The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-07-21

yOu, anu SIdi6 tHS culuuoidSIll anu utSO-
tion of the artist. But in that you will
be lonely. You have gone where your
host cannot come, for he does not bear
the same relation to his treasures that
the musician does to his music, the schol-
ar to his knowledge or the traveller to
his experience. To them you say, "Give
me your best;' to him you say, "Show
me your costliest.' He cannot go beyond
that.
And now who, think you, mas been the
loser by the establishment of Tuxedo
Park?
But | would not have you think for a
moment that / mean to say all poor men
are scholars or musicians or artists, or
that all rich men lack a perception of
beauty. There are many rich men who
are cultured in mind, humane in spirit
and gentle II disposition and breeding.
There are many poor people who are
destestably proud and envious and igno-
rapt. My remarks are directed at neither
of these classes. No detraction can hurt
the one nor praise help the other. 1t is
the Midases and Plutuses that l have in
mind-those who pride themselves upon
their great wealth, because they have
naught else. The lesson / would impress
is that money is a dangerous thing to
handle. If you don't manage it right, it
exposes you terribly, and the world will
laugh at you, though you may not see
the smile.
1t is quite true that we are forming an
aristocracy in this country, not the by
the-grace- of-God or by-divine- fright sort,
but a matter of-fact upper stratum OF
beings who float on golden wings above
the turbid current of less glded beings.
Very splendid are these beings who have
the dollar mark for their crest, though
their origin may have been snuff as in the
case of Lorillard, wash tubs as in the
case of Mrs. Paran Stevens or bull hides
as in the case of William Waldorf Astor.
Generally this aristocracy is brief-lived,
for it's corner stone is money. AS wealth
is its basis and fortune is tickle the street
beggar of today may be the American
nobleman of tomorrow. And this is the
weak point in what some one has aptly
dubbed our chryso- aristocracy.
The trouble with Lorillard and his like
is not the fact of their being rich,
but it is that they have nothing back Of
it save an empty head and proud heart,
a combination that breeds contempt for
those less wealthy. In short they become
handles, in the worst sense of that term.
candies, like everything else have their
uses. They keep up the standard of
dress for one thing, and that is a matter
of some Importance; and they coin slang,
for another thing, which is a great con-
venience on occasions. Otherwise than
this, not mucn can be said for them.
Though a good many powerful and dis
tinguished people have had dash Of
dandyism about them, it was not the
dandyism that made them powerful and
distinguished. There was Brummel and
D'Orsay and Byron-regular dandies, all
of them, though not of the Pierre Loril-
lard variety. So was Sir Humphrey Davy
and Lord Palmerston. Then among the
ancients there were Marcus Antonius. the
philosopher, and AristoteIes, a very dis
tinguished writer, and Alcibiades, an ac-
complished young man. All of these were
t.swells' in their day. And dandies such
as these, says Oliver Wendell Holmes
''have rocked this planet like cradle
ay, and left it swinging to this day
still, if | were you, | wouldn't go to
the tailors, on the strength of these re-
marks, and run up long bill which will
render pockets a superhuity in your next
suit.
And this reminds me of a great dis
covery which the New York Jaurnal be-
lieves it has made. That enterpris-
ing newspaper has been taking a squint
at King Edwards coronation program and
it thinks it finds therein an explana-
tion of why Mr.. William Waldorf Astor
went to England, and why he wanted to
be a lord, but that it is not easy to see
how he could have cherished the hope
that his wild ambition could be gratiied.
1.-The privileges of the British peerage
are too exalted to be aspired to with any
reason by persons of common clay" says
the Journal.
For instance, the Duke of Norfolk has
put in a claim to act as Chief Butler of
England on the occasion of the coming
coronation. and doubtless some one of
his female relatives has right to act as
Chief Waitress and some other as Chief
Chambermaid.
Lord Grey de Rutbyn demands the
right to carry the golden spurs.
"Sr wvndham Anstruther claims the
right to be Grand Carver for Scotland,
and very likely he will insist upon pour
ing the gravy. too
'.The Duke of Newcastle insists upon
permission to provide glove and to sup
port the Kings arm.
"Other noblemen put in equally lofty
claims. The office of Hereditary Grand
Bootjack will not figure in the coronation
ceremonies, because the King will not
take off his boots until after he gets
home but no doubt some proud and hap
ply peer will have the honor of perform
ing its duties in due season.
''Who is William Waldorf Astor that
he should figure in such company? 1t is
honor enough for person of his extrac-
ton to be allowed to sit at a respectful
distance and warch through his opera
glasses the Duke of Norfolk doing his
Chief Butlering and Sir Wyndham Ans
truther his Grand Carving for Scotland"
This coronation proclamation shows the
nice graduation of the forms by which, ae-
cording to ancient official etiquette, the
sovereign is compelled to address the
various dignitaries and great personages
of his realm. Thus the Duke of Devon
shire is like all English dukes entitled
to be referred to by the sovereign as the
latter's right trusty and right entirely
beloved cousin and councillor" Lord Sal
isEury being only marquis, is merely
-. IL