The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-10
Progress i'm Social SpIendor.

r n A LETTER to the New York
Sun, an observant and forceful
Il writer, signing himself "An OLD
New Yorker" comments in
struCtively upon the rapid growth of
great American fortunes. After not
ing the grandeur of appointments and
entertainment now common in the So
cial circles frequented by our multi
millionaires and comparing them with
the relatively modest functions" of
other days, he takes pains to explain
that he does not disparage the accu-
mutation of wealth nor overlook the
simultaneous uplift which has come
to the whole standard of material
comfort. with respect to which he
specifies:
Conveniences denied to the rich fifty and sixty
years ago are now enjoyed by the poor. Articles
then accounted luxurics for the fortunate only
have become commonplace necessalcs for all who
live in decency now. From a high death rate
then sanitary regulation has made New York
remarkable among the great cities OF the world
for its healthiulness. Tenement houses then
were wretchcd habitatons. In the old days when
st. Marks place and Second avenue were seats
ot contemporary wealth and when even about
Tompkns square were residences relatively state.
ly, there was put up in Eleventh street to the
east OF Second avenue row of tenement houses,
mere barracks, in which were crowded families
OF the poor without even the decencies now en-.
forced by law on landlords, and the filth and
almost savage life Of those people, their drunk
enness their car.piercing family brawls husbands
beating wives as a daily exercise-drove from
the neighborhood the very respectable denizens
Of Tenth street among whom my boyhood was
spent. All that has changed The tenement
house now under the compulsion OF drastic law
is palace comparatively and markets and gro.
ceries in the districts occupied more particularly
by the tenement population bear witness to the
great improvement in the quality and variety
OF their food which has taken place since two
generations ago.
Not as az grumbler. but as philoso-
pher the correspondent of the Sun
asks the question, What is to be the
consequence of all the progress in
grandeur now strikingly visible and
everywhere increasing, and when will
the limit be reached? and it seems to
us that his inquiry is deserving of at
tention. One citizen of New York is
credited by common report with hav-
| ing received an income of $4S,000, 600
last year. Even assuming the figures
| to be exaggerated one-fold. the
amount yet represents sum equal to
the total revenues of many kingdoms
of the past and of many American
commonwealths today, and he is not
alone-the number of men whose in
comes exceed all possibilities of rea-
sonable personal expenditure is quite
| large and is steadily increasing II
and forcible redistribution, as pros
posed by many. what will it be? "Old
New Yorker" offers this opinion:
The limitations possible to luxury must have
| been reached already or at least closely ap
| preached. What more is there ior money &c
/ buy in that dreetonH In this country, NOR,
! especially, what motive is there Tor regal mag
| nhcence? To what use can people put bigger
houses than are now built or proiected9 societ,
(lsng the term in its restricted sense Dor
rowed from arstocracies) seems to have reached
m numbers the limit which makes convenient
Intercourse possible. The tendency is rather tC
restriction or to division. How can dinners b,
made more magnificent than they have become,
| Jewels more costly than rubies and diamonds
| cannot be bought and feminine costumes aread,
exhaust the invention Of their Creators" $,
| far as cost goes. More expense cannot be crowd
ed into houses and entertainments, stables
yachts and retinues, Luxury has reached tn,
limit veyond which 1t becomes surfeit.
Tha theory Of the correction Of use,