The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-21

had not vet learned the stony stare and
the brutal swagger OF the bucks of the
Jardfn Ma bile and the titled bruisers of
the Argyle rooms The women were still
women-God bless them-a little vulgar
lied by 50 much money. hut ignorant of
the pinch-beek airs and sraces of the de-
! rnimondaine and the unspeakable dirt of
London and Paris.
Yet. then as now. the best people.
no matter how rich. turned silently aside
and gave them the middle Of the road.
The tragic end of Fisk was for time an
object lesson. II let in food Of ligls
and gave q moments check TO the orgy
Of license which was exceeding its natural
bounds and beginning To make its infiu-
ence felt i'm dangerous proximity 10 those
regions where wealth was recognized as
paramount II was this which secured the
modification Of the Stokes verdict from
Death TO a short term OF Imprisonment.
The noxious weed. however. had taken
root The bucketshop was 20 become an
institution. the stock gambler q power,
the market as familiar TO women as TO
men. Mr. Carnegie may give all Of his
millions TO the n0hiest works. The Mes
srs Rockefeller may endow a thousand
schools and charities, while dozen bill
liouaires may show by their wise and
lavish use of money how i'll they think
Of il except as the means Of doing good;
hut, as the poor are always with us. so
are the vulgsrians. who, given money
enough. set up at voluptuous principal
ity. call il the -Four Hundred, and, hav-
ing made sure of il boundaries and their
isolation, proceed TO make their own
moral code hardly deigning even 10 ask
the rest of the community. What are
YOU going to DO about it?
The sea-going palace. the modern au-
TO. the struggle for equivocal notoriety
the strife for titles. the eating from the
tree of forbidden knowledge. the aping Of
the manners Of the foreign swell! and
the fancied great. the marriage as an ex-
pertinent and the marriage of conven-
fence, the hot pursuit Of pleasure at home
and abroad-in short, the constant striv-
ing after the ostentatious display Of
wealth inevitable TO the sun-worship of
money-these are among the features that
distinguish the Four Hundred from other
rich people. who heartily despise such
proceedings. who with fortunes secure
and social positions fixed live without
scandal and travel without adventure,
but whom the wantons of the smart set
describe as the 'bourgeosisic.'
In separating the sheep from the goats
and properly ticketing the goats, shall
one be accused of basphemy?
we reproduce a varied assortment of
editorial expressions upon this general
subject with particular reference TO some
observations which lately appeared in
these columns They are characteristic.
The American newspaper is nothing if
not paradoxical. rs usual We find our
selves accused by some without discrim-
nation and by others dismissed with
vapid ebunitions of contempt. In the
ethics Of modern Journalism few things
are so touching as the disdain of the
superior being who affects Indifference
when he cannot come to time. and marks
lis lack OF sincere feeling and his inca
pacity to see and tell the truth by the
conceit OF enlightened deliberation
We have no defense to make, says
one and then goes on defending. No
class has monopoly of good. or bad
qualities says another and. depreciating
our heat and undue excitement pro-
ceeds TO concede all we have claimed
Stil another works in Burke's aphorsm.
You cannot indict a whole people Our
article must receive considerable modif-
cation. declares critic posing as a jur-
list before persons who hold facts higher
than fancy can be advised to read it. the
whole of the writing thus discredited re-
printed elsewhere in the same paper 10
prove the assertion and invite perusal
A certain CholIy Knickerbocker actually
pretends to give in rebuttal list Of la
dies and gentlemen. persons Of the very
highest character and standing. leading
noble and useful lives seeking by such a
suhterfuSc TO make it appear that we
included in our description everybody
having picture gallery or holding a
recognized place i'm society. 1t is very
funny. TO use lingo of the smart set.
but it won't wash
All OF US your ladyship. Lord
Br0ugham once said TO a famous society
leader. 'all Of as, as your ladyship knows.
have committed adultery But we must
draw the line somewhere; and for one.
] Tx it at murder.
There need he no installing the lines
that fence in the Four Hundred. No
body can deny nor in truth through all
the expressions called out by our writ
ing do we find any denial OF the fidelity
of the picture drawn by us. 1t is the
truth. not the Scurrnous. that hurts At
The same time, it is fact that even in
the better realms Of luxury and wealth
there is a growing liberation of the un-
clean Good people are not So shocked
as they once were by moral infractions
1t is observ able that the mon drink
less. M least at table and in the public
company Of women. than they did thirty
years ago. But what the men have
gained in this respect the women them
selves have lost by the evolution OF mod
( ern society and the progress OF the desc
Grafton which that society has given the
idea OF the new woman. L is a doubtful
term at best II we would keep our wo-
men pure We must keep them ignorant.
F is nor OF evil at least OF dirt But what
shall De- done with these. women who in
sist upon knowing All Thar --.e men know
and. hy q certain not unreasonable claim
of equality who propose To keep up with
The masculine profession. share and share
and share alike
There is not a conscientious man nor
thoushcfu woman in The society Of amy
+ of olir sreat centers Of population who
does nor mark with serious apprehension
Tire lowering tendencies of The time. The
MULTIPLICATION or frivolous marriages. the
: dissertation Of the marriage lie. the i'm