The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-07-01
Triumph of the Newly Rich.

THE growth OF luxurious living I'm
America was very slow during the first
80 years OF the republic. Indeed, up to
the breaking out of our civil war the
Inequalities OF fortune were not so mark
ed as to make those who lived sumptu-
ously, according to the standards OF those
days. seem so far removed from the mere
ly wel-to-do as TO be almost in another
world. In the earlier days, any sober
and industrious man could prosper, even
though he did not perform merely man
ual labor. There was work for every
one to do and no one was more In de-
mand than Mr.. Jack OF -all-trades, who
now walks superfiuous In the. dusty high
way, with no one to applaud his adapt
ability, none TO need his ingenious SER
vices. Food was plenty. land was cheap,
rents were low. Be honest and you will
be happy. was not mere cant; It was the
solemn and the grateful truth. Pretty
nearly every one lived well, but pretty
nearly all lived plainly. With better
houses, with better water supplies. with
improved lamps for illumination and then
with the Introduction or Illuminating gas.
and most OF all with the greater wealth
which came at the end of the civil war
the growth In luxurious living began
taking tremendous strides. Luxury with
poor light after sunset: luxury with few
of the means OF personal cleanliness. does
not mean much TO US nowadays. Why, a
man In Harlem fiat at six hundred
dollars year can command more OF the
kind OF luxury just mentioned than say
the dissolute Charle7 /. ever dreamed of.
But the wealth t..et comes with new
fortunes TO new people was really what
begun the race which may be called the
Millionaire Stakes for all ages.
Before these stakes were opened
there were few fortunes in this country
Some were made in the trade with the
East, some were made in strictly domestic
commerce, some were founded In piracy
and other adventures by sea, but the
greatest number and the most stable
were those which came from shrewd in
vestments I'm land which was enhanced in
value by the growth OF cities. Even UP
10 the time that the Newly Rich began
TO splurge, the owners OF the fortune
just mentioned were pretty generally
tolerably plain people, who lived very
quietly and looked upon those who made
unusual display as too vulgar to come
inside the sacred pale which called itself
society. In New York, this class OF peo-
neighborhood OF Washington square; in
Philadelphia, toward the foot of Walnut
street, and In Boston. In that ever sacred
Beacon street They were slow but
sure. They had no doubt about their
position or the propriety with which
they maintained their dignity. They
did what they pleased. but they did not
please TO DO In least fantastic, theatric,
ostentatious or conspicuous. And until
the Newly Rich had arrived, with the
manifest intention TO stay permanently,
there were none with either the ambi-
tion or the ability TO dispute this suprem-
acy, which was maintained not by an ag-
gressiveness. but by the passive power OF
inestia.
with the advent of the Newly Rich
there was a great rattling OF old bones,
and TO the cynical observer who merely
looked on without caring which side won
there was plenty OF fun. One OF the new
comers was an Hebraic banker. who bad
the oriental imagination OF HIS race and
the brutal pugnacity characteristic of tho
men who compel material success. His
luxurious living. his novel methods of
entertaining. his Indifference 10 criticism
and his enterprise generally shocked the
oldtimers quite out OF their sclf-posses-
sion. This man strengthened HIS post
tion by marrying one OF the most boauti-
full women OF tho day n member also OF q
family that was truly distinguished. The
success OF this man was really the be-
ginning OF the end OF that old order In
which display was n shock 90 gcntility
and luxury mark Of vulgarity. The old
timers did not give I'm without q strug-
sia, Il may be believed. No, they never
gave in: but, their followers. their heirs.
their descendants gave in without firing
n shot. Fighting was not In their line.
The primrose path OF dalhance' was much
moro 20 their taste. and so they trod ~
gladly and proudly locking arms ana
keeping step with the Newly Rich with
such constnncy that now. after IN years
~ coniradship. there is no telling the one
Ainsiees.