The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1902-09-27
Onr New Aristocracy.
tBy Alfred seton.)

Some students of our own times In
contemplating certain phases Of Ameri-
can life in our great cities are filled
with misgivings. They feel very much
as botanist might who discovers roses
growing luxuriantly on soil which should
only nourish thistIes. They endeavor
to reconcile seemingly hostile facts,
and, bafiled In the effort, become be-
wildered. In a country Of Republican
Institutions. under laws presumptively
framed to level all distinctions, they
believe they discover on one hand
families putting forth the leaves and
teadrils of aristocracy, and on the other,
Thousands OF other families ready to
concede all claims to superiority. And
pol 1s this condition more notice.
able than in New York City, but while
it IL conspicuously in evidence there is
nevertheless discernible everywhere.
The leveiing doctrine is not new to
this country, to our most recent CEN
turtles or to our civilization. How it
Jared in other times every school hoy
kuUWos hO" ~ Will lao auiohC sho
trsnsplanted Europeans on American
soil history has yet to record. That our
forefathers in casting off the mooring
which bound these colonies TO England
believed they had severed every tie
between aristocratic and Republican
institutions is not to be questioned.
Hsraldic devices. titles, rights of the
eldest son, entailment of real property,
vii we're placed under ban. Men
should differ with one another only as
the stars do, by the light that is within
them.
However wisely and we'll the builders
OF the new and great western republic
drafted their lines. it is somewhat early
to express an opinion. Any statement
must be viewed as u speculation. or a
prophecy. Some conditions. however,
are To be detected that would give rise
to the suspicion that in spite of all the
efforts of the trainers Of those great
national documents. the Declaration of
Independence and the Constitution of
tho United States, men will shine more
BY what they possess than by what they
are. II 1t prove in the future a class
can exist arroGating to itself all the
pfetensions of an aristocracy, even
though shorn OF titles and rights to
hsraldic devices, unsupported by Her
ADS college, and if this class is recog-
ntaed and its pretensions conceded iV
the mnsses. in what way. may 1t be
asked, has the leveiiDg doctrine become
ruling principle in the republic?
Certain families in New York City
are generally conceded to be more than
representative. They are pre-eminent
in the first social sphere for wealth and
influence. Their influence awes those
with no influence. and their wealth COM
mands respect that has become almost
servility. Year by year these families
withdraw more and more to smaller and
more exclusive circles and surround
themselves with barriers quite as un-
passable as though they lived in feudal
castles with moat and drawbridge.
Their comings and goings are events,
their marriages matters Vt national
interest, the birth OF their children in
cidents discussed in the tenements and
in the farmers cottage.
Great wealth marks these families as
distinctly as a title descended from u
Norman In Williams band OF pirates.
Indeed. millions OF dollars to mans
credit means more in his age than a
shield of SNOWY quarterings. Their
families are small, and, If large, son
is generally selected to perpetuate the
family by the bestowal upon him of the
bulk of the estate. Their marriages are
seldom unaecompanied by the union of
fortunes as we'll as of families. What
matters it IL these families do not pos
sess titles. so long rs the family name is
a symbol Of great wealth and influence ?
The history of France, when its place
among nations was held by the sword,
was history OF families. and in this
age, when a nation is held in the scales
of commerce, is it to be wondered at that
its leading families are the kings of
commerce What are feudal fees to be
compared to the tribute paid to the
Vanderbilts. Goulds, Rockefellers, Nor
gans and Whitneys by every man.
woman and child in the great metrop-
olisY No one escapes toll. To go up
the state one pays a Vanderbilt. to ride
on the elevated one pays Gould. to
ride In the street cars one pays Whit
ney. to burn gas one pays Rockefeller,
to burn coal one pays Morgan. Not
an ounce of food reaches the city but
one Of these collects his share. Why,
feudal lords are children in extOytion.
The mode of living of the rich is such
as to denote the impossible gulf between
them and the seathing world about them.
Their doorwavs are guarded by servile
funkeys; their houses are filled with
liveriad ssYvants Private cars await