Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-05-30
DANGER OF. CLASSES

DANGER OF. CLASSES
GROWING DISLIKE For THE DEcLA-
RATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
spirit-The Aristocracy of Wealth
That Expects the Worker to .tKnow
His Place."
In call made by me yesterday the
mother Of certain children said: "It's
too bad, this mixing up Of classes now
going on here in the Brookline -
school. I've decided to take my daugh-
ter out and send her to the - private
school,"
Only the other week another lady
said to me in speaking Of a newly mar
ried couple: ''She's already having her
domestic troubles. Why, do you know
her seamstress has left her because she
was made to eat down stairs with the
other servants"
Evidently. then, these two women be-
l1eve In classes and in maintaining
them, whatever you and I, Mr.. Editor,
believe to the contrary. No one who
goes to any Of our fashionable sum-
mer resorts, such as Newport, Lenox or
Manchester. can have any doubt that
many. others share in this same belief.
have heard it said more than once
that it was necessary to bring from
England buffers and upper servants
because they know their place." Not
all Americans, we may presume. "know
their place. or wish to be thought of
as Of different class.
One noticeable difference between
such new states as Colorado, California
and Oregon on the one hand and such
older states as Massachusetts,, New
York and Pennsylvania on the other
hand is In the fact that in these newer
states society has not yet hardened.
Wealth does not mean social differ
ence. The Declaration Of Independ-
ence is still believed in, and there is
something like a real equality. l pre-
sumo 1t is inevitable az the United
States grows and becomes more COM
plex for people to separate and divide
into classes, but it Is most unfortunate
that this separation is so largely along
the lines Of mere accumulation or non
accumulation Of dollars and cents.
In Europe, where differences are ac-
knowledged, the upper classes, with
their privileges, have responsibilities.
In America our 20 called upper class.
es'' wish the privileges implied by that
term. but are not willing TO accept the
responsibilities. .4-
| I am sorry to notice here In New
Hasland the growth Of an un:Amert
can spirit. There are some men and
women among us who cannot treat
others as their equals. They either lool
up or down at their neighbors. They
do not like the Declaration Of 1nde
pendence. 1t is subversive, they tell
Us, of "vested rights" They have 8
sneaking regret that Thomas Jefferson
did not die while teething. They are
much interested in the question, "Who
is the first lady in the land?' There ia
no first lady in the land. Let that
statement be automatic.
Most Of US are optimistic. We say
"Only three generations from shirt
sleeves to shirt sleeves" am not 50
sure of that. Certain wealthy families
are in the afth and sixth generation,
and I see no signs Of the younger gen
Grafton returning to the ranks OF the
workers.
Divisions into caste and class may
not be so unfortunate as the American
patriot imagines II all persons whether
the so called upper or lower classes,
are actuated by high and disinterested
motives. Ah, there's the danger! AS
we divide and separate we lose inter
est in the neighbor who is not Of our
set and then soon lose sympathy. This
| alienation of interest and sympathy
leads on to misunderstanding and en-
nifty, leads on finally to riots and revo-
luton.
Those Americans who really believe in
the basic principles Of our government
should do all that lies in their power
to lessen this tendency toward caste
and clique. Social differences need not
harden. Much can be done by the
| newspaper and the church.-Rev.
Thomas Van Ness in Boston Globe.