Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-10-01
AN INTERVIEW WITH MRS.
ASTOR.
The Leader OF the New York "Four
Hundred" Sends n McssnRc to
The Ipuhlic.

the Public.
| ORebccca H. rnsley In The Delncat tor }
(Mre. william Actor the oldest living
member Of the Astor family. who ms Just
retired as supreme head OF that exclusive
SGT known rs the New York -Four Hun
dred," gives 10 The Delineator her FIRST
interview on public anairs-in fact. It Is
her first public utterance. When tho
question OF selecting the Now York so
cial register became matter of nccess-
| ity. the Astor family was found to lie
the oldest In New York, and so It was
given precedence and its Oldest member
was naturally the social leader. by viz
tue Of this position she was simply Mrs
Aston, It never being necessary for her
to use or sign any other name. Indeed.
It would have been breach of one OF
the old rules of social etiquette. Here
for the first time. Mrs. Astor tells the
American people what she thinks about
n great many subjects that are foremost
In their minds. She talks very freely
and very frankly. and the interview Ii all
the more remarkable in view of her cx-
trernc conservatism and the fact that she
has always successfully discouraged
newspaper prominence. Mrs Astor was
|,
ls55 she was married to William Aston
n grandson of the first John Jacob As
tori
About two years ago found myself
IN New York, having Just returned from
Europe. where l had been living for n
number of years There were many
pleasant things In store for me on my
return home. and chief among them was
t..
looked forward to I, for long time.
since much admired her. not only be-
causc Of her leadership In New YoN< and
Newport society. but because had
heard through her friends 90 many
tributes to her simplicity and charm and
her many intellectual interests.
Mine was an unusually opportunity for
meeting her She was aware of my APP
probation Of her. and she knew that
she could trust me. Then. too. It hap
pened that she was interested In many
of the people and the things had Just
come from: one subject led to another,
and we went from scenery to society,
from arts to artists. from politics t. the
philosophy Of life I was especially I'm
pressed with her wide range OF thought
and her independence OF Judgment, by
her graceful manner ana choice dction
Her restraint and tact were as re-
markable as her courage OF utterance
Enthusiastically patriotic. she did not
hesitate to condemn certain phases OF
Amcricanism as seen in New York: but
she was full OF optimism for the future
Her own intimate knowledge Of America
was limited to New York and Newport
she said, and she all not allow herself
to make sweeping congratulations about
America or Americans
II RELIEVE IN A REPUBLIC"
She said she welcomed particularly
what seemed to be n reaction In favor
of dignity and decency in New York
journalism; that II was only few years
ago that certain quiet. inoffensive women
Ike herself We're In constant terror Of
the papers. For that reason she had not
seen a journalist for twenty years or
more LAS far as was concerned"
she said. they We're never unkind, but
rather too kind. would say Good
morning in the drawing room to some
cultivated young woman or an i'm
maculate young man. and the next days
paper would have two or three columns
of things l never even imagined. There
is good deal In English journalism
that we hope TO see IN New York,
particularly the high sense of honor and
personal responsibility that English journ-
alist1 manifest.
Although | have been IN Europe
great deal, l have always returend to
my own country with renewed interest
III 1t. | believe In q republic and | be-
lieve in republic In which money has
great deal to say, as IN ours Money
represents with us energy and char
acter; II is acquired by brains and UNI
firing effort II is kept intact only by
the same means. It were well If Europe
were imbued more with the American
Ideas or money power-I do not say
ideals-that Is another thing But
American ideas about developing the
natural resources Of the country and
their commensurate notions about work