Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-02

CHENYI have reached an under
~ standing. The count said to the
countess: Being only just married,
must play the gallant husband like an
American
Said the countess to the count: THE
gallant American you will have to re-
main. Do you hear what 1 say? L
won't have any other kind of a husr
band. All, how I wish we could have
remained in America"
This impelled the count to exclain.
with emphasis: Impossible. What
mean to do is to remain a true son of
my Hungarian fatherland. 1 will work
in it's service and for it's glory"
For my part" said the countess,
america will always remain my
fatherland" An American girl is as
free as the eagle, and she may marry
the man of her choice. She generally
does. 1t is unfortunate, however, that
the choice Of SO many American girls
who have great possessions should lead
them far from home. There has never
been much luck in Latin American,
Magyar American, Czech american or
Slav-American marriages, and French
and italian marriages have not been dis
tinguished for happiness or true pros
Derity. 1t is only too obvious that in
majority of cases the foreign title hunts
the American wad. That is. not an ele-
giant way of putting it, but it is not an
elegant subject. On the contrary, it is
extremely vulgar, and therefore does
not merit over nicely of treatment. 1t
would put an end to ribald jest, cynical
sneer and unfavorable comment if the
United States imposed an export duty
on heiresses. Would not that be an ex-
cellent idea? If an American woman
with vast fortune, made in America
by American labor and amassed into
one vast heap through the manage
ment or generalship of one of her an
cestors, should choose for herself a
foreign spouse, then, unless he should
remain in the United States and be-
come a naturalized citizen he should be
compelled to leave in this country at
least half-50 per cent-of the total
American fortune of the bride. If he
should continue to be as devoted to her
with only so per cent of her fortune as
he was with all of it, cruel world
will. be more inclined to believe that
he loves her for herself alone. Billions
of American dollars have been taken
out of the country by European bride
grooms in the last few years. For this
no return has been made to the United
States. There is nothing to show for
all this outgO of American capital and
the product of American labor except
ing at too frequent intervals cable
grams regarding the marital unhappi-
ness of this poor American wife of a
European ignobleman, IL divorce pro-
ceedings to unloose unsanctified bonds
that are mere mockeries of the marital
ties of Cupid. Sooner or later the fet
ters forged by Mammon gall the vic
Tins wrists, and sooner or later the
gives of greed have to be removed by
that fell blacksmith, the Law.
Under the circumstances it is both
taxing exported fortunes should sug-
gest itself. Since we levy taxes on i'm
ports, why should we not levy duties
on fortunes that are exported? These
fortunes have been created in the
United States. They are attributable
to the favorable circumstances pro-
duced by the American form of gov
ernment, and to the great incentive to
enterprise given by its guarantee of
security. Since these fortunes are made
here it is only fair to the nation that,
If not all, at. least a part of them
should be reinvested here in order that
the economic balance may not be dis
turbed and that the economic proprie-
ties may not be violated.