The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-01-29
SOUL AND HONOR
ARE SACRIFICED
Congressman Attacks Custom
!, of American HeireSSeS Mar
rying European Noblemen.
BARGAIN DAYS IN GOTHAM
WHETHER FOR YARD OF RIBBON
OR POUND OF FLESH.
BARGAIN DAYS IN GOTHAM

Washington, Jan. 2S.-In the house
today Representative McGavin (Ill)
attacked the custom of American heir
esses marrying European noblemen.
Declaring that he had no particular
person in view. he asserted that "wo-
men are sacrificing their souls and
their honor on the altar of snobbery
and vice" He asserted that almost ev-
cry day is a bargain day in New York,
"where you can buy anything from a
yard of ribbon to a pound of flesh
Laughter and Applause.
Mr.. A4cGavin was speaking on the bill
I 90 tax dowries and titled husbands. His
REMARKS were made under the license
of general debate and at times they
provoked laughter and applause.
The house, he said, was in commit
tee of the whole on the state of the
Union, but he wanted to know what
the state of the Union was and what
IL was coming to-in view of these in
ternational unions between American
heiressesl and alleged noblemen from
abroad
No Particular Reference.
He wondered what the early pioneers
would think and say if from their
graves they could look back and see
so many of the women of this country
sacrificing their souls and honor upon
the altar of snobbery and vice" He
expressly stated tina ,he had reference
10 no particular American girl. nor had
he prejudice against all titled men, but
- he referred only TO those who have a
menocle in their eye and an-idiOtic
look upon their faces-those who have
neither the disposition to do good nor
the ability to do harm"
Not Named in Schedule.
Mr.. McCiavin said his curiosity had
been aroused TO know the right COM
mittee to which the bill should have
gone, but he had found it properly had
feone to the committee on ways and
means because it sought to levy a tax.
And then he said he was curious to
know whether the present tariff sched-
ule included dukes, earls, lords and
counts, land finding that these things
were not here mentioned, l thought it
might be proper for the customs Of
ficiaIs to classify them, like frog-legs.
as poultry, for it is a general opinion
among Americans that they are a spe-
cies of geese"
Soiled and Prayed Nobility.
Mr. McGavin said the United States
triumphantly had referred to the fact
that as between it and other nations
the balance of trade was in it's favor
but" he said. nowhere in the sum-
mary can be found a reference to such
trade in which soiled and frayed no.
bility is exchanged for a few million
American dollars wrung from the
lambs of Wall street with woman
thrown in to boot"
Every day." he declared, seemed to
be bargain in New York City, wheth-
er IL be for a yard of ribbon, or
pound of flesh; whether it be upon the
retail counter of Broadway, or the auc-
ton block of Fifth avenue"
20 Mamma, Buy Me That"
I'm these days" he said, wealthy
American girls travelling abroad when
they see some remnant of royalty, en-
Enthusiastically exclaim:
oh, mamma. buy me that An in
terpreter then is secured, a bargain is
made. the money is produced and the
girl is gone, TO soon return sadder
but a wiser one"
In conclusion, Mr.. McGavin said:
while 1 have engaged in some crit
icism of those particular ones who
have made a mockery of the most
sacred relations of life-of those not
satisfied with any other name but
Countess Spaghetti or Countess
Macaroni,' I want TO say one word in
tribute to those true American women
who have spurned the wiles of earls,
lords and counts for the love of his
majesty-'an American citizen.