The Washington herald., 1909-05-30
AMERICAN ARISTOCRACY
A Word in Behalf of the Patriotic Societies of the
United States.

much further hack than the early years.
oi the reign Of Queen Victoria.
considerably more than half the peer
ages aoY IN existence have been created
within the last century. and IL many
cases we're bestowed upon men who had
no ancestors 70 boast OF in I776 Ger
tainly number Of the members OF the
present House OF Lords would experience
difficulty il fulfilling those genealogical
qualifications which are reouIred BY
scores Of American societies, namely, that
the candidates should be able 70 show
descent from some one ~ho did honorabi
service 70 the State during the latter half
OF the eighteenth century.
England's nobility. indeed is for the
greater part o. relatively modern orfgfn
and recruited from the manufactures
and merchant classes. There is one
worthy and useful peer OF the realm OF
my acquaintance whose father was in
early lie navy. or day Iaborer. and
MS mother Liverpool match girl. n
the case Of another noble lord. vis-
count, with most patricisn title. his
pdteTnal grandfather was Eeii-knovu
prize fighter and bookmsker Then there
is an earl. whose grandfather was a VII
lage cObbler. and yet another who Is
third IN descent from a country town
barber, while Lady Burton. -peeress In
her own right. charming. kindly. and IN
affected, laughingiy allUdes 70 the fact
that the founder OF her family and %
the great brewing house Of Bass was a
mere bottle washer.
In Spain the favorite chum OF the King
and one OF the most influential people AZ
court IS the Duke Of Santona- who in
herited his coronet from his grandfather.
an ex-hatter. Gar Paurs barber. Kut,I-
soft. founded just 3 little over a hundred
years agO-that IS 70 say. long after the
American war OF independence-wflat is
to-day one OF the grsndest and most in
fuentiaI houses Of the Musc0y.te nobility.
and not q year passes without the En-
perors OF Germany and OF Austria Je-
slowing tides Of nobility upon wealthy
merchants. manufacturers. bankers. and
deserving officers Of the army. navy. and
civfI service.
In fact. the nobility Of the Old World
IS being so continuously recruited ard
renewed by promotions from al ranks OF
the population. even from the very hum
blest. that It is foolish for any one on the
other side OF the Atlantic 70 indulge in
sneeTs and IN cheap Sarcasm AZ the sx
Dense OF the patriotic societies Of the
United states. and 10 j1be AZ The resuec.
shown by the members Of these Organizs-
tons for the memory OF their ancestors
OF Revolutionary times and OF the war OF
the Union.
One word in conclusion There is a
great difference between nobility and
aristocracy. The former implies titular
distinction. but not, necessarily lineage.
whereas aristocracy indicates ancestry.
but not necessarily the possession Of To-
hillary titles. That is why there are 50
many aIistOcrats in England. such as. for
instance. the Assheton-Smishs. the Bull
teels. ard dozens Of others whom 7 could
mention who have always declined ali
titular honOrs. though they have been
territorial Tagnates in uninterrupted poz-
session Of their estates since the time os
the crusades- That, too, IS the reason
why there are a number OF peers Of the
realm who, though mobiles. are not aristo-
Gratis, but plebeisns in every sense OF ne
word
The fact that titles OF nobility should
have been abolished By the laws OF the
United States does not mean that thers
is no American aristocracy. Switzerland
Greece, RoUmania, Bulgaria. and Servia
nave all done away with titles. while in
Norway they are virtually nOnexis1eut.
Yet three OF these countries. nauelv
Switzerland. ROumaEja. and Greece can
boast OF very ancient and historic zrls-
tocracy- So. too. can the United States
For IN addition 20 al those families
founded By the men who contributed 10
mold this great repJblic al The tine OF
the war OF independence. and by those
soldiers and statesmen who bsttled for
It's integrity during the war OF the Union
there are hundreds. nay probably thou-
sands, OF families who can trace their
descent from colonial ancestors. from peo-
PIE OF the middle class. and OF the old
European aristocracy. who enigratsd 10
the New World 500 years ago II search OF
freedom and fortune
Some OF the grandeet houses OF. Frzrra
England Spain, and Germany have been
represented for generations here IN
anerCa- There are the Bentincks in Mis-
sourt and the Percy-entitled 20 the earl
don OF Northumberland Virginia. t--,A
blue American citizens, who. disdaininr
titles which they need but 70 extend their
hand 10 grasp. nevertheless cherish Their
family traditions. traditions covering the
existence OF a long line Of ancestors on
both sides OF the Atlantic Who then.
can say that the United States has no
aristocracy?
tCopJ1ght. 1919. By the Brentwood ConpauyJ