The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-12-09
From the New York world.

Anefe mas just been published IN Italy
2 book on America that aims to do for
the people of that country what James
Bryce did for the people OF England. The
author Is Alberto Pecorini. who fitted
himself for his task by coming to Amer
lea with a degree from an Italian untver-
sity. taking a two years postgraduate
course at Columbia university. acquiring
the degree OF Phi. D., and then spending
five years in travelling. all over the coun-
try studying American history, life man
ners and customs, earning his living in
the meanwhile by teaching in schools and
colleges.
The books called .'Gli Americai nella
vita Moderna, osservati da un Italiano"
The Americans of Today as Seen by
an Italian" and it is published by Treves
brothers y Milan. 1t has been rather
severely criticised in Italy. largely because
OF the extremely optimistic view of Amer
lca's future which the author takes. Thus
u. a. Rorgese, the most famous literary
critic in Italy. devotes more than two
Columns IN a Stampa. of Turin, to
ne calls the strange admiration of Pc
cOrlnl Tor American Institutions and
1t seems ineNplicable to Borgese
that Mr.. Pecorini can find so much to
critictse-municipal corruption, financial
dishonesty, child labor. divorce, %decadence
OF home life, etc.-and yet take so roseate
a view of the future.
Mr.. Pecorini's observations upon men
are always interesting. often keen. How
best be judged from the following para
graphs translated from his book:
IN speaking of the American million
aire 1t must not be forgotten that there
are two generations of millionaires, quite
distinct both in age and nature-the older
and the younger, both surrounded by uni
versal admiration, and at bottom both to
no ntfin6 I'm ESV1vnro tho 0lSn,. ~ ttoV
Is most heard of. since, having been
formed of men who from nothing have
become extremely rich, it obtains the un-
reserved admiration of everybody. How
ever. it is only necessary to approach a
little closely to these heroes of money to
become convinced that neither their life
nor their character merits all the envy of
which they have been the object; rather
that they are worthy of more compassion
than they receive.
Morgan, Epic Of Riches.
81. Pierpont' Morgan is he great Or
ganizer of monopolies. Unlike other rich
Americans, he was never poor. He in
herited s1o.o oo, 900 from his father and or
ganized the greatest industrial and IMAM
cial institutions III the United States. He
has the reputation of a conservative in
oil his undertakings, but customarily Ae
conserves far more for himself thar for
others. He organizes his monopolies.
counting on the future prosperity of the
nation as II this belonged to him, and
thus he amasses millions. He is like a
brood hen, under the wings OF which the
other millionaire chickens hide in times
Of panic and tempest. and he walks ahead
in safety, convinced that he is rendering
great help to humanity. He works much,
he travels very much. he wears court
dress gracefully when he calls upon the
king of England. He has visited almost.
nil tho cNyo~nfrnc NJ INY,rn-o n~<1 I~. ln1n
decorated several times. tits said that a
certain famous ruler, after talking with
him, made the assertion that he had never
met a man SO rich and 50 ignorant, but
the fact is this sovereign was speaking of
historic evolution, and Morgan in the past
has never bothered about that, being quite
content with the present. {.
HE is a calm n good natureis ran;
he carries his cook about with him and
he always eats with a good appetite. He
buys pictures and objects OF art even II
they have been stolen, and sometimes he
gives them back. He is president Ct the
Metropolitan museum, in New York, and
1t Is his desire not to die before he is able
to understand at least part of the art COL
lect:ons which he has bought. His house
cost 5000 900 and the museum annexed to
1t another S2,00O,O 600. He may be called
the epic of riches.
John o. Rockefeller is another type.
Five feet 10 inches tall, he has a pale blue
eye that is ever moving restlessly about
and never looks straight ahead; he seems
never to be paying attention to anything,
and he sees everything. His face is brown,
his shoulders broad; at enc time he must
nave had an iron constitution, but today
he can scarcely digest. How much money
he. has he does not know, but he wants
more, ever wants more; it is a sort Of
mania. He expounds the bible to the Sun
day school and fees from the ushers who