The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-02-23

Thomas Nelson Page has turned his
eution from the charpn and glamour
the Old South to a more serious.
Eiieged class in this country. In
\ ne sees peril to. the republic.
3cial legislation la the source OF
Der Of this privileged class. How
e legislation Is obtained and used
~. and he also points out the
Fhcn an Independently rich man
b about "the rights of the peo-
and 1.-THE abuses of the people
the privileged ciass'' what he saws
have exceptional interest. The
rest increases when the critic Is
ban like Thomas Nelson Page, the
h0r. Mr.. Pages views are, more
!, additionally striking because he
conservative virt,inian by birth
breeding. and Is 81 descendant of
| richest men In the early days in
Efnda. Thomas Nelson
Is admits that he has entirely
{hgcd tho point OF view with which
Rns brought up. A's young man
w99 an tndivfdualist. but today he
<veB In the organ fzation OF In
IduA2s against the Organization Of
'atai. Investigations Of wealth by
amttt0es he regards as an element
modern unrest and a b an uncertain
Sntity. fearing that these commit
! will breed a dang erous class of
brm0rs, who as legitimate agents
these committees will be tempted
abuse the privileges of their en-
'5ment. Mr.. Page visited New
" for 4 few days last week and
f4utly what he observed stimu-
- the aumbcring fire of resent
N &katHt the extIsavaEance and
|war OF great wealth. which as an
berican he found un-,American. His
latest fear for the safety OF Amer
b character came from his faith
|the original spirit s1 the republic,
spirit OF ITS. which ne believed
almost disappear I'd from the
(rts OF the American people.
IN the comfort of a b ptel skyscraper
FIRTH avenue. where the high cost
living In obviously supreme. the
|hor spoke vigorously of the trust
tSEm
Money IL the most obvious thing
ksew York" he said as he lighted
Eiknr and looked calmly over the
Sses OF the privileged class" I'VE
b live in the provinces. anywhere
Manhattan Island, are impressed
b this fact the moment we ar
:. It costs something every step
1.-The way until you get of again.
|Bnty dollars liz like thu, proverhial
kshman's sax pence Look at those
kcss." he said. noddinE slightly to-
ia the vanderbilts. tins Rockefel-
!, the Goulds. the Ms,rgans and
|er1 lined up In residential spiendor
|ow, there In the character of
y york-money. And there too
Inc dlficuIt problem of The Ameri-
p0OpiA---money power.
n an very much opposed TO the
hay system OF this coo ntry, the
asl7 control OF the peoples fran
sss Tor private interest The few
h who have sei1ed the public
hts OK the people. within ieRisla-
authority. to be sure. but with
constitutional right. have inspired
hew cistss In America. which we
= call me privileged class. In q
Re I NAV be one Of them myself
h very senalf degree. but arm
1.-THE peo pie. one OF the people in
desire to enjoy tho liberty OF my
btitutional raEhts-
j seriously object while riding on
kitroad train IN my own State per-
y 10 be held up for two hours on
fdfnk waiting for one OF the own
OF the railroad TO go by I'm his
kHte car Mt sEvty miles an hour.
has no mcre right OF way on that
road track than have or you
{s or any other free born Ameri-
and yet he does 1t. and nobody
stop him. He In one OF tho lead
Of the privileges classes.
4 Hive In washington. where we
e been agitat.sd recently by invcs-
Ming committees. They are good
~, because they furnis1h cnlight-
n Information to the people
bueh the great channels OF the