Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-09-04
A RICH MANS COMPLAINT.

Not long ago an american whose
millions had made him the father-in-
law of a British duke complained that
the rich are no longer appreciated.
Nobody loves a millionaire any
more" he said, although "once mil
lionaires were the popular heroes OF
the nation. the brilliant exemplars set
up for our youth to follow" he did
not add, though no doubt convinced,
that this sad change was wrought by
the pestilent investigators called
"muckrakers." Naturally it would
hardly occur to him that the million
aires themselves were to any degree
responsible. .t 81
He omitted to mention the period
in which the very rich were popular
heroes merely because of their riches,
and it may we'll be doubted Whether
there was ever such a period in the
history OF any nation. Was it in the
days of Robin Hood when the merry
outlaw was widely loved because ne
held up and robbed the rich only?
Was it at the beginning of the Caris-
tian ere when a rich mans transport
to the Elysian fields was likened to
the passage Of a camel through the
eye of a needle?
1t is quite true, however, that there
has been a certain change of attitude
in the United States during the long
course of years-from Gearge Wash
ington to John D. Rockefeller. 1t has
been very nearly forgotten that Wash,
irgton was the richest American of
his time. His riches had nothing
whatever to do with the fact that he
was a popular hero" and brilliant
exemplar' enough for a hundred or
binary celebrities, but material pros
perity no doubt increased rather than
lessened the respect of his neighbors
and perhaps tended to secure a great
er tribute of admiration for the "cap'
tains of industry" in our earlier peri
id. But George Washington's fortune
amounted to only s250,000, he lived
simply and blamelessly, and it never
once occurred to him either to com
bine with anybody to suppress com
petition or otherwise to take an un
fair advantage. He was all gentle
man and no pig. And though he lived
elegantly-for his time-he had man
ners and never sought to make a vul
gar display of his wealth. Amodified
tribute OF the same-sort may be paid tt
the-average rich American of later peri
DDS until we reach the present gener
alton, and that is why the makers o.
fortunes in the earlier times were
admired.
Nowadays the very rich have begur
to be more hated and feared than ad
mired because in too many instances
they have amassed untold gains by
questionable methods, or are Twin,
rictously on great inherited wealth
for which they have not labored a sin
gle hour. In tie earlier period sucl
terms;asttheAs.idle rich," the %"uncoutl
rich," the vulgar rich," we're I'm
known, but they are abundantly EN-
ployed now. For was there formerl!
much complaint of questionable meth
DDS of accumulation, and there wa
no complaint of piratical rapacity O
ruthless methods of destroying com
petition.
The Disguised rich men quoted ais
pointed out that the millionaire 'das
sent show his head in governments
affairs any more,' adding: "Instea
of sending successful men of affair
to Washinnton and our state legisls
lures, we are sending men who coul
not run a peanut stand. How can W
expect such men to make laws tina