Page 506 of Compromises of life : and other lectures and addresses, including some observations on certain downward tendencies of modern society / by Henry Watterson.

Appendix section, or the hewers of wood and the drawers of wa- ter who do the work and fight the battles and pay the taxes, the great commonalty of what Abraham Lin- coln called "the plain people." Enlightened men would moderate that conflict. The scandalous be- havior of the conspicuous rich plays directly to the lead of the extremist and the agitator, with unclean hands preparing the pick-axe of the leveller and the brand of the incendiary. The inditierence of the guild of lux- ury and wealth-not to mention the common cause which too many of the worthy rich from a mistaken sense of association make with these-is replete with evil auguries. Human nature has not much changed since man be- came acquainted with it. That we are yet upon the ascending not the descending scale of national devel- opment need not be denied. But we live in an ac- celerated age, electricity having annihilated time and space, and, the Latin races doomed, Spain dead, Italy dying, France down with an incurable disease-the causes before our very eyes shall we not seek to es- cape what seems to have been the destiny, not so much of luxury and wealth, as the vicious assumption of class superiority, and the injustice of organized money, per- colating what is called Society for pleasure, corrupting the fountains of the national credit and honor for profit If such offenses as we have set forth are endured and condoned, how long before that which embraces but a set becomes the distinguishing mark of a section If the press is so easily seduced, or misled, what must it become when it is bought outright Look at the lobby at Washington. Does it not exist Yet are there those who will swear that it is only a figment of partisan malignity. It already costs a million of dollars to set a Presidential ticket in the field; already 506