CORELLI AND AMERICANS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 706, 30 December 1902, Page 2

CORELLI AND AMERICANS.

Marie Corelli lias been “ jabbing her pen” at the American millionaires. “We see Pierpont Morgan, a money octopus, stretching out greedy tentacles in every, direction,” she' writes, “ striving to grasp British shipping, interests, and industries everywhere in that; devouring, deadly grip, which if lie were permitted to hold would mean the loss of prestige to our country, though no doubt it might, create rejoicing ’in America with many of the more independently thinking class. Millionaire Carnegie’s money, pitched at the public, savors of patronage, which they resent, and of the ostentation which they curtly call swagger.” Free libraries arc, according to tiic vitriolic writer, by no means essential to happiness, “while they may be considered extremely detrimental to the prosperity of authors.” America is Miss Corelli’s special abhorrence. Hear her : "As a nation of bombast and swagger she is a kind of Carey show in the world’s progress, but her strength is chiefly centred in dollars. English society has been sadly vulgarised by the American taint. Wealth in excess, wealth in chinks, wealth ’in great, awkward, unbecoming dabs is plastered by the merest haphazard toss of Fortune’s dice on the backs of uncultured, illiterate persons, who, bowed down like asses beneath the golden burden, are asitimely ignorant of its highest uses.” Tlien Hie writer fiercely continues the attack Men in high repute for learning, bravery, and distinctive merit arc shunted oIT I lie line to make way for the motor-car traffic of plutocrats, who by dint of push, effrontery, and brazen impudence manage to shout their income figures persistently in the ears of those wfiu.se high privilege it’is to give the lead in social affairs, it would he an easy matter for me to name a dozen wellknown society women who make a very good thing out of their loyally by accepting huge payments in exchange for their recommendation or introduction to royal personages. These are some of the very ladies who are frequently favored by notice at court, who occupy flic position of being in the swagger set. Men and women who have the privilege of personally knowing and frequently associating with the toygl family are known to accept payment for bringing such and such otherwise obscure persons under the immediate notice of flic King. And it is a most unfortunate and regrettable fact that no such obscure persons ever dine wkh their sovereign without having ( paid the middleman for the privilege. : There is a good deal in what the \ writer states, and many will agree < with her ; at worst, those she attacks j are well able to bear the brunt of her [ ar.ypr