29 AUGUST 1885, Page 23

The Money-Makers. (D. Appleton and Co., New York.)— The Americans

may be safely left to satirise themselves. Aaron Grimetone, a millionaire, wants to buy an hotel. His price is refused, and he builds an opposition house which ruins the old establishment in a year. He is attacked from the pulpit for hie greed, and he makes the church untenable from the fames of a bolt factory, and prevents the community from baying another site till he has driven the offending preacher away. A journal alludes to his immoralities, and is rained in a month. He appoints 'a Senator who, a poor man at starting, owns not less than a million after six years of office. Such, we are told, is the sway of the " Almighty Dollar." We find, indeed, that even the deity has not everything its own way, and that there are rebellions which are not

unsuccessful. The tale a in Is up with a reaction against the million- aire, though the " Ultrocrat " candidate for the Presidency, elected by a popular majority of over a quarter of a million, is kept from his seat by the perjury of eight men put upon a commission selected to investigate the returns. Does " Ultrocrat " stand for "Democrat," • and " Optimate " for "Republican"? But where was "the immense majority for Free trade that was sent to the next Congress "? The book is full of curious social pictures.