John Jacob Astor is thought to be the first millionaire in the United States. He immigrated to the U.S. from Germany in 1784. His Walt he came from the fur trade, real estate and even opium sales.– According to one inflation calculator, in the United States, “$1,000,000 in 1955 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $11,772,126.87today, an increase of $10,772,126.87 over 69 years.”–
They are a Hardy Breed…
Millionaires Can Be Strangely Like People
NEW YORK, Sept. 21– Practically everybody alive today sooner or late later will meet a millionaire-and feel worried about it. It was feared for a time that millionaires would die out in this civilization, that they would go the way of the dodo or the extinct passenger pigeon.
Happily, it hasn't worked out that way. The millionaire class has proved a hardy breed. If millionaires aren't quite multiplying like the rabbit, they are at least in- creasing faster than the whooping crane.
The average person, told he is going to meet a millionaire for the first time, finds his heart suddenly beating a bit faster.
“How shall I act?” he asks. “What shall I say to him?” Nervously, he thumbs through his wife’s etiquette book. He finds no help there. Oddly, no etiquette writer ever thinks to include a chapter on “The Care and Proper Treatment of Millionaires.”
They're Even More Equal Than Your Equal
This is a strange oversight indeed. The etiquette writers seem to have the idea that you should treat a millionaire just as you would any other social equal. They are on the right track here, but they don't go far enough. Millionaires are even more equal than your other social equals.
A helpful thing to remember is that, while you are uneasy at the prospect of meeting the millionaire, he may be even more uneasy over meeting you. A millionaire always has the uneasy feeling someone is trying to get at his money, and how does he know you aren't, too? (As a matter of fact, he is probably right. Whoever met a millionaire without the wild secret hope he could help the fellow share the burden of his wealth?)
Time-Tested Tips on Meeting Offered
Here are few time-tested tips on how to get along with a millionaire:
1-When you first shake hands with him, avoid staring at his right-hand hip pocket. It will only make him more nervous if your eyes go instantly to where you think he keeps his wallet. (You'd be wrong anyway. All veteran millionaires carry their wallet in their Inside coat pocket, where they can reach in and pat it gently from time to time.)
2-If you are at a bar, insist on buying the first round of drinks yourself. This will throw him off guard, and he will begin to relax.
3-Talk about harmless topics like politics, sex and the weather. When a millionaire wants to talk about money, he likes to be the one who brings up the subject.
Don't Make Ridiculous Remarks About Money
4-Don't make ridiculous remarks like, "Well, after all, money won't buy everything." The millionaire knows you aren't in a position to say whether this is really true or not. He is.
5-If you have an inside tip on a new stock or horse race, pass it on to him at once. It will please him to know you are interested in seeing him get ahead,
6-Never ask him where is the safest place to keep money. He may be hiding his in the crotches of trees and become suspicious that you are trying to find out his secret.
7- If a millionaire tells you the only road to wealth is by hard work, don't laugh out loud even though you know he inherited his own riches. Look impressed. He may be right. (If f you don't think inheriting money is hard work, just sit down right now and try to inherit some yourself.)
It’s Unwise to Ask Him ‘How Many?’
8-It is unwise to ask him how many millions he really has. If he only has one, it will embarrass him. If he has more than one, he won't tell you anyway.
9-Should you number several millionaires among your acquaintanceship, avoid mentioning the fact. Every millionaire likes to feel he is the only millionaire in your life.
10-Many people in the presence of a millionaire feel an overwhelming urge to praise the income tax. Fight down this temptation or you'll find yourself all alone talking to yourself.
There is one other rule worth remembering: People who really have money usually let it talk for them. If a guy at your dinner table brags he's a millionaire, be sure to count the spoons before he leaves. – By Hal Boyd, 1955
🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia
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