New Orleans Republican., 1877-01-14
nIr. vanderblll,. WIN.

Mr. Vanderbilte will disappoints no one
who knew the man. 1t is q direct, business
like document, without pretense or palaver
of any sort. Mr.. Vanderbilt did not throw
his money around miecellaneOusly when he
could no longer use it, His will dispOses Of
q little more than $l5, 600 600, and about
half of this sum is given to his four grand
sons, and the bulk of this amount goes TO
Cornelius, whom he seems TO recognize as
his lineal successor, and the coming Van
derbilt. The rest Of the other $7,0O0,0OO
were divided among his wife, daughters,
brother, and few other kindred, but with
the exception Of $4,000 to Lambert Wen
dell, ian old and faithful clerk $40, GOO to
Rev. DIR. Deems, and $4,000 to DR.. LinRly
his family physician, and one or two other
small bequests, it was kept within the
family. The bulk of his property was be-
No charities were remembered. no public
Institutions were enriched; not q cent was
given to perpetuate his name in a public
bsquest.
The striking thing in this will is.the fact
that 1t concentrates the vast wealth Of the
testator in the hands of his son and grand
son. 1t keeps the great property together.
Mr.. Vanderbilt had the aagacity 10 see chat
the distribution Of his property in equal
sums among his relatives and heirs would
have frittered it away. The concentration
Of the property makes 1t a power and gives
Ii additional value. 1t is significant fact
that both Astor and Stewart were pene-
trated with the same conviction. They
provided, as far as it was possible to do so.
against the division of their estates. They
rebeled against the democratic laws of the
country against priIn0geniture by contE1v.
ing ways and means fOF holding the prop
erty they had accumulated together as long
as possible. They had learned by expert
enee that it Is the concentration Of wealth
in "a hauAn of ~ NH a ohta r. hnI1
and use it which makes 1t power and
gives il value, and they brBced themselves
mp against the tendencies of the time and
the fOrofs that prey on great estates by
making the best possible provision for keep
ing the bulk Of their properties intact. This
fact is full of Significance and deserves
study a. marking 3 tendency which may
lead TO very important reaults In the future.
Mr.. Vanderbilt left no public bequests.
1t ID easy to condemn his want Of public
spirit, his greed for personai gain, his cold
and selfish absorption in his OWE private
fortunes. His public gifts during his life
time amount TO very little. his steamship
was worth $500, 600. The Nashville Uni
versity. with its endowment. amounted 20
about 81 600 600. The Church Of the 6traH-
gers was very small effair for 4 man
Whoee property was estimatsd &C $50, 600,
600. In comparison with Peabody and
Hopkins and other prinoely benecaetoEs
there la something almost mie8rly in Van
deEbilt's tight eEiP On bic property and bis
refusal 70 give anything 70 the public even
az the last. But this Is a superficial view
Of the case. The real public benefaetor is
not the man who HeattoFs property about
promiecnouhly, nor the one who funds Il in
Institutions, but the man who uses Il in
productive industFlea where it gives
employment 20 other men and increases
the comfort and welfare and happiness Of
mankind Ia legitimate ways, The araRt
/ industries Of tho world are after all its
l greatest beneiaotipng, for they benefit men
on the direct line Of natural human deVel-
opmant. They encourage industry, thrift,
sslf-relianoe, iRtelligence, tho cardinal viz
tnos on which the welfare Of civilized So
oiely dopand Justice comes before charity.
aud II justice were everyWhere and always
done thoEa wouid be litile need for charity.
Is ID q quastion whether Mr.. Peabody, 3 vast
| property which a melting and Eunning Of
Ia various charitable channels, Il dong D
greet deal q good. Ills q seRloua problem
Waalhe1 AAit 4ho money given away ig moi
proGuctiVo HVenuos cf bEfIaeEn aud tied up
where It simply dEipa for the benefit Of d
few, aud oftan not the WotlhIeat, instead d
being kept who're ll viii stimulate the on.
erRlee sud Cnc1uFaN8 tfo industry and
UGIIiPIY tt9 hnHf1tlt ef people. Tiers
ID altogether t18 much lsu4alIpu 81 mel
Who 4eett thcl1 fofirue1 ID charities x
ftfth. 'Ehfl osnzId4tIns NhtlIef th.
et tft e4t iQ1 nl|FlA.nN
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