The state journal., 1877-01-26
SIXTY MILLION DOLLARS.

you nave lC AT Wnat II cost MN .t""
His motto was that OF the old cynic.
'Stand out of my light |" 1t is said that,
when driving, he was IN the habit of keep.
ing the middle OF the road with the idea
that everybody must turn out for him !;
and this was characteristic of the man in
every department OF his life He held
his own by driving others from the track.
One OF his friends asserts that he was
jealous of his own successful son. He was
the king of monopoists. His plan of
money-getting has been spoken of as "a
magnificent system OF blackmail. de
would put new boats in opposition 10 ain
old line with the sole purpose of forcing
them to buy him off. He compelled not
only individuals, but governments also,
to pay tribute to his Unsuitable lust for
wealth In 1856, when the rulers OF Mic
arauga had put themselves in the way of
the success OF his transit company he
formed an alliance with Costa Rca and
stirred up an insurrection which put an
end finally TO the government. He was
accustomed TO say that none must stand
before him. He would ruin his best friend
If selfinterest required it. He could as
easily brook hostility as competition, or
rather, he knew no difference between
them. A few years ago when he had it
in bis power to crush the fortune of Dan
iel Drew by manipulating Harlem stocks
in certain way, he went to work to ac-
complish it as smllingly as it he were go
ing on a pleasure trip in his yacht He
knew no mercy, no kindness, no honor
nothing but the fortunes of Cornelius Van.
derbilt. His name was another word for
selfishnes. His mind was too cramped
and narrow to admit the thought OF emu
lation without envy. His whole method
was rapacity,-to grow by the downfall
OF others, to enlarge himself. as the YAM
pire does. by sucking blood. He would
resolve on getting up "corner' on GER
tain stocks; and then, having laid his
plans silently. patiently, when all things
were ready he would spring the mine, e,and
while men OF smaller means were wildly
venturing and losing all he would gather
in the spoils. Aud this is the manner ia
which those sixty millions were accumu-
lated. Would you take them at their cost
DO they, not seem like those pieces of
money that were once cast ringing on the
temple floor, stained with blood Z? All.
there is Il better mode OF life than this.
even tor those who think of money a. the
chielest good. "LiYe and let live' is the
motto OF 1t. Ours is broad world, and
there is room for all without iostling. IL
is too much. perhaps, 10 expect of bust
ness men that they would be governed by
the rule. whatsoever ye wsuld that 9TH
ers should do to you. do ye even so to
them,'' and yet the sweet and most per-
manent success is that which comes not
from pulling others down. but rather from
honest and irieudly competition. Envy
and self.seeking and covetousness can
only enrich the outward man by impover
ishing the soul; and though our Golfers
May thus be filled to oyerfowing the let
ter part oil us will still go begging for
dinner OF herbs as CrGsus went trCm door
to door in Lydia. The happy rich man is
he who can, like Job, look away on his
yellow fields, his cattle and flocks, with
the thought. l have wronged no man p
You who are engaged in eager strife for
wealth. .-bankers, merchants. profession
al men,-go not to the life of Vanderbilt
Tor the secret OF true success, for naupht
can be found there but pushing and gasp.
ing and struggling for the upper hand,
no thought of truth or honor or equity.
no consideration tor the rights of Others.
no mercy to a fallen foe, nor Difference
to successful rival. This is the life not
OF a true business man, but OF a pawn
broker. an Ishmaelite And no matter
what his wealth may be, it is atlaipted
there are three golden balls on his shield.
But go rather, if you would learn how
man may strive ior wealth both lawfully
and successfully, to that hilltop where
once the richest of the patriarchs stood
with another at his side, facing the rich
valley OF the Jordan, and said to him
Let there be no strife pray three be-
tween thee and me. or between thy herd
men and mine, for we be brethren. b Is
not the whole land before thee P If thou
wilt take the left hand, then will 90 the
right; or ii thou depart 10 the right hand.
l will 60 to the lett" Why should there
be strife between those who are as one in
the pursuits OF lite ? Let them 60 their
several ways in peace; the whole world
is before them. In looking back over the
lite of the great hundred millionaire with
no desire to speak unkind!y of him
enough the right way is nil de naortuss
nsss rerum , we must not leave unspo-
ken these words of warning to those who.
envylng his vast prosperity, may perhaps
be tempted to follow in his footsteps. 1t
was selfish lie. a wasted lite, empty of
all that makes man loved of his fellow
man, or blessed of God. The best that
can be said OF him is that. having set be.
tore him wealth as the S,tn,naunl SOuat,n
OF lie, he forgot all things else, pressed
toward the mark. and won the prize. But
oh, at what Il sacrifice /! lie had crushed
under loot In the race his own honor and
GfAlt I'm naf