Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-27
The Stewardship of Wealth and Its
Relation TO Charity.

Editor Morning NetOs: l have, with the in
terest common to your readers, Perused the
articles recently published in your paper on
the stewardship of wealth in its relation to
charity. There is no evidence adduced to
support the assumption that Mr.. Delmonico
was uncharItable or "skin flint" The fact
that there was no ostentatious parade of
legacies to charitable institutions in his will
does not prove It; for In my experience in
life have known men to contribute gener-
ouslv to the relief OF distress habitually,
and say nothing about it, taking the money
out of their own pockets, and not plumber
ing their heirs. Besides. during the fifty
years and over knew Delmonico l never
heard him charged with being mean or
misery. On the contrary, l always
heard him spoken Of as liberal good heart
ed man. He started to be the best restGttrd
te1tr In the world, and he succeededin achiev-
ing his ambition: which he could not have
done had he been mean and illiberal. Forty
years ago it was agreed by acknowledged
gouTnaetS of cultivated delicate tastes, that
nowhere in the world could one get such a
dinner, including fish, flesh, fowls, fruits,
desserts, ETC., wines, liqueurs and exquisite
cookery, as at Delmonico's In New York.
The boasted cafes of Paris, Very's, Vefours,
the Rocher, and the others, were far behind
him. Each was famous for some one or
two particular dish or dishes, but take every
thing served alb OUO NSqle ad nldt0, and, to use
slang, 'they could not hold a candle to Del
monico''-whose memory fingers fragrantly
and favorouslV upon my tongue. His
charges were high-for to live high one has
to pay for 1t, as the history of gastronomy,
ancient and modern, records. But remem
Der what study, thought, care and inventive
genius he brought to the preparation of his
wonderful compositions or these rare tai
ents we may form an estimate, when 1t was
stated in Boston paper short time since
that the chief cook of the Parker House re-
ceived $1,000 per annum and his tOf'e, and
President Walker, of Harvard University,
$4,000, Without has wfne-showiDg clearly the
superior value of culinary knowledge and
skill. AT any rate, Delmonico was an hon
est and honorable man, paying his debts
cent per cent with interest when he recov-
cred from his disastrous failure. He, no
doubt, preferred to be his own administra-
tor in charity to furnishing food TO lawyers.
Seriously, am In favor of charity in all
of its elements upon our philanthropy (par-
ticularly in judging the acts of our fellow
mem, and think Savannah is remarkably
commendable In her liberality, considering
the small amount at the commands of our
citizens. Our population is barely $4,000,
nearly equally divided into white and color.
ed races. Our banks are agencies of North
ern capital-we having none Of our own
and five-sixths OF our businessis inlthe, hands
of foreign houses or their agents. What
little wealth we have is spent annually at
the North by it's possessors, In pleasure,
clothing, house furniture, groceries, etc.
30, taking into account the few people to
give, and the little in their power to con-
tribute, l think that Savannah maintains her
stand well in generous gifts. About 5000
citizens of small means do this out OF the
little cream and the skinned milk left after
transferring the bulk OF the cream to Eu-
rope or the North. W.