The Portland daily press., 1884-06-20

traduced What are some of our rich men in
San Francisco doing? We do not say all Of
them, but some of them. Let the facts an
swer. We cannot allow all Of them TO be
put in the category Of selfish moDopolists, So
called, without a protest. In the town OF
Danvers-beautiful and charming we all adj
| init 1t to be-lived a man whose small store
was ill-htted TO his broadening capacities.
Leaving 1t, he pushed across the country when
chicago had little more than name, and
though not anticipating the result did enter
upon railroading as brakeman upon a night
freight. The details of his beginning
are interesting, but 1 omit them here
From brakeman he steadily rose I'M
der the SUPPLEMENTARY OF That grand repre-
sentative man, Mr.. Hitchcock, recently de-
ceased, until he occupied the position Of his
assistant. To-day he is the manager of the
Central Pacific railway and its leased lines, Q
place unsurpassed in executive business re-
quirements and brain capacity on the conti-
nent. What does this man do with his money,
and how does he act publicly? When the
debt OF his church is to be raised he sends his
check for 81 900 to his pastor for its removal
and is ready TO be one Of eleven men to pay
the twenty-five thousand dollars at once. He
puts down $500 for the contribution to this
society on Sunday morning. He and asso-
ciates send large sum to the treasuryship for
the superintendent's work in California and
in every possible way he is pushing the cause
OF elevating and Christanizng California
through the benevolent channels Of his church.
Not dollar did he inherit. 1t is the money
OF a poor boy, earned by honest purpose and
brains, that he contributes, and a grander
specimen OF the unselfsh rich man in posi-
ton OF trust does not exist in the world than il
seen in the character and acts Of A. N. Towne,
manager Of the Central Pacific railroad. No
man can know him without admiring and
Another man, nJsrally turnsu uon4 nAs
fathers door in his boyhood and insisting M
on earning his Irving, even to the lodging Of a
night, developed such executive ability and
capacity that the East could not keep him,
and by diligent effort he led the way In many
instances to the beginning and successful COM
pletion OF the road across the Sierras. His
wealth is counted by millions, but he earned it
and made it and today his gifts to various
charities are larger than the world knows Of
Who would not hesitate to give largely where
gifts are not appreciated, and who can hope
for the helpfulness which such a man can rem
der when his most unsetish deeds are criti-
cised BY men and the press that ought to re-
Joice In his wealth and his gift. Charles
Croker, to whom 1 refer, has been called
Railroad King" but many man in bis place
would have been despot and many q man,
too from the number OF these who now so pi-
ously howl with indiscriminate cries against
his richeJ. Let credit be given to the rich
and appreciation rendered to men who like
him have done much ard are willing to do
more. The name of Stanford isc not nnfamil-
lar to any Of you. But he mixed his energy
Will DKAlu5 anu IrOLo q poor DOy mas risen 10
the height Of possesgor of immense wealth.
Whatis he doing1with it, you ask. In part
answer to that query let the fact of the gift of
his wife Of 5000 to Mrs. Cooper's bible class
connected with my own church for her kinder
garten work be recorded in your memories,
and the proposition from Gov. Stanford to
found school for the young men Of Califor-
mia more thoroughly equipped and endowed
than any other similar institution in America
be not forgotten in your thoughts. Nor are
our merchants and business men one whit be-
hind these examples. They are noble men.
Mr.. President, what men perceive is worthy
OF value they put price upon, and men who
have pushed to the top by honorable means
should not be considered threatening factors
in our republic nor their names dragged in the
dust under the popular cry which emanates
from demagogue3 aud political tricksters and
disgrunted Office seekers-who fire the poor
with zeal and horrors Of the commune and
seek to legslate for others what" were the tab
les reversed they would resent and oppose.
Too much legislation not too little, is likely TO
be our ruin. Indiscriminate censure of men
in position rather than neglect of the poor Is
the threatening storm to be averted. We are
not pledgiDg for the rich man against the poor.
Indeed we are the poor mans advocate In
these utterances. But we are protesting against
the discussion Of this question which arrays the
poor against the rich and which falls into the
popular clamor which would summon our mer-
chants, our railroad presidents and managers,
to the bar OF ignorance and demagogism, and
which would so interfere with the business en-
terprises and interests OF this country as to be
immeasurably disastrous to the poor. Without
this column of men who have accumulated and
achieved and some OF whom can see from the
East and from the old Bay State in the House
tonight, this American Home Missionary So
ciety with all its mission fields would be OBJ
Hged to stop its work within an hour.