Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1890-04-09
DISTRIBUTING RICHES.
A Task Demanding Thoughtful Considers.
tlOn for Many Reasons. ILL.,

A Task Demanding Thoughtful Considers
tion for Many Reasons. SE2
The pursuit Of riches for the sake Of
riches goes on from year to year and
century to century, much the same as
though philosophers, from the days Of
Solomon down to the present time, had
not pointed out the vanity Of riches and
that they are the baggage or impede
ments of virtue. Bacon observes, and
with much truth, that ''of great riches
there Is no real use, except it be in the
distribution; the rest is conceit." The
truth, at least, Is now more generally
accepted than in any previous age. Men
with great riches have sometimes
sought to distribute their wealth for the
public good after their deaths, holding
on to their riches out of vanity until
the last moment of life, but recently
there has been displayed growing dis
position on the part of rich men to
seek the pleasures of distribution dur
ing their own ives-a much wiser
course in every way. 1t secures the use
of their money for the intended purposes,
which a will sometimes fails to do, and
obtains for the generous giver that re-
ward Of satisfaction which is his due.
10 this disposition must be ascribed the
building Of great public Libraries,
schools, institutes and colleges and the
establishment Of large, useful indus
tries by rich men who have learned in
time the lessons of philosophy. 1t is
impossible for the very wealthy tospend
or use their incomes upon themselves.
Their capacity is limited, and beyond
that they stand as custodians or trustees
Of a fund which they may squander or
donate to others or to charity, but can
not use for themselves. 1t is this view
of great riches lover and beyond the
necessities of the individually as kind
Of trust fund that is beginning to bear
fruit in systematic efforts to distribute
fortunes for the benefit of the general
public. 1t is somewhat curious to OBJ
serve that even in the days of Bacon
exactly the same view of mems duties
was taken that is now beginning to pre-
vail. That philosoph er observed:
"Therefore measure not thine advance
ments by quantity, but frame them by
measure, and defer not charities till
death; for certainly, if a man weigh
1t rightly, he that doth SO is rather
liberal of another mans than of his
own. There is another suggestion by
Bacon that has great deal of force in
our day and generation. He says: men
leave their riches either to their kindred
Or to the public, and moderate portions
prosper best in both. A great state
(estate) left to an heir is as lure to all
The birds of prey round about to seize
On him if he be not uthe better estab-
lished in years and Judgment. Like
wise glorious gifts and foundations are
like sacrifices without salt, and but the
painted sepulchers of aims which soon
will patrify and corrupt inwardly."
Who has not observed the general truth
Of this warning? The heir to q great
estate coming to it unprepared by ex-
perience for the enjoyment or manage
ment of great riches suffers it to fall
away from him or dissipates it in riot
Gus living. So also the church or chart
ty too richly endowed attracts to its
control dishonest or easy-going people,
and fails to DO tie good that struggling
congregation or company accomplishes
through the unselfish zeal of its
individual members. But if there
is no real use of great riches
except it be in distribution,
and if in that distribution
it be wise to divide the estate in moder
ate portions, it follows that the phi
lanthropists who seek to found public
institutions ought to consider we'll the
scope and needs of their charitable
foundations. This they can do with
certainty only while they are present
to direct the operations and observe the
effects of their charitable work. What
would have been large '%foundation'
in Bacon's day would be very small in
ours. No limit can be drawn except
that whios arises out of the amount OF
good ~ oe accomplished, but whatever
| the endowment may be, it is we'll to
keep within the limit rather than over
| step. An institution with surplus of
revenue attracts vultures; an institution
barely able to continue its work invites
helpers to join it. Thus the distribu.
ion of acquired riches demands thought
ul consideration on moral grounds as
we'll as because upon the right deter
mination OF the question depends the
good that may be accomplished by the
aid of great wealth. Sun.
THE LAWS OF FILMS.