Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-04
REALT Is A PUBLIo rRUsT.

WEALTH as a PUBLIC TRUST.
The vanity of riches is a perennial
theme for declamatory moralists says a
writer in an exchange. Solomon had his
turn at it.; Bacon called riches the bag
gage or impedimenta of virtue; Milton,
In sonorous verse, declared that wealth
was the snare even of the wise, and was
moro apt TO SHAKEN virtue than move it
to praiseworthy acts. Sallust, the Ro-
man historian, wrote on an ivory table
chased with gold in praise of poverty-in
the circumstances not difficult feat.
Wealth has grown to colossal proportions
in tine present age, aud the power of
wealth never was so great; and yet the
rich, as class, feel their responsibility
to the world more than at any former
time, are less sordid and mercenary, and
are forced by the growth of public con-
science to take more account than ever
before of the worth there is in man,
without regard to his ability or inability,
to command money. Wealth is becom-
ing so common that it is not looked up to
as formerly; hence its pretensions are
abated; there is less insolence in it and
about it, and its increase has thus pro-
Tided remedies for some of its own evils.
1t was remarked with great truth by Ba-
con that, ''of great riches there Is no
real use, except it be in the distribution;
the rest is but conceit.'' This was said
three centuries ago, but the truth of the
observation is now more generally ac-
cepted than in former times. Men with
great riches have often sought to make
plans for distribution of their wealth for
the public good after their deaths, hold
ing on to their riches out of vanity till
the last moment of their life; but within
recent times there has been q growing
disposition on the part of rich men to
seek the pleasure and advantage of dis
tribution In their lives-a much wiser
course in every way, since it secures the
use of the money for the intend ed pur-
poses which will frequently fails to do,
poses, in their formative period, the
benefit of his own administration, and
obtains for the generous giver that re-
ward of satisfaction which is his right
due. Since it Is impossible for the very
rich to spend or use their incomes upon
themselves, or merely through private
ends, as their capacity in these direc-
tons is limited, the idea is growing that,
beyond these ends, the rich stand in
some degree ss trustees of fund which
they ought to employ for the benefit
of mankind. 1t is this view of great
riches (over and beyond the necessi-
ties of the Individually as a trust fund
that is beginning to bear fruit in system
alto efforts to distribute great fortunes
for the benefit of the general public.
Even this was anticipated by the wisdom
of Bacon, who said: Therefore meas
ure not thine advancements by quantity,
but frame them by measure and defer
not charities till death; for certainly, if
a man weigh it rightly, he that doth so
is rather liberal of another mans than
of his own From the same great
writer we may here insert another re-
mark full of moral prudence and worldly
wisdom. He says: "Men leave their
riches either TO their kindred or to the
public, and moderate portions prosper
best In both. A great estate left to an
heir is as lure to all the birds of prey
not the better established in years and
Judgment. Likewise glorious gifts and
are like sacrifices without
salt, and but the painted sepulehres of
aims which soon win putrefy and corrupt
- Every ones observations
furnish practical illustrations. The heir
to great estate, IL he comes to it unpre-
pared for the enjoyment, management
and responsibility it entails, dissipates it,
suffers it to fall away, and leads an I'M
fruitful life. So also a church, too
richly endowed, attracts indolent or dis
honest people, and fails to do the good
that struggling assembly acoomplishes
through the unselfish zeal of its indi-
yidual members. A foundati on with
great surplus revenue attracts vultures;
one without sufficient endowment is una
BILE 20 DO the work it ought to DO. In
these, as in all other affairs, the mean is
the proper way Of nature. Hence the
who seek to found public
should study wen the scope
and needs Of their foundations, and this
they can do with certainty only while
theF are themselves present to order
operations. observe effects, and adjust
the parts Of the work to its various needs.
Customer Gin cheap restaursnt)-s'I !
hope you Don { call this square meal?''
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