River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-09-01
REQUESTS or MILLloNAlRes.
What Is the Duty of the Man of Wealth
to the Pubiies

Not very long ago there died one of
the richest citizens OF this country. By
persons whose opportunity To know the
facts was good his wealth was esti-
mated at from forty TO fifty millions of
dollars. BY the provisions of his will
the sum of one hundred and forty-flve
thousand dollars was left t. Various
public charitiesj all the rest to his fans
lily.
Two years ago died the man who was
perhaps the wsalthigst OF all Amiericafi
mtllionaires. and one of the half-dozen
richest men in the world. The value of
the property aud investments of various
kinds which he left beRind him was hes
liesed 10 be not less than one hundred
and fifty million dollars.
Such fortune half century ago
would have been looked upon az credi-
bie md impossible for private eit.&ea;
and even the novelist's adjecnves
''princely" and royal" would have
failed to describe its magnitude.
In his will he bequeathed seven hum
dred thousand dollars "a public ihstitns
ti6hs. and OF this the greater part went
to library originally founded by his
own family.
Both of these wills Were commented
on plsirly when tteif TERMS Became
known, and it was the universal judg-
ment that their provisions Were un-
generous, selfish and neglected. of pub
lie duty.
TN first consideration this criticism
may seem impertinent and unreasoftaz
BILE. The millionaire built up his own
fortune, or somebody who chose to
give it to him built IL up for him. What
reason has the public for expecting him
10 remember II generously in his will7
There aFe SEVERAL good feasdhs bue
IS that the owner OF. a very great prop
erty owes far more TO the state, and to
the people who make up the state, for
it's protection than does the owner of
small property. II is true each pays
the same percentage of .taxationi SO
that the taSes bf the tlch mafi are
heavier in proportion as he is richer.
But this does not distribute equally
the burden. To the very rich man
whose income is a hundred times great
er than his expenses, the public taxes
are not burden at ALL to the poor man
they mean sacrifice IL is not reason
able iii the public to feel that for this
discrepancy there should he some re-
turn.
PERHAPS, However, even this logical
reason is not so firmly founded as the
appeal TO moral right. Wealth means
power to-day, as it never did before in
history. But there was never n
TIME heftirs when 1t was more
thoroughly recognized that all power
is trust, which no one has right
to use for his own selfish advantage. In
the light of this principle the handing
down of enormous wealth from genera
ton TO generation, and using none of it
for public or private charity, is clear
aid objectionable wrong
1t is satisfactory 10 observe that most
men of great wealth admit this princi-
rle nowadays, and are generous in their
public gifts, both during life and by
their wills.
The church naturally receives the
most generous bounty; the colleges per-
haps next; then the public hospitals,
the libraries, art galleries and public
museums of every kind.
In strong contrast with the parsi-
inony of the two eases already mem
toned, are such men of vast. wealth as
William II. Vanderbilt. who gave a
million and 4 quarter Of dollars to char-
titles and public institutions in his will,
besides gifts of several millions more
made during his lifetime; or men of
great but less enormous property, such
as Mr.. ID. u. Fayerweather, who died
leaving property Of not much more
than i've millions. of which the greater
part was bequeathed TO hospitals and
colleges:
The most important lesson Of late
years, however. is that gifts of this
kind ought not all to be left until the
giver's death. The Stewart and Tilden
wills both made generous public be-
quests, but both in large measure
failed of execution. The shrewest law
yer Ia not always able to draw up a
will which can not be contested and des
feated
lie who makes his gifts to the public
during his lifetime can see personally
to what uses they are put, and knows
that his just debt is justly paid
Youths Companion.