Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1892-02-12
THE GOSPEL OF WEALTH,

Andrew Carnegie was barefooted
Scotch lad who came to the United
States. n the latter '40s he was a
messenger boy in the telegraph Office
at Pittsburg. Since then he has, by
investment in iron works and other
uniformly successful enterprises,
amassed wealth until lie is to dav one
of the worlds richest men.
In amassing this wealth Mr.. Car.
negie has been liberal even to mum.
ficsnca. He built and endowed a
hospital, reading room and library in
his native town, in cotland; he also
built and endowed, at a Gust of, we
believe, round million of dollars, a
public reading room and library in
Pittsbnrg, Pa, and he has given most
generously to numberless public
charities ard private individuals.
After this glimpse at the character
Of one OF the most remarkable men Of
the Nineteenth century, our readers
will be prepared to ponder somewhat
more carefully than they might Others
wise have done upon his recent utter
ances, from the pulpit of the church
of the Divine Paternity, in New York
City. The e,iee is, we presume,
controlled by Presby terans, bu. that
fact should not affect the value OF the
gen.lenan's remarks. He said, SUBJ
stantially:
The gospel of wealth is comprised
in a few words. Surplus wealth is
saved us trust, which its possessor
Is bound to administer in his lifetime
for the good Of the community from
which it was derived. 1t teaches that
man who dies possessed of millions
Of available wealth, which was free,
and his to administer during his life.
time, dies disgraced. 1t recognizes
Of course that men must keep their
capital in business as long as they
labor, for capital is tho tool by which
they work wonders, but beyond the
capital necessarily so employed the
aim Of the millionaire should be to
die poor, use his wealth for the objects
which commend themselves TO the al
ministrator as best calculated to pro
mote the genuine improvement of his
fellows as believed to be the best pos
sible solution Of the question Of
wealth and poverty. Tloie into
who's hands the surplus wealth flows
thus become trustees a, d admins.
traitors of the public. The question
arises, how are the hoardrrs who evade
the gospel Of wealth to be reached?
Those who fail to administer their
surplus es tust for the good Of
their fellows. We must let the worker
alone during his life, but after his
death the State should step in and
demand his share of the hoard.
Through graduated system of taxa
ton, every fortune left by the board.
er should contribute to the State in
proportion TO its size, small amount
left to those dependent upon the de-
ccdent being exempt, but the scale
rising by steps, until enormous for
tunes reaching into many millions
should BE decreed that zone half goes
to the privy Golfers of the State" This
is the proposition which the laws Of
Venice exacted from her Shylocks.
Our modern Shylocks should be
made to contribute at least as much.
All oar readers may not agree with
Mr.. Carneeie's views as to the disposal
Of vast estates at the death of their
owners; but none will deny that some
such plan as he suggests will have to
be adopted before many more years
have passed, as the fortunes of our
Vanderbilts and others are becoming
SO vast as to endanger our liberties.