The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-03-28
RICH MEMS CARES
Great Wealth Carries with It Great
Responsibilities
Andrew Carnegie, the Millionaire Iron
Nan OF Pittsburgh Tells How surplus
Wealth Should BE Invested for
the Good Of the People.

In my opinion. the millionaire's life
Is full of the greatest obligations, the
greatest responsibilities, the greatest
possibilities. writes Andrew Carnegie
in Demorest's Magazine. In what re-
spect? In respect to putting to the
very best and most helpful use the
enormous fortune which he controls.
1t Is, l believe. already well known
that hold there is but one right mode
of using great wealth: namely, that
the possessor, from time TO time during
fortune as to promote permanent good
to the community from which it WIS.,
gathered. The methods of performing
this duty are: first, the founding or
extension of a university by men enor-
mously rich; second. gifts TO the COM
munity, such as free libraries, art gal
leries, museums. gymnasiums and the
like; third, the founding or extension
of hospitals, medical colleges, labora-
tories and other institutions conducive
to the alienation of human sufferings-
In other respects I do not see how
the daily life of the millionaire differs
much from the life of men without
millions. In this country he is the
natural product of industrial push and
national prosperity. He works Just as
hard as his poorer nei;Shbor. AS re-
marked the other night, the millionaire
is the cheapest man in the community.
He works like slave. and all he asks
of the community IN return Is his board
and clothes. He may be happy in pos
session of millions, but stin his enjoy
ments, and even his powers, are linn
tied. He cannot have more than he
consumes. He can eat only one din
ner, wear only one suit Of clothes at
time, travel only in the same parts Of
the world as the poorest sailor. see the
same plays as those obliged TO sit in
the gallery, read the same books as
the humblest clerk.
He who boards his wealth is a slave
Money owns him. The almighty dol
lar is curse to young men. Garfield
said that the richest young man Is the
one who is born poor: and Garfield was
right. Some hoarders. when they die,
are peculiarly repentant, for one rea-
son or another. These leave their
wealth to public institutions. But
there is no grace in such gift: for
such a one releases his grasp upon
his money only when he has to.
A millionaire is sort of trustee of
vast estate which he should use to ele-
vate and improve the community from
which that wealth arose This is q
trust which he is bound TO keep. We
should aim to put the ladder in the
reach of the ambitious. The million
aire who gives money unwisely does
positive harm. not only to those whom
the money was designed to help, but to
the whole community. He would bet
ter drop his money into the water in
mid-ocean. We should help the worthy,
not the worthless
Aims should not be given to chance
beggar simply to relieve ones feelings
or conscience. Before we give a dime
or dollar we should ask ourselves: Is
the recipient worthy? Cooper's six
hundred thousand dollars, and Rookie
feller's millions are ten times more
beneficial to a community given as
they were, than if they had been
dribbled out bit by bit.