Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-07-10
HE Service Of Riches.

oVi tiCC vi hlCltSs
The demagogues and sensationalists
are fond OF asserting that the wealth of
our country is a menace to its welfare
and prosperity. They have figures at
their tongues end to show that as
riches accumulate, the interests of the
people are jeopardized, and influences
OF mischief introduced. According to
their theory the man who makes a
fortune is a public enemy. They re-
fuse to acknowledge the least merit
in %millionaires or to concede that wealth
is ever used in any other than a selfish
and hurtful way. The effect of such
talk is to create a prejudice in the
minds OF the masses against those who
happen to possess large amounts of
money, and to put out of sight certain
facts that justify a more favorable
view. 1t is not true, as these individu.
ais proclaim, that wealth represents
only q grasping instinct and a DISPOSE
ton to Cypress the people. On the
contrary, there is manifest proof that
it stands largely for a kind of service
that is generally advantageous. All
the great enterprises which provide
comforts and conveniences for the pub.
lie are based upon aggregations of cap.
ital, and could not otherwise exist.
The railroads, the steamships, the tele.
graph lines and other important agen-
cies of civilization would be impossible
In the absence of wealth to construct
and operate them; and the same is true
of all the big manufacturing concerns
which furnish employm ent for so many
wage earners and produce articles of
common necessity and desire at such
reasonable prices.
1t is an undeniable fact that most of
the fortunes in the country have been
made by means that were directly
beneficial to society. The wealth of
the United State is not boarded, but in
vested in forms of business that widen
the opportunities of all classes and pro.
mote general prosperity. 1t is not to
the interest of the itch to retard COM
mercial and industrial development,
and prevent the masses from getting
along in the world. The value of their
property and the success of their enter.
prises depend upon the steady improve
ment of the condition of the people.
They have nothing to gain by limiting
or embarrassing the sources from which
they derive their profits. There are in.
dividual capitalists, to be sure, who
deserve condemnation for evil practi,
ces, but it is not true that the capital.
lists as a class are conspirators against
the common welfare. They fully un
derstand that they can not afford to
undermine the foundations of the fabric
which they have helped to rear and
which is at once both their assurance
of protection and their promise of flu
ture advantage. 1t is absurd to SUP.
pose that they are anxious to spread
poverty and misery over the land when
that would be to invite misfortune for
themselves in depreciation of values
and the lessening of profits. We must
credit them with ordinary intelligence,
and not accept the idea that they are
willing to sacrifice their own interests
in order to bring calamity upon the
people.
There is another aspect of the matter
that should receive more attention than
it usually gets, and that is the familiar
charge that rich men are Indifferent to
the claim of charity and philanthropy.
They do not render as much service as
they should in those respects, perhaps,
but neither do they fall SO far short of
their duty as is commonly insisted. A
recent statement of the gifts and be.
quests to public objects during the pres.
ent year shows that the liberal sum of
$10,434, $50 was thus applied. OF this
amount, the college received $4,O75,-
750, the hospitals 81, $50, 900, the church.
es $3.50, 900, the Libraries $20S, 900, and
the art galleries and similar institu-
tons $3.50, 400. This aggregate, it will
be observed, represents an average dis
tribution Of about SO, 900, 600 per month,
or at the rate of S24, OO0, 900 per year, to
religious, charitable and educational
purposes; and it is estimated that these
figures represent the average rate of
such contributions during the decade.
There is surely something to be said for
the wealthy people who have mani
tested their generosity in this liberal
measure. 1t will not do to rail about
the alleged closeistedness of the CAPT.
talists when we have such proof of their
regard for the obligations of beneyo.
lence. The faults of the wealthy, like
those of the less fortunate, are not 10
be concealed or condoned: but let them
have due credit for their good deeds,
and u gentling OF judgment in proper
ton to the value of their service.-St.
Louis Globe Democrat.