The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-10-12

ing. and his sway was daily disputed.
After lnnumerable victories and the ruin
of thousands Of individuals and combina-
tions he waa dethroned and bankrupted
In some wild panic. His successor would
take the pesilous place, to pursue the
same career and meet a like fate. But
In Mr.. Vanderbilt this center of the risks
and values Of the continent found a mas
ter whose resources were great and whose
judgment was unerring. 1t was equally
dangerous to follow or fight him on ac-
count Of the rap!dity with which he
changed his policy as he saw before others
did the gathering storm or the rainbow
of prosperity. "Wall street owes me 81
000,0eo n year" ] heard him say, and until
the last he collected that, and in some
years many millions.
/ had known the commodore very well
for several years, and one day he sudden-
ly asked II. he could retain me as attor-
ney and counsel. / had been appointed
and confirmed United States minister to
Japan, a position of power and promi-
hence because of the opening of that
country to civilization. mo future In
politics." he said. Railroads the career
for young man now. Don't be q fool"
He was 70, and was 80, and thus began
a confidential and personal relationship
has continued unbroken and unclouded
through four generations OF his family.
The most extraordinary thing connected
with the career of this remarkable man
is that his best work and greatest
achievements were accomplished after he
had passed 70. He was worth about $20,-
COX, 900 when he had rounded the life line
of the Scripture, and he added over $780,
000,060 to it in the next II years. His day
began at . O'Clock among the horses he
loved. and then until 2 that active brain
and unerring judgment were formulating
plans covering the continent. He left
business behind in the Office at 2, and
neither profit nor loss could tempt him
to talk about it until the next morning
At he was spinning along behind his
trottcrs. seeking the excitement of a
squirt of speed with a rival team.
He received daily bushel of begging
letters. Honest men and women, frauds,
fools and cranks--all needy and unable
to breast the waves OF adversely or make
their way in the word-appealcd to him.
He never answered them. IF l should
give them my whole fortune" he said,
'one-half would go to thieves and the
ether half TO people whose folly and i'm
PROV idence would squander 1t in week,
leaving them worse off than before
tlment, but had formulated a theory of
justice ard compensation summed up in
the phrase, Give II man a chance" 1t
might be a very humble and a very hard
chance, but If the man would stick and
dig and climb he was worth assisting.
As proof OF the value of this principle in
true philanthrophy he would point to the
president of one of his railroads who had
started as gate man at one of the ferries.
Unlike most self made men, he placed
the highest value upon a liberal education
and emphaticaliy laUentcd his own lack
of it. TO Bishop McTyeire's plain pre-
sentation of the enormous benefit of a
University in the south he gave hos
pit.nlo hearing A sound education equips
young men for broader work and greater
usefulness. Such an institution of learn
Ing was in the line of his motto of help
ing people to take care OF themselves,
and he endowed Vanderbilt university
with 81 ,coO,oeo. If the good bishop and his
associates, forcFeeing the future had
demonstrated the necessity of a larger
sum they would have received it..
DR.. Depew and party, consisting of
Miss Paulding, Miss Struthers, K. D.
Van CORTLAND and Mr.. and Mrs. Fl.
w. McVickar, after the ceremonies
were entertained by Chancellor Kirk
land at a reception at his residence,
attended by prominent citizens and the
Vanderbilt university staff.