The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-21
BUSINESS BENEFAcToRs.

The late George NJ. Pullman was the
target for vast amount of abuse on ac-
count of the management of the sleeping
car system which bears his name, and he
became particularly odious to organized
labor during the great railroad strike of
1894, yet, to be honest and do him justice,
he was entitled to a great measure of
credit for what he accomplished. There is
such thing being a business benefac-
tor. Not all benefactors of the human race
or of their own countrymen are mere phi
lanthropists or dispensers of charity 1t has
been said that whoever could make two
blades of grass grow where only one grew
before is a benefactor of mankind. The
idea is that he is a benefactor who con-
tributes materially to the comfort the en-
joyment and the progress of mankind In
this sense all great inventors are bene-
factors. The inventors of the steam en-
CINE, of the cotton gin, of the electric tele-
graph and telephone, and many other
things were greater benefactors of the
race than any mere philanthropist or dis
penser of charity In the same sense Mr..
Pullman was a benefactor. He had the
was a great field for increasing the COM
fort of travel through an improved sleep
ing car, and he had the nerve, the ability
and the determination to utilize the idea.
1t goes for nothing to say that he made a
great fortune out of his discovery and its
application. The fact remains that he made
travel luxurious and inviting, thus making
thousands of people travel where only
hundreds travelled before, and contributing
enormously to the facilitation of business,
the promotion of social life and the adj
vancement of civilization in all the ways
that travel does advance it. No one can
doubt the educational effect of Mr. Pull
mans labors in this regard. Foreigners
have been amazed at the readiness with
which long journeys by rail are undertaken
in this country and the comfort with which
they are accomplished. They are amazed,
also, to discover what travelling people we
are. In this respect there is no COMPARE
son between Europe and the United States
Americans are the greatest travellers in
the world, and there can be no doubt that
the fact has had a very beneficial effect in
assimilating our population and in promot-
ing national and individual interests. If it
be true. as undoubtedly it is, that the trav-
cling habit has been greatly stimulated
and promoted by the general introduction
of sleeping cars. then it must be admitted
that the man who was chiefly instrumental
in the development and establishment of
the system was a public benefactor. Lee
climate business of all kinds is an impor-
tant factor in civilization, and whatever
facilitates it's transaction, enlarges it's field
multiplies it's results contributes to the
advancement of civilization Inventor Edi-
son and others are none the less benefactors
because they have profited enormously by
their Inventions and it would be unjust to
deny the same distinction to a man
who did so much to facilitate and
promote travel as Mr.. Pullman did because
he died millionaire We must recognize
the claims of business benefactors as well
as of others.