The evening times., 1898-12-09
MIR. RockefeIIcr.s Fortune.

A recent remark of President Harper.
Of the Chicago University, has excited
| some satirical comment, though that
gentleman doubtless meant il for the
best. Some one asked his opinion re-
garding the rapidly increasing fortune
of John d. Rockefeller, who is likely
soon to possess more money than all the
other citizens Of his native land put to-
Sether. President Harper said that if
MIR. Rockefeller continued TO give his
money away in the future as wisely as
in the past. he did not see how any one
should object To the size of his fortune.
This remark, when put with the fact
that Mr.. Rockefeller has bestowed some
millions on the Chicago University, ac-
quires peculiar significance. The in
ference is, TO put it plainly, that the
president of The university is loyal TO
the man who supports him.
1t would be pleasant 70 think that Mr..
Rockefeller is accumulating his millions
merely TO keep them out of the hands
of wicked men, who would not use them
for 50 good a purpose as he; and that
he holds his immense fortune simply
as trust. In the course Of human
events il will come 10 that; because it
has been ordained that no large fortune
shah remain intact for more than a GER
tain number Of years. But no matter
what Mr.. RoclcfeIler's purpose may De
in accommodating money, the fact re-
mains that he gels il from the profits
Of the Standard OH Company. ana those
profits are simply . tax which the COM
munity is forced To pay MIR. Rockefeller
for the privilege Of having light after
dark AIr. Rockefeller could increase
his profits without doing an atom more
work for the public good, if he saw iii
TO do SO; and then he could satisfy his
conscience by giving one out OF every
ten dollars SO gained To the Chicago
University. This state of things is tan
tamount 10 the reign Of the DoOnes over
ExmooT OF Of Dick Turpin over the
London roads. These worthless gave
some money To The church in their time
there were no universities to subs die
then: they tossed a purse 10 man
here and there. and paid a man in an
other place for the privilege of being
let alone and they were let alone sn
long is they did not make themselves
intolgrable. Many slow going Old
burghers had no idea that these condi-
tions could never be changed for the
better. Some opposed the innovation If
fences along the public highway. be-
cause they said that honest travellers
were thereby forced 10 keep 10 the beat
en- track. and had less chance of escap-
ing the highwaymcn. others We're of
opinion that after all there were worse
men than hjEhwaymen (Which was
tTuet, ana that an attempt To suppress
The evil would result in worse evil. But
all the same. the reign Of the highway
man is over Some day the nation
which is now experimenting with gov
cInment may come 10 the conclusion
that ID is just a. immoral to squeeze
money oUJ of the poor man by ii Stand
ard oil Trust, taxing him for the light
Jhar d.. burns. or by q wheat deal which
taxes Kim for the bread he cats. as 10
come down on his farm with a troop
Of horse and carry off his provisions for
the winter Until that time we must
rely on those who have leisure 10 think
cltaIly and wisdom to judge correctly,
for the guidance Of the people to a
higher plane of living; and when a coll
lege president So far forgets his re-
sponsibiliGes as 10 condone, or seem 10
ccnduns, public wrong because the
author of the wrong has conferred
benefits on him. il is right that the pub
lie should be shocked. President Har-
per would do well TO study the meth
ods uf the trusts for while