The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-23
THE OBLIGATIONS OF WEALTH
EX-PREsEDENT HARRISON SPEAKS
AT CHICAGO.

NaSHAhStOn = Birtnuay-AliuueS TO
the SeIf-PossessiOn of the People
in the Face of the Crisis Brought
on by the Disaster to the Maine.
Chicago, Feb. PIX President Benja-
min Harrison spoke to-day at the Audto-
rum at the central meeting of the annual
celebration of the Union League Club in
honor of Washington. .AH the historical
and civil societies of the city were fully
represented.
Among the distinguished visitors present
were DR. John Finley, president of Knox
College; Gen. John NJ. Palmer Nal Gen.
John r. Brooks, ex-Goy. Richard ]. Ogles-
by, and Charles Emery Smith of Phila-
delphia. The Apollo Club of 400 voices fur
nished the music for the programme
Ex-President Harrison took for his sub
ject Obligations of Wealth"
He referred briefly to the Cuban ques-
ton, saying: I'VE stand now in the aw-
full shadow Of one of the most tragic events
that has ever happened in our history and
yet we stand with the self-possession of a
people who understand their might and
can abide the developments of time. We
are not hysterical people. We can wait
and we will know our duty when>it shall
be revealed. We can understand that in
time like this there are grave RESPONSE
bilities devolyiug upon the President of the
United States, single responsibilities that
he may not divide with any man. Let us
stand about him, Strengthening him in the
calm assurance that this great country
desires only what is right, and can wait
until the facts are known before it issues
its proclamation" Reyerting TO the theme
on which he was to speak. he said:
I'm choosing for my theme, The obi
cations of Wealth 1 am not wrestling this
anniversary from its legitimate use. We
do not need to forget-indeed, we cannot
forget, Washington when we reflect upon
our obligations to the state. His life
teaches no lesson more strongly than that
the citizen is under obligation to serve
the state; never to shirk his full share of
burden and labor and sacrifice, but rather
to do more.
THE word wealth in its modern use
has suffered a limitation If not a perver-
sion. Originally and strictly it means
veal or welfare, external happiness. When
Paul admonished the Corinthian Chris
tlans Let no man seek his own, but every
man another's wealth. he was not an
ticipating the modern law of the wheat
pit and the stock exchange.
Wealth is a comparative term; and my
address is not for that very limited body
of multi-nillionaires, called by the Pop
ulist orators 'Plutocrats.' "A smaller audi
ence chamber would have suficed for
them and perhaps the orator should have
been of the guild. l want to speak of the
obligations of the well-to-do' people, the
forehanded, prosperous men and women
or our communities, whether their estates
are reckoned by thousands or by millions.
We live in time of great agitation, Of
a war of clashing thoughts and interests
Men, no longer satisfied with what appears
above ground. are uncoverlng roots. There
is feeling that some men are handicap
ped, that the race is sold: that the old and
undetermined equality of opportunity and
of right has been submerged More bitter
and threatening things are being said and
written against accumulated propertv
and corporate power than ever before. It
seems 10 many that, more and more, small
men, small stores, and small factories are
being thrown upon the shore as financial
drift or wreckage: that the pursuit of
cheapness has reached a stage where only
enormous combinations of capital doing
an enormous business, are sure of re-
turns.
THE seams which mar the face of the
social landscape seem to be widening
chasms, and If these CULTS are to be filed
We must establish dumps on both sides
of them. 1t will aid the work if those on
either side use the bridges to get a view
of it from the other side. Wealth should
neither be the object of our eumity, nor
the basis of our consideration The indis-
criminate denunciaton of the rich is mis-
chieVous. 1t perverts the mind. posons
the heart and furnishes an excuse for
crime. No poor man was ever made rich
er or happier by it, 1t is quite as illogical
to despise "a man because he is rich as be-
cause he is poor. Not what a man has,
but what he is, settles his class. In the
discussion of all these social questions
good temper is essential. Men must get
together and use facts, not rhetoric.
The special purpose of my address to-
day is to press home this thought upon the
prosperous, well-to-do people of our COM
munity, and especially of our great cities.
that one of the conditions of the security
of wealth is a proportionate and full con-
tribution to the expenses of the state and
local governments. 1t is not only wrong,
but il is unsafe to make a show in our
homes and on the street that is not made
in the tax returns.
Equality is the golden thread that runs
all through the fabric of our civil institu-
tions-the dominating note in the swelling
symphony of liberty. Equality, not of con-
didons, not of natural endowment but of
rights, is the foundation stone Of our gov
ernmental structure And as a corollary.
necessary and imperative, to this doctrine
of an equality of right, is the doctrine of
proportionate and ratable contribution
to the cost of administering the govern
ment. The duty OF the state to protect
life, liberty and property is conditioned
upon fair contribution to the cost of
government. A full and conscientious dis
charge of that duty by the citizen is one
of the tests of good citizenship To evade
that duty Is a moral delinquency, an un
patriotic act.
IF we do not hold by this rule of pro-
portion, which think is an essential part
of the definition of taxes, then everything
becomes subject TO the within of the legiss