The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-03-08
GIFTS BEFORE DEATH
THE PHlLANTHRoPlST SHOULD BE HIS
OWN EXECUTOR.

The Beautiful Picture of Benevolent Peter
Cooper Moving Among the People III,
Loved-Does the Man Who Dies Rich
Die Disgraced?
Perhaps it may DO too much to say with
Andrew Carnegie that a man who dies
rich dies disgraced, though we remember
that that admirable philanthropist, Lewis
Tappan, published a pamphlet TO prove
the same thing. Yet 10 Is evident beyond
question that that man is wisest and that
man gets the most comfort out of life who
during his lifetime sees that his money
goes TO the important objects for which he
destines it, and who can behold with his
own eyes the good done by it, A rich man
narrows and belittles himself II he devotes
his entire thought 20 the increase Of his
estate He should devote thought TO its
wisest expenditure. Therein he acquires a
largeness and breadth of soul which will
be the chief comfort of his life He will
prove that he is genuine philanthropist,
not one who transfers his wealth to char
ity on his deathbed, rs IL he were then
about TO make his peace with God and the
world, but that he has lived for his fellow
men and not simply for himself
The rich man whose only ambition is TO
be rich is not the friend of humanity and
can hardly be anything else than its en-
envy. In any conflict against capital he
can claim no sympathy nothing more
than the coolest justice. He has cast no
anchor TO the windward; he has sent forth
no roots or tendrils whit Oh gathered about
the hearts of the people His mammon Of
unrighteousness has made him no warm
friends; his belated benefactions may do
good to the world, and they seem TO be a
sort of atonement for his shortcomings
They fail to prove that he possessed n soul
that went out lovingly toward God or his
fellow men.
Perhaps the most beautiful sight which
this generation has seen was that of Peter
Cooper building his own monument, not
in the masonry Of the Cooper Union, but
in the hearts of its pupils and of the PEG
pie of New York. Peter Cooper the man
ufacturer of glue, would have been forgot
ten, but Peter Cooper, the patron Of all
aspiring youth, their friend and teacher,
walking about with his benevolent face
and his long white hair among the Glasses
Of young people for which his bounty
made provision and reaping constantly
the harvest of their admiration and love,
was an exquisite witness not to the pride
of wealth, but to the beauty Of goodness,
We are glad of long list of wealthy men
who have founded colleges and universe,
ties In their lifetime, honored for their
large hearts, who give their hearts If not
their names to their charities.
OF course it is great deal better for
man to give money for benevolent pur.
poses by will than not to give it at all We
would not say word in disparagement of
the usefulness of great gifts that have
been made in that way. We know very
well that there are men who have the fac
ulty of making money, and who do not
feel that they are competent TO decide for
themselves wisely how their wealth should
be disposed of or how its expenditure for
benevolent objects should be managed
But the time will come when they must
give up their money, and some ones adj
vice or decision must be followed That
advice they can obtain during life, and
they can themselves make their gifts safe
ly. 1t is as easy TO do it now as it is TO Sc
lect executors or trustees to do it after
death, except in so far as a man cannot
bring himself to loosen the grasp by which
he holds his wealth until death compels
him To do SO We would have such people
consider, however, the great danger there
is that their wishes will not be carried
out The repeated cases in which wills
have been declared void and the purposes
of the testatOr have been annulled ought
to make every one who has money to give
consider whether he cannot without in
jury to his own interests and those of his
family, give at least part of It during
his lifetime.
But whether he does IL or not this at
least is true-that every man who has ac-
quired wealth from the public should con-
slider it a privilege, If not duty, to give
back to the public some portion of what
he has received. They say that in Boston
it is not respectable to die without leaving
a bequest to Harvard college. 1t ought
not to be respectable for any man of wealth
to die without a bequest to some college
or benevolent society or hospital or mu-
scum or park or public institution. OF
course one should provide for his house
hold, and charity should begin at home.
But that is not charity which ends at
home. 1t is cold blooded, hard hearted self
ishness. To give to the public in this
way Is something more than duty. 1t is
privilege 1t is q privilege to be con-
nected in any way with the amelioration
of the evil of the world with the increase
of truth and righteousness, with the devel-
opment of Christian civilization in any
land on the face of the earth, and the man
who gives his possessions to such an object
as this Is therein partner with our great
Exemplar who went about doing good
New York Independent.