The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-06-03
HOW BEST TO
SPEND S1oo,ooo,ooo

Thomas G. shearman in the New York
Journal.
1.-THE task of distributing one hundred
million dollars so as to obtain the best re-
suits for humanity is about as stupendous
and difficult as accommodating such an
amount.
Probably men competent to do the one
are as rare as those able to do the latter.
1T is only by education that the race
can be permanently benefited Money
can not be applied directly to the problem.
1t would, of course, increase the sum of
human happiness to distribute the money
haphazard. If you took a million penniless
men and gave them one hundred dollars
apiece you would increase the total of hap
piness by the satisfaction of these million
men-but of permanent benefit there would
only be a small residue.
81 am very thankful I have not any
such responsibility, but if l had it would
seem to me wise to help a college here, a
church there, an institute somewhere else.
1.-THE money should not be concentrated
in huge endowment for a single college
or for ten. These enormous endowments
do not give a. compromising return in the
elevation of the people. Oxford and Cam
bridge represent this principle. They are
only now, after centuries, doing the work
TOR which they were endowed.
1.-THE University of Chicago has prac-
tically no limit to the funds at its disposal,
but its performance is not commensurate
with its fortune. 1t is like a man who
falls heir to a great wealth and is thus
deprived Of all incentive to exertion.
ut IS doubtful if one hundred million.
dollars or any other sum. however wisely
expended. could produce AN appreoiable
effect on the world. 1t is even conceivable
that the great fortune might have done
more good if it had been left to circulate
in its natural channels instead of having
been gathered into one accumulation.
Mr. Carnegie doubtless believes he can
make the money do a better work than
would have been accomplished by the
myriad of men whose directed labors pro-
duced it.
zone hundred million dollas is, of course,
an abnormal fortune, 1t is not impossible
that even such an amount could be ac-
cumulated fairly and honestly and society
receive an adequate consideration for it,
If, for instance, Mr.. Carnegie had man
aged Thomas Edison. The business man
and the inventor might easily have earned
the same time have benefited the world
hair a billion dollars worth.
"a river does more good to a country
running in its natural bed than damned
III an enormous reservoir. Genius may
improve on natures methods and in one
river out of twenty perhaps, but with the
other nineteen rivers more harm than
good must result. Some thousands of small
fAY
than if they are gathered into the hands Of
one man, however well-meaning and de-
voted to humanity he may be.
But given the hundred millions and the
desire to spend it for the best interests
of mankind. it would seem to me the GUS
todian must first Of all study the situation
for years to get the best results.
"A thousand plans must be rejected be-
fore the right one is found. a--a#
ITO supply work for all fhe unemployed
has a promising sound but is success to
the extent of permanent world benefit
practicable?
"A model community that shall ulti-
mately spread throughout the world the
leaVen that will reform the world is the
Vision of a dreamer. The experiments on
a small scale that have been tried hardly
justify the hope that the world can be
inoculated In this way.
Man can only rise through knowledge.
This money could give an impetus to
many institutions of learning and pour
the missionaries education into the world
frcm hundred sources indefinitely
Possibly no better mode of procedure
could be found than that of Mrs. Stone, i'll
this state. Her husband left her fortune
OF seven million dollars, entirely without
restrictions. Persuant to what she knew
were his wishes, she sat about spending
1t to do good. AS first step she employed
a clergyman of my acquaintance to in
yestigate the field for her. 1t was the
work of years. She gave to institutions
i'll proportioA to their capacity to asslni-
late the requests a struggling church
was made firm, hampered college was
set free to do its utmost toward the up
holding of humanity. That was intelligent
philanthropy, and the results show it.
1T would be my idea to work through
the institutions already established rather
than to start new ones. l do not mean by
that, of course, to give more millions to
the colleges that have already a plethora
Of endowment, but to extend the sphere
of utility of many minor institutions and
make provision for their future.
1T Is only by teaching the mass of men
that we can make impression on the
worlds wretchedness. Any other effort Is
wasted. l think most men who have ,ried
will agree with me that three-quarterB Of
what they have given might as well have
been thrown into the sea-"
MAKING HISTORY AND LANGUAGE
From the st. Louis Republic.