Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1899-08-08
Nlr. Rouss AZ ArbIter.
[From the wInchegtor star. ]

FROM Nub nluCHSFlSt Sb1i-l
Mr.. Charles B. Rouss has again DEM
onstrated his affection for Winchester in
giving the town princely sun, of money
for the erection of municipal building.
To detail his many gifts to Winchester
and TO charitable objects. both of pub
lie and private character. would be reit-
Grafton, and TO laud his philanthropy
would be useless since all who know his
name, and these are legion, know also
mis- generous impulses.
Mr.. Rouss' fame as merchant and
millionaire is wide and great, but it is his
character that always couples his name
and that of generosity and philanthropy in
the minds of all. He has been lavish in
his benefactions to Winchester, and the
reason he ascribes is that he loves the
people here 1t can be said here that
the attention which the press accord his
philanthropy has never in the slightest
degree been suggested by him, but on the
other hand he has often said that the
newspapers gave him too much praise
that he did not deserve. and he has al
ways modestly thanked the newspapers
for their kindly expressions toward him.
In his communication to the City Coun-
Gil offering them thirty thousand dollars,
the whole of the letter breathes of the
spirit of peace, love and good will In
speaking of the suit between the town
and county which is tearing asunder the
hitherto close relations of the two sec
tons. Mr.. Rouss says. '"These questions
only breed bad feeling among a
set of people l love and who ought sure
ly to love each other" And again he
says in speaking of his proposed plan of
settlement, "but peace and friendship
will be restored between all you good
people, for the cause of discomfort will
then have been removed. and both par,
ties will be in far better condition than
they are now or it is possible for any de.
cree of court to put them"
Such sentiments as these could only
have been uttered by man who really
and sincerely loved the people of whom
he was speaking. Here were two com,
munities engaged in an unnatural strug
gle for the possession of Il bit of land
Ennity and. as Mr.. Rouss saws. bad feel
ing, was rampant and this would have
amounted to the most virulent hate by
the decision of the court later on. Mr.
Rouss comes in as an arbiter and peace.
maker-not with any theory to advance
in settling the difficulty-but with a plain,
practical plan, backed up by his own
money, and asks that the two sections
accept it. If love and affection did moi
prompt the gift what motive could have
suggested it? Certainly not the so-called
free advertising, " for if any man has
ever suffered as the result of his charity
that man has been Mr.. Rouss. When
this latest gift of his gets known through
out the country he will be the recipient OF
a fresh influx of letters begging for all
sorts of objects and from all sorts of PEG.
pie. If this is the advertising" that
some refer to. Mr.. Rouss would have long
ago been taught the lesson that even
charity has its drawbacks. But he has
not consulted selfishness in the matter,
and so in ascribing to him the qualities
which are his by proven right, we are
only paying some slight tribute to a man
who stands preeminent for noble impulses
and for philanthropy