The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-24
HOW TO SPEND S15O,00O,oo0.
RICH MEN GENERALLY FAVOR MIR.
CAHNEGIE's PLAN.


negie'S Is Noble Ambition.
From the Philadelphia Press.
New York. May lO.-There is something
SO fascinating TO the average mind in
these days in the contemplation of vast
sums of money that Andrew Carnegie S
announced intention of devoting the rest
OF his life to the hard task of giving
away wisely the millions Of money that
he has piled up has set peop'e by the
ears in this money-maklng and money
loving town.
If 1t be true that Carnegie is to re-
ceive S50.OOO,OO0 as the price of his in
teresls in the business concerns asso-
clated with his name, the sum does not
quite overwhelm the average intelligence,
as 1t might have done fifty years ago. For
in these times Of colossal industrial move
ments fortunes have been made so fast
and piled up so high that the public has
become accus toned TO big figures. and,
after all, II is as easy for the imagina-
ton to reckon IN millions as in hundreds.
But heretofore the public has viewed
millions made as made TO keep, and mil
sensation and new sensation apparently
with substance 10 1t.
Canegie's phrases have not always
been taken seriously, and his maxim ito
die rich is TO die disgraced" was prob
ably generally viewed a a bit of rhetoric
which has acquired force and body only
since Carnegies own announcement of
his determination to live up TO the stand
ard lie has framed.
What will other men of vast fortune
do with their MONEY now that Carnegie
has set a pace? That is an interesting
question. l asked Mr.. Rockefeller to-
day what he thought of Mr. Carnegie's
philanthropic schemes and his sugges-
ton that to die rich was not necessarily
TO pass away in the odor of sanctity But
Mr.. Rockefeller replied that he was tired
and declined TO say word on the sub
ject.
But Chauncey NJ. Depew was in more
accommodating and conversational mood
He said:
senator DeDew's Views.
Il understand that Mr.. Carnegie has
sold his vast steel interests for a sum
estimated to be $4,000, 600 and will spend
vast sums to the end that mankind may
be benefited. The income of Mr.. Carne-
gle may be estimated to be about So,
100000 a year, and If he were to devote
this amount on the work planned the
good he could do is inealculable. Mr..
Carnegie, by reason of his great wealth
can direct his energies toward the es-
Enlistment of libraries, schools and
hospitals. projects which require a great
outlay of money"
DO you take Mr.. carnegie literally
when he declares that TO die rich is to
die dsgraced?"
Yes, but unfortunately Mr. Carnegie
does not give us a definition of the rich
man. If 1t is respect be to leave $780,.
100000 and disgraceful to leave more thar,
that then all our people except three
or Tour are respectable. I know one man
wac mas $OOO0OO0 and considers himself
poor. AS | remarked, if Mr. Carnegie
spends his income he will do a world Of
good. If in addition to that he snends
norton of the principal each year. he
VIII be doing a wonderful thing. An
other point, Mr.. Carnegie has a wife and
child TO whom he is devoted How
much VIII he leave to them? That is the
test And no human being excent Mr.
carnegie can answer the question In
tnis matter of giving il seems to me that
the man who gives and has to stint him
ser, the man who makes a sacrifice nv
deprlving himself of the things he Vyo,,1S
IKE 10 have and could afford will no
entitled to greater credit when the LORD
comes TO make up the books, than the
man whose wealth is so great thai he
cannot feel ii. nc
Now Mr.. Sage has an entirely DIR
Ierent idea of money from Mr. Carnerie
his plan is to keep al work and nile ~,
a. Huch as ne can. For myself. l can
.io' see now last fortune is going TO do
any man good. OF course, l believe i'm
sticking to work as long as the vial
energy holds eat, and l think Mr. Carne-
gle IS right in dropping business and tax
ing up different form Of exercise.
beieve he will live longer than if he bad
continued In the way of adding 10 his
fortune and the longer he lives the more
good he will do.
Hetty Green Is Brief.
Hetty Green, the richest woman in the
world, has her own ideas about the col
lection and distribution of wealth. ana
Whlie she does not agree with Mr.. Carne-
gle IN his statement that 1t IS not a good
thlhg TO die leaving behind an enormous
fortune, still. she does not find fault
win that gentleman for so thinking.
one was seen this afternoon at the STU
irene Court building, where she had
oeen defendant in a suit brought by an
attorney to secure counsel fees. She was
not IN very good humor,- and when
your correspondent asked what she
thought of Mr.. Carnegie's retirement
from business she replied:
Mr. Carnegie can quit work If he
wants to, can't he? He has made plenty
of money, and If he is satisfied that IS
his affair Do l think 1t is disgraceful
20 die rich? Now, young man, with me
money is a trust. 1t came to me and II
Is my duty to take care of it, l think If
would be dlsgraceful to squander il as
some people are doing"
And the old lady hurried on.
Sage Gives His Opinions.
Russell Sage said: Il gave nv views
on this subject in an article which was
printed in the Press this morning
When ! said intended watching INV
interests and would never retire from
active business life did not mean that
would devote my time TO makiha, more
money / have passed that stage. ana
am now trying to keep my holdings in
tact.
Mr.. Carnegie is doing great work
with his free libraries. | do not believe
MI Carnegie intends spending All of his
money. Perhaps he will establish a
great many more institutions and these
VIII require many millions or dollars. nm
IN HIMf HI.