New-York tribune., 1900-04-15

his work were from time to time. and are now in
fact directly connected with the prosperity and
comfort Of thousands of people Of this country.
'I know Hebrew banker down in Wall Street"
continued the banker who has an income OF s2,Ooo
o0o year, and according to the old Mosaic rite, he
gives away onetenth OF ii. No doubt in the circles
where he is known he is regarded with veneration
and love. he deserves to be- But the men of
Coster's type just truly doers Of good, al
though they do not set out to give a specific sum
year by year to charitable objects. 1 am inclined
think that the kind of good that be credited
10 Mr. Coster is of a more lasting character and
of greater value TO the Republic than open handed
charity, which sometimes pauperizes instead Of
ennobles.
AT the time Of Mr. Coster's death 1 i'm
pressed with the fact that few knew or understood
him. The obituary sketches. although reasonably
comprehensive lacked that which should have
shown MI Coster the possessor of powers Of
the rarest sort-a potentialty that made him uncon-
sciousy important factor in society without his
being conspicuous Had I been making up a salary
list from among the OF the greatest money
makers in the metropolis, should have put Mr..
Coster's name pretty near the first on the list.
There thousands Of in this town whose
services are easily worth s5,0 year, which no
doubt they receive MT. Coster, however, was In
the 100000 class. Any financial house IN the city
salary. because ne earned it all and more too.
No good business man objects to paving what a
year, because his genius brought his company at
least twice that sum in profits. He eXceIIed as a
reorganizer of broken down railroads. His con-
structive ability was Of so high order that the
railroad world felt that when he took hold of a
broken down road that thereafter the road was in
the hands of master, and that 1t would come from
him in the best possible condition under the cir
cumstances. He proved his skill in this field by
e With Gu5 all O. Of hs might he
would go at his task. much as conscientious ply
sician does when the patient is personally dear to
him, and there would be rest relaxation till
heahy sif Els keen
power enabled him to calculate to a nicety i & the
ing policies he always selected the wise
Think OF the thousands Of men benefited In a
materia! way by his skiful reorganization of such
roads for instance. as the Reading and Erie. Think
caused If he had manipulated the reorganization
for personal profit. Employees dependent on the
laid off. and the grievances against the managers
would have made bad citizens by the hundreds
one else would Certainly, but 1t would have been
man Of Costers type, with the difference that he
pare great financial genius like Coster with some
OF radical theorists and antitrust agitators
these radical haters OF corporations really do foI
their fellow men but impoverish them? They SOW
fellowship and confidence Instead Of bending theil
m to 81 Pp h M up o the thew waste f b as
sions OF the unlearned but naturally fair minded
first. Comparing the two types Of men, IS there
any doubt as TO which is the better citizen and
"Of course" said the banker in closing there
are many who always thought OF him as an austert
man, because when his mind was fun OF business
he was not always ready 70 divorce himself from
his task, which; i sometimes think, he held 10 b
limits Of great business projects saw a man o.
fine nature and generous heart, willing at all time!
rnendable in charitable AFFAIRS and ready
tighten the burdens Of the sOrrowing But, eav
Ike to think Of him an upbuilder. bestowing OF
men material and moral comforts while they were
hercIiiean tasks with modesty and integrity fha
stamped him as man OF extraordinary type"