Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1901-04-03
ARP ON CARNEGIE.
ApplaudS the Millionaire for The Coco
be Is Doing.
HE MAKES SOME SUGGESTIONS.
Says the Great Steel King Could
Reach the Masses IL, Better Way
han by Libraries.

Scale it. Mr.. Fricks. scale these
profits down , per cent. for the next
fiscal year. The books show that We
are getting rich too fast. Put down
the price of steel rails and put up IKE
price of labor. We are but trustees
for our fellowmen and a million i
year Is enough for us
II Mir. Carnegie had said that ten
years ago. he wouldn't be so perple2:-
ed now about giving away his money.
He says it is a sin for man to die
rich and as life is uncertain and death
is sure. he seems to be in hurry
about getting rid of his millions The
five millions he has settled upon nis
aged and INDECENT laborerS is n bene-
faction that everybody commends-
The twenty-five millions he has given
to the cities for public libraries is not
especially commended by anybody ex-
cept those who received it 1t IS
about on a par with Rockefeller's
twenty-five millions to the great uni
versities. Neither gift reaches the
masses of the people nor alleviate the
condition of the poor. George Pea
body's and Peter Cooper's charities
were more sensible and effectual
George Muller's life work, who without
a dollar of capital to begin with, es-
tablished orphanages in London until
he had over 22, 900 in charge when he
died. and from year to year maintain
ed. and educated them, was much
grander charity than giving millions
10 colleges and libraries. George Pea
body'S millions built blocks OF good
comfortable tenement houses for the
.aboring poor of London. houses tha.
we're furnished and equipped with ev-
cry comfort and every safeguard for
the health of the tenants. Besides
that. he left large fund for the pro-
motion of education in the South.
There are many charities far more
needed by the people than giving them
chance to read free books. The poor
lido not have time to read very much.
A right hungry man can hardly get re-
liSion. much less enjoy story book.
But still we commend Mr.. Carnegie for
his good intentions, and if he had Civ
EN- two or three thousand dollars to
Cartersville would have said. Mr..
Carnegie. you are a hearted
Scotchman, sir" l hope they will
elect him mayor of New York.
The reason why the public praise
Mr. Carnegie SO is because the public
Is surprised. Such munificence is so
uncommon that it is unexpected The
gift is really no act Of generosity. for
as he says himself it Is a sin to keep
II and die rich. He got all his millions
from the labor of the people. and now
he is trying to pour some of it back IN
the jug. That is right and honorable
Tor the ore was Gods and the labor
was the toll OF his men. He ought to
pour it back and give some to the toll
ers whose sweat earned the money
This is pure morality and common
sense. Every man has q moral right
and 1t is his duty TO make sufficient
profit to maintain himself and family
In comfort. and even in luxury, and al
so to lay up something for his children
and for old age and for the accidents :
OF life; but beyond that his rights an
der Christian civilization do not 60
He then becomes a trustee for his fel-
lowmen who are in need Not that ne
should parcel out and deliver TO each
one his share for it cannot be done
but he should make some investment
that would insure the greatest good to
the greatest number. Nevertheless
Mr.. Carnegie is scattering his money
He is sowing wheat among the tares.
he is giving largely to the wealthy cit
les who can provide their own libra
ries. He is scattering his money: I
mean the surplus, that has grown to
be burden. He has Just finished Il
million dollar mansion in New York
and has another in Scotland. and Il few
millions in reserve for contingencies.
We hope that these small holdings will
not interfere with his intentions to
Gle poor No, there is no peculiar
grace in the gifts OF Carnegie or
Rockefeller. They are a surprisa.
that's all, for not one in n hundred of
the miliionaires do such things. Most
OF them hold on and pile it up for their
children 10 quarrel over The stand
ard Oil Company has just declared n
dividend OF twenty millions for
Rockefellcr lie crushed out ana ah-
sorbed all competing mills aAl still
sells oil TO the consumers at 10 cents
per gallon. Cheap. isn't il? But hc
could sell it 1T 10 cents and make a
hundred per cent. IL is the common
people. the masses. the toilers ami tho
poor who buy the oil, and every gallon
takes nickle from them that Cugit
not TO be taken. God made the oil
and gave tho labor. Mr. Rockefeller
had hut little to do with it, Most OF
his millions really belong to God
and the laborcrs. 1t is no sufficient
answer that he has endowed n college
The children of the laborers are not in
It, It's too far ayay and too high uo.
These colossal fortunes are becom-
ing alarming. They endanger good
government, for it is still fact that
riches and virtue are rarely found
combined" Laws grind the poor and