The times., 1901-06-22
Multi-Miriomaires and Their Gifts.


A life of grasping avarice and harsh
business methods, whereby vast lor-
tune has been built up, is not atoned Tor
by largesses tc the poor. the endoW-
nent of colleges, and the establishment
of libraries after the fortune has been
amassed and when the owner is APP
nroaching the evening of his days
Stn less are such donations any -dsh-
fcation of a system by Whit man is
enabled unrigbteo';sly and oppressive
Iy to accur>.late untold millions Wheh
Sc new donation by Carnegie or
Rockefeller is reported, many short
sighted persons at once go into raptures
over the generosity of these mulu-mn-
uonaires. forgetting or ignoring the
conditions under which their wealth
was acquired
1t is as clear as light that AnoreW
Carnegie could never have become the
owner of property worth two or three
hundred million dollars il he had not IN
some way enjoyed extraordinary au-
vantages. These advantages are In
plain view. First, he had the benefit OF
the protective tariff, which kept foreign
iron manufacturers out of the American
market, and, secondly, having acquired
a large fortune in this way, he multi
Piled it many fold by crushing out the
competition OF smaller concerns. 1t is
said that he treated his employees well,
and paid them good wages. Perhaps he
did. but at the same time he pursued
course which made it impossible for
many other employers to pay any
wages at all Under a system of free
competition among American pro-
ducers there can be no question that
the condition of the iron workers would
have been still better. In any event,
the fact that Carnegie did some good
things during his business career can
not possibly justify those things that
are wrong. The worst of men nearly
always have some good qualities.
But it is not necessary 10 assume that
such men as Carnegie and Rockefeller
are bad at heart They went into busi-
ness for profit. They took advantage of
the conditions that existed, and made
money on a large scale Naturally
they felt that conditions under which
they had prospered so amazingly were
good and from this the conclusion came
naturally that they had moral right
10 take advantage of the conditions TO
the fullest extent And no doubt they
are now persuading themselves that
their enormous accumulatons of wealth
are the very best thing that could have
happened for the country
1t is difficult thing-it may be an
impossible one-to fix an amount as the
maximum of wealth that a man may ac-
auire. No attempt has ever been made
to do so, and the war upon trusts should
not be given such a turn All should
recognize that capital has its rights,
and that many industries are Of such
character that it is simply impossible
10 conduct them without large invest
ments of capital. But legitimate IN
vestnent of capital in a large business
venture is a very different thing from
the absorption Of a number Of such en-
terprises into one great combine for the
purpose of destroying competition, ana
preventing a fair distribution Of the
profits. This is the distinction 10 be
kept in view
1t is a mans natural right to engage
in business and accumulate wealth, so
far as he can do 1t by his own ability
and honest effort But when he at
ternpts to so shape the legislation Of the
country as to give him unfair advan-
tages. and then uses the wealth thus
acquired in making unholy alliances for
the destruction Of honest rivals, halt
should be called in some just and
proper way. As step in this direction
IL is proposed that all articles controlled
by these great combinations shall be
deprived Of the artificial support given
10 them by the protective tariff. Such
a measure is eminently conservative
and moderate.
Getting back now for moment to
the donations of these very wealthy
men. il seems pertinent to suggest that
st Is scarcely wise or even just to at
tack them whenever a new donation is
reported. They have the wealth, what
ever may be thought of the manner in
which il was acquired. II is better, far
better. that they should distribute it
than to hold 1t in solid bulk for the
benefit of their own families. Let them
be encouraged TO scatter IL by all
means. At the same time no one
should permit their apparent generosity
TO blind him to the evils Of system by
which a few men have amassed wealth
upon a scale that has literally dazed the
world.