The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-06-06
BRYAN ATTACKS
ROCKEFELLER
He Declines the Acceptance OF
Gifts From Oil Magnats.
A MODERN ROBIN HOOD
Worthy Institutions Cannot Afford 10 kc.
cspt Money That Is Wrongfuly
Accumulated.
A MODERN ROBIN HOOD

Lincoln. Neb.. June e-Mr. Bryan de-
votes nearly a page of his Commoner on
an attack on the custom OF universities.
churches and benevolent institutions ac-
cepting gifts from monopolists. Mr.. Bry-
an In way likens John ID. Rockefeller
TO modern Robin Hood, saying in part:
There seems 10 be a wide difference
Of opinion as TO the propriety OF accept
Ing gifts from men like Rockefeller
Those who solicit such gifts start in with
the proposition that a worthy object has
right 10 call upon any one for assist
ance. regardless OF the manner in which
he secured possession of his money: and
the second argument in such defense
is usually that the individual himself is a
man OF generous impulses and high char
acter and that even though a part OF the
income Is derived from Objectionable
sources the contamination does not ex-
tend TO that portion OF the incomt derived
from legitimate sources
The subject is worthy OF considera-
ton because II private monopoles contin-
ue to grow. IL is likely TO become a more
and more important issue First can a
worthy institution afford TO accept money
that is wrongfully accumulated?
LIKENED TO BRIGANDs.
I'm order TO establish the principle. let
us take an extreme case and assume that
a gang of highwaynen should succeed in
accommodating a large sum by robbing
travellers, and also succeed IN so terri
flying the authorities as to escape punish
ment. Would any Christian college or
any other worthy institution feel justi-
fed In accepting donations from such a
group Of individuals while they continued
in lawlessness?
IF IL Is impossible for a mere stock
holder to justify participation In taint-
ed profits. what shall be said OF the d.
rector and manager himself? In the case
of Mr.. Rockefeller, II is a fact known to
all that he not only derives a large part
of his present income from the Standard
Oil company, but that the dividends Of
his Standard OIL stock have furnished
the mony for his other investments. The
tremendous pyramid of his fortune rests
upon the stock OF the Standard Oil COM
pany. and II Is matter only too well
known that in acquiring his fortune he
has resorted to every evil practice known
10 the trusts.
He has forced his rivals to sell to him
by cutting OF their market or source Of
supply. or both He has bankrupted men
who refused to sanction his business
methods. He has violated the laws OF
state and nation. Does II lessen his sins
that he has given literally to churches
and colleges? Nay, II exaggerates them.
for He attempts to make others share
with him the odium that his conduct
merits.
TEST OF CHRISTIANITY.
He is held up as a Christian, but the
test of Christianity f. not I'm profession.
but in performance. and a Christian has
been too well defined to enable man
like Rockefeller to be mistaken for one.
"If a man say love God, and hateth
his brothers, he Is a liar."
This may seem a forcible way OF put
ting II. but who has authority to change
the text? And what victim of statute
law has ever shown his hatred OF his
brother more than Rockefeller has In his
management OF the Standard OIL com
pany7
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy
self cannot be proved by distribution
OF a part of ones income IL II ia disre-
garded in the collection OF the income.
1T is high time that We should have
a moral weakening which will condemn
both the giver and the gift where the
money Is accumulated by methods which
are repugnant TO the conscience"