The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-01-10
THE ETHICS or ACCEPTING MONEY.

At recent meeting OF the Wisconsin State Teachers
association DR. John Bascom formerly president of the
University of Wisconsin, raised an important ethical
point in discussing John D. Rockefeller and the Unver
sity Of Chicago Among other things he said No money
that is obtained at the expense OF the people
used for the good of the people trusts
tn intellectual world and in the kingdom CT
heaven doubt the power Of any university to turn
money that has been made at the expense of the
munty into the welfare of the community"
AS this apparently aimed at the Standard Oil
nagnate, he asked for explanation and he said
Certainly 1 meant the Chicago University and its ac
cepance of the gfes from John D. Rockefeller. say
that i'll gottenthGt is the dreit expense the
people-can be used for the benefit of the people
do not feel the about Andrew Carnegies gift
the college and to the communities large gained
his money according TO the rules which were recognized
by the public The practices the Standard Oil com
pany directly contrary Jaw ethical and statu
tory, and being in defiance such accepts
the profits from such practices accepts portion at least
OF the responsibility of the acts whereby they were
gained"
Commenting on the above the Commercial Appeal of
Memphis says:
This uterance has excited considerable controversy
for there ways of looking at such question and
much can be said on either side Of it. 1t may be said
that dollar is dollar, matter haw acquired
and that being nanmate thing not have human
qualities, be neither vicious vrtuous honorable
the history and antecedents OF every dollar that comes
into his hands. Yet every dollar has past The very
coin that lies in ones pocket has passed through many
hands clean and soed, holy sinful From the poor
seamstress it have the grocer thence TO the
banker TO the lawyer TO the preacher to the artisan
to the sister Of charity TO the doctor servant TO
the saloonkeeper 10 the coal dealer may have made
the round OF the churches the hotels the saloons the
theaters the brohes and the stores Yet always is
dollar just ntrnscaly good hands Of the thug
as in the Golfers of the banker.
But while dollar is a dollar, there are unquesonablv
some dollars which an honest cannot accept There
Is for instance law in all civilized communities which
forbids TO receive stolen property The object of
such law OF is close certain avenues TO the
thief II would profit him nothing to steal rlilonioar
bank note because he could not dispose of it Hence
laws against receiving stolen property are designed to
destroy the occupation of the fence" and curta the
operations Of the thief But there is no differ
between the thief and the fence" Hence il is
that honorabl will take goods which he knows
to have been stolen.
OF people will differ seriously on the question
whether John D. Rockefeller obtained his money hon
esty- Much OF it, doubt he Obtained under the rules
OF the observed in the world Much
Of ii he has secured by sanctioned neither by the
laws of the land the conscience of mankind But
whatever wealth he possesses is coated with the
why OF the Rockefeller millions should not