The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-05-05

go buildings at 1000 900 each s5O, 900. 900
80 buildings at $780, 900 each % 900 900
200 buildings at s250OOO each. $1,000. 900
1000 buildings at $4,000 each. 10000. 900
10000 buildings at S25. 900 each. 250OOO, 900
5000 buildings at S. 900 each... III, 900 600
10O000 buildings at 81 900 EACH. 100000. 900
100000 buildings at $500 each..... 100 900. 900
1885, 300 school buildings at total of $500 600 900
You will observe that / have a mar
gin which would be sufficient to du-
plicate all of the great universities and
colleges in the country" said Colonel
Monroe. This gives one an idea of
what billion dollars means. If we
allow each of these buildings a plot of
ground with a frontage of 100 feet, the
average width of school lot, we
would have row of them 63T0 miles
long. 1t would form street lined on
both sides with school buildings ex-
tending from New York to San Fran
cisco. That is one thing that Mr.
Rockefeller could do with the money
he has earned since he evolved the
trust theory of industry"
That Is the most astounding illus
tration of the significance of a billion
dollars that l ever heard given" de-
clared Judge Sawyer at seems al
most incredible. Are you sure there
Is not some mistake in your figures,
colonel?"
'You can verify or disprove them at
your leisure, but l think you will find
them accurate" replied Colonel Mon
roe. ut enables one to understand
how sir. Carnegie, who has only a
paltry quarter of a billion at his dis
posal, is able to give away hundreds
and thousands of library buildings and
hardly impair his original holdings.
We know that Mr.. Carnegie is worth
from $250,000000 to $400,000OO0 He
not only admits 1t, but is proving it.
Compared with Mr.. Rockefeller he is
man In modest circumstances. [
very much doubt if Mr.. Carnegie could
buy out Uncle Sam. 1 was attempt
ing to show that Mr.. Rockefeller could
do this when our friend Jenkins in
terrupted with his school proposition
You still think, do you not, Jenkins,
that man is entitled to all that he
can get?"
Il don't know what to think" said
jenkins, gazing hopelessly at the fig
ures. 'My head is all in a whirl.
Your figures must all be wrong, colo
mel. No man can be worth so much
money as that"
"Mr. Rockefeller received known
dividends in an amount exceeding $4O.-
100000 during the last year" stated
Colonel Monroe. THAT is at the rate
of per cent on a billion of dollars,
and in these days that Is a fair rate Of
interest. There is no more doubt that
Mr.. Rockefeller possesses more than
a billion dollars worth of paying prop
erty than there is that | own this post
office building and get rent from the
government But we are attempting
to find out about how much Uncle Sam
is worth. His principal assets are the
navy, the custom houses, postoffice
buildings, army supplies, stations. etc
forts, lighthouses and the public build
ings in Washington. Let's see how
much they all figure up to on rough
estimate"
Colonel Monroe was busy for several
minutes, finally handing to Judge Saw
yer the following table:
ESTIMATED ASSETS OF THE GOVERNMENT
OF THE UNITED STATES.
Navy NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. $500. 900. 900
custom houses NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. so, 900 001
Postoffice buildings .............. 10000 go
Army supplies and stations. 100. 900 600
Forts and arsenalS. ............... 100 coo coo
Lighthouses and life saving
service .......................... 100000. OOO
National capitol and public
buildings in Washington. .... 100. 0O0. O0C
1otai SS0O, 100 UDG
''You see that there Is a balance suf-
ticient to cover many scattered items. -
said Colonel Monroe 81 very much
doubt If an expert appraiser could dis
cover assets in excess of the amount |
have named. We therefore are the
living witnesses to something never
before experienced since the develop
| ment Of clyiliZation-viz, private cit
lien secure in the possession Of more
property than is collectively owned by
the nation Of which he is a member
One man has legal and valid title to
more property than is required to pro
tect and conserve the honor, liberty,
safety and orderly administration OF
the affairs of 100000 Of people"
Perhaps Mr.. Rockefeller will buy
the government" suggested Postmas-
ter Jenkins.
Possibly" assented Colonel Monroe
Again 1t is possible that the govern
ment will buy Mr.. Rockefeller. 1t is
inevitable that one or the other buys
or sells"
oily Cannon.
Biglin-I wonder how Sawder gets
along so we'll in life.
Tormer-Easiest thing in the world
When a friend tells him a story Saw
der never says, 1--WE heard that be.
fore" but always laughs-the older
the story, the louder-BostOn Tran
script
So He Could.
PA" said little Tommy, getting a
bright idea, 81 can do something you
can't"