The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-04-28


clared Jenkins I'D buy the Waldorf
Astoria and make q private residence
out of it, I'd have yacht bigger than
the biggest ocean liner. I'd have
| private train on every road in the coun-
try. I'd buy the upper half of the
state of Maine and use it as hunting
preserve. I'd have a bathtub big
enough to swim in and a stableful Of
the fastest horses. There's lots of 9th
er things that I'd do, and you can bet
that none of them would put on more
style than jenkins"
Il have no doubt of it," said the colo
mel dryly. How would you use your
billion. judge
81 do not believe that a man Is en-
titled TO such an amount of money or
any considerable part of it," answered
| Judge Sawyer. "If suddenly put into
| possession of so absurd a fortune |
should attempt to find those from
whom it was taken and make proper
restitution. If that were not possible
should attempt to devise some way in
which it could be expended for the ben
| NAit VI NLO EiSoltl VI pOODic
| sometimes think that Mr.. Carnegie's
plan is as good as any. The man who
expends money in an attempt to help
| people read and think has done n real
service"
81 have a great deal of admiration
for Mr.. Carnegie" said Colonel Mon
roe, land resent the slurs which are
| directed against him. There is class
of millionaires who look on Mr.. Car
negie as the most dangerous character
In Christendom. He is the renegade
in the camp of grab and hold He is
! hated because lie is honest enough to
declare that the man who uses for
tune for his exclusive benefit is not
entitled to the respect of his fellows
and that It is a disgrace to die rich
These are hard words coming from 2
man who has acquired $400 900, 600 by
methods which have been recognized
as honest. The influence of the class
offended by Mr.. Carnegie's remarks
| and Mortified by his acts is such that
| it has become the fashion to speak
and write sneeringly of his effort to
devote his fortune TO the public good
There is one objectionable offense
against the money hog. You must
not hint that limit should be placed
on his greed. If Mr. Carnegie We're so
foolish as to wish to give away the
| millions he had earned well and good,
but why insult the feelings and sensi-
bilities OF those who wished to retain
all they had and to grab all there was
left?"
| Il suppose you would spend your
billion on library buildings" said
jenkins in some disgust 81 never
could see how man could have any
fun that way"
| 81 agree with you, Judge Sawyer"
said the colonel, ignoring the postmas-
ter. NO man should own billion
dollars worth Of property, and 1 some
times doubt If any individual is Of
| enough value to the state or communi-
ty to be permitted the possession of
million. No man ever earned that
amount of money or rendered serv-
Ice for which 1t is a fair equivalent.
But we will not discuss that. When
ever the thought of Mr.. Carnegie's
| public benefactions comes to me can
not help but think that with the rise
| of vast fortunes there has come loss
of that sturdy self reliance and respect
which was once the proud and iusti-
fable boast of the American people.
l can understand the motive which
would inspire such a man as Mr.. Car
negie TO give away all but a remnant
of his fortune, but should have thought
that there would have been more hest
fancy on the part of communities In
accepting his gifts. Instead of any
such sentiment Of difidence or hest
fancy hundreds of cities have author
lied representatives TO beg for his
bounty. self respecting communi-
| ty would as soon ask stranger to pay
for the building Of their roads as for
The erection of their libraries or places
| of education.
'If man has honestly and fairly &C
quired certain amount of wealth he is
under no financial obligation to the
community in which he lives or to his
state or nation except to pay his share
into the common treasures in the form
of taxation. His relations to the public
are the same as TO his neighbors Those
whom he meets as equals do not solicit
aims from him. The man who needs
charity is to he pitied; the man who
accepts charity does so at the sacrifice
of his self respect, but the man who
asks for charity has forever surren
dered his claim to independence. The
same is true of a community"
but libraries and things like that
are different, it seems to me-" suggest
ed Postmaster jenkins. "If man has
got so much money he doesn't know
what to do with it and wants to give
Lincolnville library, let him give it, I
say. But l wouldn't vote to accept an
engine house or city hall, for in,
stance. Those are necessities, Gnd Ii