New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-12
BISHOP ON OIL TRUST.
CONDEMNS IT'S METHODS.
Episcopal Congress addresses Along
|'IIMnted MoneH9 Lines.

The recent controversy in the Congregational
Church over the gift of John y. Rockefeller of
100000 n the Foreign Missions fund was re-
called vividly to those who last night heard the
Rev. DR.. William II. Van Allen, of Boston, tell
the Episcopalian Church Congress. in Brooklyn,
that the Church wanted none of the wealth OBJ
taned by the fiotaton Of such enterprises as
the so-caned Shipbuilding Trust. Again the
discussion to whether or not churches should
accept money taken from trust profits was in
3ccted into the congress when Bishop Coadjutor
Alexander Macay- Smith, of Pennsylvania. con-
demned the Standard Oil and its methods.
The addresses of both these clergymen evoked
spirited applause. The topic under discussion
was The Church and Public Brigandase." On
the platform at Association Hall sat Bishop
Burgess Of the Diocese or Long Island and
other clergynnen and in the large audience were
prominent laymen from all over the United
States
The principles of Christianity are, in their
last analysis, simply the principles of fair play"
said Bishop Mackay-Smith. They are founded
on the conviction that that which hinders the
progress of the world, in the long run. is human
greed and human selfshness. generally in some
subtle form which. for the better deception Of
humanity. clothes itself in fine names, and pop
ularly passes by a splendid title. Look at the
greatest monopoly which use for il
IuStTdbOn. lldI DS NnitH one oL IIle most USE
full discoveries of The last century and one OBJ
viously intended by Providence for the benefit
of the country at large, has passed into few
selfish hands, through unsCrupulOus manipu-
lation viz the control Of mineral oil. Men may,
and do defend the series Of tricks by which
the control Of this great gift of nature has
fallen into the hands of a few billionaires. They
may say il is a reward OF cleVerness, and that
the quality Of the article as well as its price
have Injured, in the end to the advantage Of
the public Such argument, however is all in
vain. for it be met and answered by the
simple statement that the methods under OBJ
servation such always in the long run
if unchecked, result in the ruin of nations. 1t
was the habit OF calling wrong things by
good name which brought the Empire of Rome
10 rottenness.
DIR. e. r. L. GOULD o.; GRAFT"
Dr. Smith was followed by Dr. Z. r. /. Gould.
ex-City Chamberlain. prominent in the Citi-
zens Union, and possible candidate for Mayor
on the anti-Tammany ticket this fall. The
history of graft is marked by three distinct
stages" said Dr. Gould. "The first we may call
anarchcaI. The second was 'synGicated,' and
the final stage has become unparalleled" He
continued:
The boss reserves all. or nearly all, for him
self. This condition has been made possible
which has developed with concentration in in
dustrial affairs and IS striking characteristic
Of the age Special privilege which needs public
sanction is easiest and most surely arranged
between individuals. This age has its fetish in
the economy of concentration, and here is
one of the practical outcomes A trust desires
franchise privileges for which it is not willing
to pay proper compensation. By all means the
easiest way is TO contribute literally 10 a cam
pagn fund, of which no accounting is had, and
thus lay the victorious machine under obliga-
tions to secure what it wants.
A solid justification of it's verify is the rapid
accumulation of wealth in the case of city bosses
with otherwise insignificant means of material
support.
Such diversion of public wealth means an in
sidious and effective perVersOn of public morals.
The very foundations of democracy are under
mined. In modern Anglo -SaXondom the church
was the parent of democracy, and, consequently,
there should be ever maintained a fostering care.
The church, as the natural exponent of morality
and right living, cannot escape responsibility
while this grating process is going
The church must take It's place a correlative
part of organized democracy. and through pulpit
exposition and parochal philanthropy seek to
establish strong currents of influence. If good
people keep out of politics because 1t is a low
business" 1t Will always be low business The
church should seek TO foster the proper point of
view, which is. that the direction of human af-
fairs in society through the various agencies of
government with a view of attaining the best
good of yourself and your neighbors is one of the
highest of human preoccupations.
Cultured people have reached that degree OF
civilization when they against using SUI
perior physical force in getting the other man 5
money but they not yet to the point where
they are against using superior skill FOR achleV-
ing substantially the same result. SAID Ut
EIavel s Luther, president of Trinity College,
Hartford Il claim that any man that makes
money that represents another mans loss Is
brigand"
1. Bradford Prince, who was in the State
legislature in the days OF Tweed and helped to
Continued on sixteenth page.