New-York tribune., 1905-04-14
GIFTS TO THE AMERICAN BOARD
What Can Be Done to Aid Those in the
Greatest Need Of Help in Armenia.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir; The wisdom OF accepting 10000 from the
neao @ OF the standard Oil Company Is being dis
cusseo from various points OF view Some see II as
nom corrupted source that II is the profits OF ex
Oruon; that its acceptance makes the American
BOARD aOettors Of evil lowering the correct standard
OF Tlsht things Assuming that the large weight OF
public opinion is correct as TO the methods ana re-
suits Of the Standard OIL Companv a the boar5
estopped from taking the gift? 1t comes from an
Individual who has fettered the offer with CON
oltionS. save that they accord with the charitable
ueslsns OF the board Its acceptance does not com
init the board or any from taking such action
In their capacity OF citizens OF the United States in
opposition to the methods Of the business Of the
standard OIL Company they may choose II il
only fair to give credit to the maker OF the Offer
tnar MS motive was to advance the usefulness Of
the work OF the board and express his harmony
with the work. and not that II was To purchase
silence nOn-action
There are conditions OF modern business in the
way OF mergers and trusts affecting the disposition
OF WeaIIh so obtained which are destructive Of the
interests Of the people The increase OF wastafi1l
luxury Is not wholesome. The tendency to grasp
wealth and power is to reduce rapidly the nuunber
OK small propr1etorships. which Is appalling as Il
prevents the personal activities In all forms of BUSH
ness life: reducing the majority OF the DeoDe To the
ranks OF clerks and aborers and reduces the useful
ness Of the citizen by hindering the development
winch comes with ownership OF business. to re-
eeivlng the training which in the past, when
owners OF little capital built up a local business
which was benefit to the locality and so the coun
Try developed men and women in thousands OF
places whose fidelity to the local interests was
patriotic and stimulating 1t is surely more vaua-
Die to the nation that there should be $4,000 such
units OF business than that the same business be
concentrated in the hands OF 10000 companies who
absorb these smaller activities and have neither in
terest nor care for the claims OF localities The re-
suits desired are unrestrained acquisition wealth
rom the choicest Of all Of its sources The tendeu-
ces ara to unbalance the rghtfuI accuuuIations OF
labor. and it's resulting profits in few central
repositories Of money.
1t Is true that high standard Of business meth
DDS has developed: old fashioned. easy going ways
are swept away; example has been set OF the most
careful saving Of much that was formerly wasted;
science applied has multiplied the values Of all
products. The common people have comforts and
luxures unknown and unattainabIs a century ago.
But man is mortal; his mental powers are not
controlled by love OF his Creator Of his fellows
always. Here have a large number. rapidly
increasing. who multiply houses for their own use,
one in some large city. the seashOre another
In the mountains. another in California; a steam
yacht which is not toy palace car; possess an
automobile worth thousands Of dollars. and cloth
ing and jeVrelry absorb large These things
are common to saint and sinner all over the eoUn-
ali 10 obtain the same &C fasf a. DrOSDerrv adirs
1t may be that these evidences OF power and
sense of seifdenia is lost in large degree. and in
this way the long established channels Of benevo-
work we'll rooted cannot grow as is desirable. The
American Board Of Missions has work of CEN
tury in foreign fields part OF this is in and about
Turkey During the last twenty-five years the peO-
from Turkish influences. The diplomacy Of Eng
land. France, Germany and the United States has
failed to prevent the most cruel atrOcitie6i which
often occur. We see a paragraph In the paper that
means that Kurdish soldiers from hundred miles
away have killed most OF the men and many Of
the women and have committed unspeakable
crimes Scores of children have been carried into
slavery scattered in the fields Household
wealth of every sort has been carried of and the
tiOn OF large areas OF land. its victims by thou
sands The rescue OF such children that have
to the missions is work which has been accepted
cheerfully, and many children and older persons
The cost of maintaining child IN comfort for a
year Is SIS There are large numbers Of such chill
dren whom the mission cannot receive aid. See
ing that the fortunate Of this country not
They are a race OF Industrious temperate home
loving people, of good vitality ana a pure blood.
Should high sense Of honor forbid to accept
large money TO help these needy ones? There
seem to be no conditions from the donor to prevent
1t. and he might desire TO aid in it, as IL is hon.
thought that in this IL is
To spoil the spoler while we may
And from the rObber rend the prey.
Vast and frequent gifts have come from the
wealthy OF late years but these people have had
rather scant recognition
If others. moved with indignation at the recep-
tion this gift shall largely increase their
gifts hereafter in order avoid any need OF re-
ceiving such gifts. II may have dou6ly q useful
purpose. JAMES ROBY.
Berlin. Conn. April 4. 1905.