Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-03-30
REJECTING RoCKrElLER's GIFT.


REJECTING ROCKrE1.LERs GIFT.
A delicate question has been raised by
the protest of various Congregational
ministers in Boston against the accept
ance of the gift ~ SEQ MOO by John ID.
Rockefeller, tho Standard Oil magnate.
TO the American board Of commissioners
for foreign missions, on the ground that
the money has been tainted by the man
ner in which it was acquired. Ministers
in different parts Of the country arc TAX
ing UP the subject and II has already
become the cause an animated discus
sion. The protest was made 10 the pru-
is made that this body is inclined to &C.
(cpt the gift OF Mr.. Rockefeller despite
the protest In support of this position it
Is pointed out that the Baptist Board Of
Missions accepted s25C,OW from Mr.
Rockefeller four years ago without aues-
ton.
The prudential committee as matter
of fact might have gone much farther
in quoting precedents in support of tho
acceptance OF this gift from the
Standard Oil magnate, for he has
given 10 less than the magnificent total
Of 1928, 5000 to colleges. churches and
charity. The list includes $4,000, 0O0 to the
Chicago University, $60o1,00o to the Rush
Medical college, 81, $4,000 to Barnard Col
lese, s1,126,0oO to the Southern cduca-
tional fund, 100000 to Harvard Univer-
sity, 81 900 90 to the Baptist missionary
fund. $3.50, 900 to the Newton Theological
New York and a similar sum to the as
ISOLATION in Brooklyn. 100000 to the
Acadia Baptist University. and 5000 90
given 20 churches and individual charity
prior to 1907 This list does rot include
specific mention Of gifts of $4,000 each
to a large number of educational in
situations.
The grounds of opposition to the ac-
ceptance of this gift are we'll summed ul
by the Rev. T.. F. Sandcrson, who says
that as the head of the Standard Oil sys-
ten, MIR. Rockefeller stands for methods
and means that are to say the least un-
Christian. 1t is held that the system
which he has built up acquires revenue
dishonesty and Illegally. and that he is
certainly violating the laws OF the coun-
try in rebates and otherwise.
If every gift horse Of this character
| were to bc looked IN the mouth, the
startling discovery might be made that
individuals in certain cases had acquired
wealth through methods lust as dishonest
and as unfair to other individuals as are
the methods of the Standard Oil company
which takes advantage of it's power tc
manipulate prices and crowd out conf
petition. Yet there have been fcw in
stances on record where n gift has beer
refused by any institution on account OF
the manner in which the individual ac-
quircd his wealth.
At TIE present time Mr.. Rockefeller i.
one of the largest holders Of railroad
stock in the world and a large part OF
his wealth comes from the Legitimate
operation of transportation lines.
might satisfy thost opposed to the &C
ceptancc of slooOoo by the American
board TO have the oil magnate declar'
that this money should be taken from hi
railway revenue, but the objection Nigh
still be raised thai a religious worl
should not be supported by "A man witt
earns money in an illegal way, wnicl
would make the position in question still
more questionable.
IL the prudential committee accepts III
gift of Mr. Rockefeller there will UNI
dnubtedly be little criticism, although l
is hintcd that in such an event those pro
testing nay carry the case to the Amer
lean board as q whole which will ho
its annual meeting in September. TIL
agitation will do no harm in raising cues
tons rs to the lives of those who Civ
money. unless It serves to check thi
bounty, in which event it will prevent
large amount of good from being accom-
piished.
=, HINTS TO LETTER. WRITER'S