Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-06-27
Iowa Newspapers

A CENSUS REASON.

4.
The reason why Iowa farms are no,
being divided is quite obvious. So
long as there is good land selling IL
Canada, in Texas, or in any other state
a fifteen dollars an acre farmers sons
will prefer to buy and occupy these
lands rather than buy Il part of the
old homestead There is vast amount
of land coming onto the market in the
mountain states, some if under rri-
cation, some cultivated under nat
ural rainfall An enterprising young
man will buy these lands at from for
ty to fifty or sixty dollars an acre
and adapt himself to the new condi-
tons rather than pay seventy-five or
hundred dollars an acre for part of
the old homestead. This will come to
an end by and by; ten or fifteen or
twenty years more will possibly end it,
Then what?
WHAT ROCKEFELLER THINKS.
[Cedar Rapids Republican,
The Bible says that good name is
more to be desired than great riches.
John ID. Rockefeller is the richest man
in America, but he does not possess
that which the Bible says is more to be
desired than riches. In fact he has a
very bad name. If we except a few
people on the campus of the Universe
ty of Chicago, it is probably literally
true that John ID. Rockefeller is des-
pissed and rejected of men. By reason
of his great wealth he has been COM
PEELED to stand in a fiercer light than
ever beat upon throne. The secrets
of his business life have been searched
out and spread broadcast. He stands
revealed as narrow, contemplate
soul-as driver of hard bargains, re-
morseless and unfeeling. He has piled
up his great wealth by methods that
took no account of the rights of others
and very little Of the laws of his coun-
try. He is great only in the sense that
he has been able to accumulate money
by these methods. People have de-
cided against him and that without
passion. They have condemned him
upon his record and justly so. He has
not lacked apologists. Some of the
keenest intellects in the world have
sought to frame excuses for him, but
they have all failed.
1t is not possible that Mr.. Rookie
Teller is in ignorance of the verdict
that his fellow citizens have made up
against him. He knows what it is.
Does he care? In the secret chambers
of his heart is there any regret that
he callous and Indifferent about it?
1t is not likely that anyone Will ever
know definitely as to this. But the
chances are that the public condemna-
ton that has been visited upon him
is anything but matter of Indifference
to him.
No matter what man may pre-
tend, the fact is that the man does not
live who is wholly Indifferent to pub
lie opinion. Most men are willing to
admit that they covet and enjoy the
appreciation of those with whom they
are associated. and that they feel very
keenly the lash of criticism and cen
sure. Much as the average American
loves money. we doubt very much
whether very many would deliberate
ly choose great wealth at the sacrifice
Of a good name.
Is John D. Rockefeller as he ap-
proaches the close of his life. after all
a person to be envied? Yet few
years and he must go to that bourne
from which no traveller returns. Can
any one doubt that he looks forward
to this contamination with anything
but complacency? He cannot take his
wealth with him. He must know, If
he knows anything, that nothing but
opprobrium will attach to his name.
He has given millions to education and
to charity, but this has only served
to increase the general contempt In
which he is held. 1t may be that he
will go to his grave clinging to the de-
fusion that good name is not so much
to be desired as great riches, but we
doubt it. If the truth were known we
should probably realize that ere this
John D. Rockefeller's own rod had be-
gun to whip him. Each year the chas-
tisement must increase in severity.
The more he expends in an effort to
buy propiation, the keener will be his
disappointment. Unless John D. Rock
efeller is different from all other men
and is perfectly callous to public opin-
ion, he realizes by this time that he is
to be forever denied that which has
been considered to be above riches.