The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-12-14
RICE one CENT
RICH MEN DENOUNCED.
Holders of Fortunes Hear Them.
selves Scored at Meeting Of
Civic Federation.
CARNEGIE DEFENDS WEALTH


tees For All the Peopls-PersonaIIy
He Would az Soon Leave Curse to
Son as Almighty DoIlar--lyhy Roske-
fsiIer Is CRITICISED.
New York, Dec. 14.-After andrew
Carnegie. August Belmont, 8E. d. In
gals, former president Of the ssBig
-Four" railroad, and other men Of
wealth, had concluded their defense OF
the man Of millions in q discussion Of
the income tax and inheritance tax
before the National Civic federation
they we're obliged to listen to one Of
the most withering denmciations Of
the holders of great wealth that has
ever been made at any public gatheg-
ing in this city.
The speaker was N. W. MeagheE,
formerly assistant corporation counsel
Of Chicago. 1Ir. 1feagher had sat
through the sessions listening atten-
lively to long dissertations, the pur-
pose of which was 20 show how much
had been done by the millionaires Of
the country for the workingmen. Most
Of the speakers maintained that large
fortunes were necessary and that the
holders Of these fortunes had a mission
to perform on earth. As Mr.. Carnegie
put it, ''the holders Of great wealth are
the trustees for all the people," Mr..
Meagher said In part:
potentially Thieves and PerIurers."
'Mr. Carnegie told US that the hold
ers Of great wealth are the trustees
for all the people. If that ba true then
potentially the trustees are thieves and
perjurers. think we should not trust
our liberties and our welfare to such
trustees.
st has been said that there is no
menace in great wealth. I can name
five men who could, before the sun will
rise t7moTrov, bring on rsenic In the
United States which would lsst fer
years. Now The whola world is insane.
1t is only a question Of degree with
any, and If. IL he true, as Mr.. Carnegie
has stated and Gs George P. Foster has
implieGly STAGED, Ghat all these men are
potential there's, thsn the welfzre of
the United 5tstes depends on i've ID
sene criminals.
we are led to DefIeve mat rnese are
great men. Now. as matter OF fact,
a man with q six shooter can hold up
Jim Jefries, and these men with un-
limited wealth can hold up the greatest
minds and greatest geniuses.
Why Rockefeller 10 Abused.
''There ID one thing 1 want to warn
you again5t. We are all just the same.
Why do we abuse Mr. Rocke2eller9
Simpl- because ne nas succeeded. The
whole world is confidence game, and
we are all players in it. Your grocer
will give you fourteen ounces for
pound if he can and usually does. Mr..
Rockefeller is in this game, and he is
playing it according to the rules, and
If you censure SIR. Rockefeller it Is
only because he has succeeded.
sit is a question of reform or revolu-
ton in the United States. Let US re-
form inteIligently. We don't want any
force. This condemnation and sense OF
disconta tant, they are useless; they are
made by political mountebanks; they
are not honest. You have two classes.
the politically apathetic and the politi-
cally incendiary."
NJ. ingalls, argued in favor Of an IN
come and Inheritance tax. but against
a grad dated income tax.
Carnegie on Dangers Of Wealth.
andrew Carnegie went into the sub
ject CT tie Ganger of great fortunes
very exhaustiyely and declared, among
other things, that from my experience
l would as soon leave a curse to my
boy as the almighty dollar"
Mr.. Carnegie opposed IN income ta,s,
he said, because IT gave the public an
opportunity 10 pry into the private
business affairs OF the struggling young
man and because il gave bank direct
ors a knowledge which would retard
the business mans progress toward
success.
g. B. Whitney, who represented the
United States government before the
SuBLCAAC SOulL III lAAS ttA1-G - AuS Al 8u-
ing Of the last income tax, stated that
perhaps an income tag could he passed
by means OF { Little different form Of
words. 4 s
The non1insylnE cJlAmittaa reported
the renominas7a os August Belmont
for president and be was unanimously
reelected. San0e1 Gompers OF the
American FeSsra1lon az labor was
unanimously reelected arst vice prest
dent.
As a result OF sharp attacks made
or the accuracy OF reporsa Of She mas
tionaI child labor committed, the fsders
alton has determined to take up the
quest \ Of child labor as one Of the
most important features Of its. woez
Many Of its members said that aceu
rate and useful information about con.
ditions throughout the United States
would be obtained as rapidly as Do
bic art tnat importsat legislatsa
would doubtless follow