, 1906-08-11
THE RICH AND THE BEGGARs.

1T is easier for a camel to go through
the eye Of a needle than for a rich man
to enter nto the kingdom of God" If
that We're to be taken literally 1t would
appear that 1t is just about as difficult
n matter to live happily on earth as to
get the reward of the righteous, so far
as those who have great wealth are
concerned. For beggars make life mis-
cradle for those who have much of this
worlds goods. The case of Mrs. Sage
is n good one for Illustration. She has
been placed in control of an enormous
fund, accumulated through long years
OF grinding and grasping on the part
of her recently deceased husband. No
doubt II was with a kindly thought that
he left her the vast fortune. But the
chances are many that she will have
little enjoyment of It, as she learns
each day better and better 10Y impor.
tunate are the demands made by beg
gars upon those who have great pos
sessions, Perhaps she will wish that
her husband had followed the plan of
the Russian muitimillionaire described
in a recent story who arranged to have
his fortune spent in erecting monu-
ments to himself in every large city
of the world.
1t is reported that Mrs. Sage, has
been overwhelmed with begging letters
from every part of the world, some of
them apparently written as soon as the
death of her husband was announced.
Hundreds of the missiyes come pour
ing in each day, asking for help for
hospitals, colleges, orphan asylums,
missionary societies, for assistance in
educating children, in raising mort
cages, in paying rent. in training flu
ture stars of the stage, or assuring the
undoubted success of talented but i'm
poverished art students. Her expert
ence is but a repetition OF what takes
place in the office of every rich man
Immediately following the publication
of some story of his wealth, his rene
rosity, or his willingness to help in
cases of actual need. Some of these
m~illionaires have long since been fore.
ed to employ special assistance for the
sole purpose of handling the beggars
who call in person and the larger army
of applicants who present their claims
by mail, One man who has given large
sums to education has a regular stan
of such advisers who examine the CON
ditions of colleges which seek aid and
then make recommendation for his
guidance. Another who has made the !
giving of libraries and church organs
his specially has adopted the same
plan. And hundreds of others of
known wealth and generosity have
been forced to the same plan of work.
The American beggar has become an
expert. He no longer sits at the pal,
ace gate asking for the crumbs falling
from the rich mans table. He enters
the office door and demands Il share of
the money controlled by the wealthy.
Sometimes he is tactful and suave;
sometimes he is aggressive and inso-
lent, but in either case he makes life
miserable for the one who has attained
that great desideratum, immense
wealth. The money sought may be
tainted" in the sight of many: the
beggar does not care for that. II may
have been gained by oppression of the
poor and merciless grinding of fellow
human beings; that does not stop the
army of the importunate. And wha
makes the situation all the more dill.
cult, the more generous the rich man
becomes the larger swells the crowd
The old fashioned debating subject.
the relative happienss in pursuit or in
possession, would have some fine illus
trative material for use if it were dis.