The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-02-16
JosEPHS CORNER IN WHEAT.
And Wherein 1t Differed in Method
and Motive from That Of the Twen-
tieth Century Trust Magnate.

Mr.. John d. Rockefeller, il. on Sum
day held up Joseph to his Bible class as
model OF virtue and thrift. 1t has
been mentioned that Josephs venture in
the cereals was the first Corner" ever
put through successfully.
Ii Is an interesting story. Joseph
had been sold by his brethren into Egypt
and had become the servant Of Pharaoh.
Now, Pharaoh bad a remarkable dream,
and Joseph was the interpreter thereof.
He told his lord that the significance Of
the dream was that there were TO be
seven years Of plentiful harvest, to be
followed by seven years of famine. He
also advised Pharaoh that it would be
part OF wisdom for him to buy up the
surplus corn (wheat), during the years
of plenty and store it up and hold it
against the seven years of famine to
follow. Pharaoh was duly impressed, and
taking Joseph 1T his word made him
the first lord Of the land and gave him
flhl power TO carry out his thrifty
policy. The seven years Of plenty came
and Joseph bought wheat and bought
wheat and bought wheat, like a rampant
bull in the pit, until all the barns which
he could secure were filled.
At the end of seven years the famine
set in, and hy and BIZ the people came
to Joseph to buy wheat. He supplied
all the demands and put the price in
Pharaoh's treasury, but the famine con-
tinued, and when the people came next
to buy they had no money, so Joseph
took their cattle in exchange for wheat
and put them into Pharaoh's pens. The
famine still continued, and finally the
people came and said that they were
without money and without cattle, and
vet must have wheat so Joseph took the
lands of the people themselves to be the
servants OF the king.
Joseph has been greatly condemned
for eOrnering the wheat and taking adj
vantage OF the peoples misfortune TO
profit thereby, and il the story had end
I'd just where we have left Off If there
we're no qualifying statements, the con
clllsion would be irresistible that Joseph
was more hard.hearted and grasping
than the most mereiless trust magnate
who ever proited out of the necessities
Of the public.
But fortunately the story does not
end here. Joseph's brethren, who had
sold him into bondage, were among those
who came TO bury wheat, and there IL
no more beautiful story in print than
the interview between himself and those
who had treated him 50 brutality II
| Is story OF love and forgiveness, of
generosity and maananimity, and ii is
hard ia fall into the spirit Of it with
out being wellnight moved to tears. The
pathos of Il all it delightful II il in
this part Of the narrative that we see
the tr1e Joseph and we know that he
had tender and loving heart. that be
had. to use fayofite expression of the
Bible, bowels of compassion. Joseph's
tender love for his father and his breth-
rem and his treatment 81 them when,
ia their distress, he had them in his
mower, furnishes indisputabc proof that
he was not hard-hearted, grasping
mouopolist,
Pursuing the story TO the conclusion,
IL Is related:
@And Joseph bought all The land Of
Egvpt for Pharaoh. and a. for the peo-
uIe. be removed them 10 cities from one
end Of the borders OF Egypt even to
the other end thereof. Then Joseph said
INTO the people; Behold, have bought
YOU this day and your land for Pharaoh
10, here is seed for you, and ye shall
sow the land and II shall come 10 pass
in the increase that We shall give the
tifth part unte Pharaoh and four parts
shall be your own, for seed Of the field,
and for your food and for them Of your
household and for food for your little
ones"
And the people said; "Thou hast
saved our lives
Is it not clear, therefore. that, after
all, Joserh did his co,mtrvmen great
seryiceG RI he had failed 70 buy up the
wheat and keen 1t against the years of
famine, the wheat would have gone to