The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-03-26

Cudge along through summers heat
and winters storms Years and de-
cades como and go until they grow
into centuri g. and still he works on.
fcc his task is only begun. He sees
Kingdoms and empires rise and fall,
but still he labors on, for the greater
part of his task is still before him.
Christians are prosecuted i'm vari-
GUS countries, the Roman Empire
disappears, the dark ages come and
still he labors on, his task not vet
completed. The crusade, are fought.
America is discovered. modern sci
ence awakens the world from it's
shroud Of darkness, and still he la
bors on. The string events of mod
ernhitsyor oectw ltg Ctaietaeta ctaoi
ern history transpire and bring us
down TO the present moment, and
would you believe it-our Carpenter
is still laboring on, not yet having
saved million dollars, yet not hav.
missed a single working day from
sickness or y cause in all these
centuries. Let us see how his task
would stand at this. time. We are
not counting interest, but purely the
earnings of labor. We have seen
that his savings would be s313 per
year; this would be $4,000 per CEN
fury, but adding twenty-five leap
years per century, it would be $751;
325 per century. To determine how
his account would stand at the be-
ginning of the present century. null
tiply $31,325 by nineteen. and the
result is S595,175, and add S1S7S
for the six years of the present CEN
tury and the amount is S597,O53. So
the task at tn present time would be
only little more than half done.
Let us in Imagination bring him be-
fore us. Here he comes, time
Scared, storm-scarred, labor-scarred
We ask him questions He tells us
interesting stories of how he has
builded homes for princes and peas
ants In many countries, of how he
worked on the Coliseum, the Alham-
bra and st. Peters. lie mentions ia
miliarly such masterpieces as Michael
Angelo. lie praises his good fortune
/ in having steady employment during
all these centuries, and that his
wages were always promptly paid,
and that he was allowed to make IN
the time lost by going from one job
to another by night workout sud
denly ne says: II must not tarry. I
am the drudge OF the ages, with the
task OF earning million dollars. I
must get it honestly, therefore, must
earn it. My task Will require many.
many years, even centuries. so
adieu With this he leaves us. But
does ne net leave many reflections
concerning our millionaires and their
millions? What shall we say to those
who. obtain not only one million, but
many millions in the few years OF the
acult period OF single life?
1t is plain that no man can earn a
million dollars in brief human life,
however hard he may work. But
many have become millionaires. and
while it is impossible to do so hon
estly, in a strictly ethical sense. we
will admit that some have done so
legally. This shows that these men
have been enabled to 90 this only by
the many advantages. Of the fnstitu.
tions of this country and aided by
the protection of the law Then, do
these men owe nothing 10 the coun.
try and to the law? Indeed, they
owe much. But as a rule, they sys.
tematically dodge taxes during life.
and at death are permitted to make
any disposition OF their vast posses.
sions that they may desire to order
in their will, without any contribu.
ton to the Government that made
posi- lie the accumulation of their
vast fortunes. Is it not just and fair
that a percentage should go to the
Government? The people of other
countries think so, but we, as usual,
are behind