Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-03
DEFENSE OF THE MILLIONAIRE.
Secretary Bonaparte Criticised for
Public Attitude Toward Wealth.

10 the Editor Of The Star:
In your issue of Saturday last note your
account of the address, 1.-The most interest
ing of the evening"" delivered by Attorney
General Bonaparte on Washington's BIRTH
day, before the alumni Of Johns Hopkins in
Baltimore. 1t has seemed to me impossible
to believe that cabinet officer could utter
such sentiments. have searched the papers
since in vain to see whether the distinguish
ed Attorney General had not been incorrect
ly quoted, but 1 have seen nothing Of the
sort.
l cannot therefore forbear voicing my own
humble protest against such pernicious doc
trines which, as your article says, he de-
cided to inculcate as follows:
"Some time ago 1 had a friend of the
same religion as myself who was rather
given to appropriating things which were
not his own. One day, when this feeling
overcame him, he went SO far as to appro-
pirate chicken that was the possession of
another. Soon afterward he became re-
pentant, and. before going to confession,
came to me and expressed deep sorrow at
having committed the act. He even went
so far as to propose that he would bestow
the stolen fowl upon me, but l, in a most
righteous frame of mind at the time. re-
fused to accept the rendered gift. Thus it
is with those gentlemen In this country
who have had the fortune, or rather mis-
fortune, to accumulate vast amounts of
money at the expense of their less fortunate
brethren. Money thus acquired is really the
property of the community and should be
used in such manner as to benefit it the
most Many of the multi-millionaires of
this country should part with their swollen
fortunes in ways that will most benefit the
community. know of no other way at the
present time that such moneys could be
toll frny ha nj mis-
guided Croesus than by the bestowal of
such funds upon the educational institu-
lions throughout the land"
Whether these words were uttered humor-
ously or in sober earnest, they are pernicious
| in the extreme from every point of view
and particularly so when they come from
| almost the highest source in the country
The lesson fnculcated In the minds of the
younger alumni would be interpreted some
what as follows: MIR. Bonaparte says it Is
| crime for man to acquire too great
wealth, as much SO as man who robs hts
neighbours chicken roost. II a man be guilty
| of such acquisition he should make resti
| tuition. not by giving his tainted propert,
| to his friends, who would be equally guilty
| in accepting the rendered gift, but his prop
erty should be taken from him by the pub
| lie, to whom the property really belongs
because the rich man, in its opinion. ha.
| acquired too much. The proceeds Of the
property thus taken away should then be in
vested where the public thinks 1t would dc
the public the most good"
These dinners are attended more or less
by younger men who have their way to
make In the world. Such teaching is not ar
incentive to young mans ambition. On
the contrary. ii is calculated to limit his
! industry and strenuosity.H But Mr.. Bona
, parte had not in mind for a moment moral
teaching to the young when he said this
The only conceivable thought he had was @
political one-possibly that he might out.
Herod Herod in his radcalism. or that the
hearers and readers of his words might be.
come imbued with the popular communistic
doctrines, the tenets Of which have hitherto
belonged to neither OF our great parties
democratic or republican, whose effect Is
| hurrying us into an era of class discomfort
and business depression.
BY his utter1ucea Nh Ronauarte- has thus