The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-29

NOW xQfk, 0ec. Zb--- w nat VfOxAtncS " be . highly Interesting and, from the pubEic's point of view. highly proft- able, s'war3<between the country's two most prominent multi -millfonaires is that apDarehtly being swaged between Carnegie and Rockefeller for leadership In the field Of philanthropy.
 While there is no avowed rivalry be- tweepT them in this respect. 1t was re- marked as noteworthy that directly following the announcement of MT. Rockefeller's Eift of $2,000,000 to the institute Tor medical research which bears his name. MT. Carnegie came to bat with a S2,000.000 addition to the endowment Of the Carnegie Institution in Washington. According to the rec ords 50 far as they have been made public. the great steel master has given away t1a6.339,950 to the various ob- jocts Of his benefcence while, the oil king has parted with 4106,3b5,0 900 for philanthropic purposes.
 This leaves Mir, Carnegie with lead of trifiing s2s.ss4.s5o. With the re- sources of MT. Rockefeller. however this handicap Is by no means insuper- able as Is indicated by his single gift of t22.000,000 to the General Educa- tion Board. Ordinarily the public is moro likely to suffer than to profit by . contest between men of great wealth, but there seems to be no reason why
 
 race for supremacy between the worlds two greatest givers.
 "Theatrica1 regulations made or un- made to order" might well be the mot to of the terrorist organization oper- ating in theatrical and operatic circles. whose o1tstence has just been brought to light. New York has long been known as the home of various gangs. American and foreign.
 The Black Hand has nourished here the Hunchakists have had various mur- nose secret societies have from time to time turned the city's Chinatown into e battle ground. One and all, however. in their various fields of accomplish ing their ends. have resorted to force The new society does nothing of the sort. It is organized to make money by b1ackmailing theatrical and operatic stars of new discovery and It's methods as now brought to light are direct and peaceful, as we'll as apparently effect- i've in many instances.
 When a new operatfc star has been about to make the initial appearance on which so much depends, member of the organization would approach him or her as the case might be and de- mand a certain sum of money. Tn the event of It's being. paid tremendous ap- plause would be guaranteed for the first appearance. but if the demand were refused, the star was told he would be hissed and ruined. Most of the prominent singers coming from for- eign countries where a hissing on the first appearance does mean a ruined reuptation promptly paid.
 At last. however, oAe braver than the most, rebelled. exposed the plot, and so brought to light the most ingenious system of biackmafling discovered in New York in many years.
 The biggest bill which the world has ever known or is likely to know Is one held by New York woman against the English government. Compared to its incredible total the national debt becomes but a drop in the bucket, and all the wealth of the richest man fin the world would not pay the inter- est on 1t for a week. 3
 It's total as set forth in the latest accounting and demand for payment is $s3.79a, 400. 62s, i co, ,000, 100, ,000, 900 or more than ninety-three septillions of American money. To pay 1t would ruin Great Britain and in fact if it should be paid the whole British em- pire would become the private proper- ty of Miss Eustaphieve, the claimant. who could then without missing it pre- sent the British Isles to Father Kniclx- erbocker as 6 playground. As g. mat ter of fact there is not money enough in the whole world to settle this obli- gation and it therefore has very slim chance of being paid.
 Most of the amount is interest on the claim which is an inherited one and dates back nearly seven hundred years. During the Hundred Years War between England and France the Ital- ian banking house of the Peruzzi. frC I whom the present holder of the claim is descended. financed the campaigns of King Edward III.
 For the money thus advanced bill has been presented to the British gov ernment every ten years and it is largely the interest which has been piiing up enormously during seven cen turtles which now gives the account It's unbelievable total. Cautiously enough the bin has never been repudiated, it has simply been neglected"
 But whether or not 1t is valid. it cer- tainly is not collectible for the simple reason that there is not enough money in existence to pay 1t. A settlement on a basis of even dollar on every mill lion would still mean a payment Of more than nine duintillions of money.
 Brooklyn Is apparently more widely awake to existing conditions and needs fin connection with matters financial than it's reputation might suggest.
 As a result of the recent panic the Brooklyn grand jury has handed down the strongest general indictment tn many moons, directed against "direc- tors who do not direct" Being mem her of the board of a bank or trust company ought to be real job, It was