Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-03-29


The following editorial from the Wash
ington Post refers to an article by Mr..
Carnegie in the Sunday Magazine of
March 18th, in which Mr.. Carnegie would
appear to take quite a good common
sense view of the income and inheritance
tax. He certainly presents strong ar
gument in favor of the inheritance tax.
The present immense amounts of be-
quests by exceedingly wealthy men for
public interests is most extraordinary.
We think, probably, was never before
equalled in the world. We refer especi-
ally to Mr.. Carnegie's donations for
libraries and other purposes; to the inn
mense bequest of $3.50, 900, 900, that it is
said Mr.. Rockefeller has recently made
by will, in part for education, and very
largely, directly in the interests of the
poor. Then there is the SIC, 900,
which Mrs. Sage is arranging to give at
once for the benefit of the poor, at New
York city and throughout the country.
1t almost seems pity that Mr. Rookie
Teller during his life does not see to the
distribution of the amounts which he
desires to give for benevolent and public
purposes 1t would seem as if he would
be the most capable of any one to see
that such large sums were wisely distri-
buted and certainly the people of the
whole country would appreciate his eff
forts to do the most good possible to the
greatest number, with the larger part of
the immense wealth which he has ac-
cumulated.
The editorial following from the Wash
ington Post of March 25th upon "The
Utility of Beauty is very well expressed
and we believe will be generally appreci-
ated. Certainly the vast fertile tract in
Egypt referred to, should be brought in
to use for the direct benefit of mankind,
but unquestionablly there are many
places and somewhere property of very
large value should be protected in the
interests of the beautiful.
WiIiNot Die Disgraced." I
Some years ago Mr.. Carnegie startled,
not to say shocked, great many multi
millionaires by the declaration that ''he
who dies rich dies disgraced." That was
accepted as evincing a determination on
Mr. Carnegie's part to avoid the alleged
disgrace by parting with the bulk of his
immense wealth during his life, and while
he could personally direct it's distribu
ton. He had, prior to that time, disposed
of many millions in gifts for libraries,
art galleries, and other educational pur
poses, and since that time he has not
halted to take a rest from such activi-
ties. Meanwhile the influence of Mr..
Carnegie's precept and example on other
persons having great estates. is believed
to have been strong promoter of phil
anthropic giving. At any rate there was
never before witnessed in this or any
other country such bountiful giving away
of wealth for the public good as has
characterized recent times in the United
States.
A paper contributed bv Mr.. Carnegie
to the Sunday Magazine of March II
forcibly reminds us that impressive adj
monition not to die disgraced. And if in
any intelligent and honest mind there has
been any question as to Mr.. Carnegie's
iheShsiOh W iOiiO" hio PiNoNiiPtiOii lOi
the avoidance of post-mortem disgrace, a
perusal of this paper will Danish doubt.
The subject of the contribution is 1.-THE
Income Tax" and Mr. Carnegie opposes
such taxation in a strong argument and
advocates an inheritance tax with equal
clearness and cogency. Being a good
business man, one of the most successful
that ever lived, he naturally believes that
he can dispose of his wealth in ways
more helpful to mankind than by paying
considerable part of it over to the gov
eminent in taxes. Should the income tax
proposition be defeated, Mr. Carnegie
may be depended upon to make such re-
duction of his estate as will not leave an
immense sum for Inheritance taxation.
After showing how an income tax de-
moralizes people, quoting Mr.. Glad
stones declaration that it made "a nation
of liars, and referring to the decision of
the Supreme Court against the constitu-
tionality of such tax, Mr.. Carnegie
submits that mo great gain would result
to the State from it compared to what
would accrue from the easier plan of
exacting heavy taxes at death. The date
of collection matters little, so that the
payment is certain at last Such proper
tiOns can be eXacted as are deemed
proper from time to time, until it is
generally agreed that great wealth at