The Ketchikan miner., 1907-06-15

Thomas B. Walker of Minneapolis, who owns more timber land than any other ono man in the United States, has just declined an offer to join trust, which has for its purpose the controlling of the entire timber sup ply of this country. Mr. Walkers fortune is estimated at from $40, 000,- 00o to Sl00, GOO, GOO, and it is said that by joining forces with the trust pro motors he could easily have doubled his wealth. A great many persons will doubtless fail to see at first glance how this is going to do the public any very great service. They will argue that man who is so wealthy can we'll afford to decline the opportunity of doubling his fortune. Nevertheless, Mr. Walker has done an incalculable good if his refusal to
 aala yes to prevent
 H + not aUman nature for wealthy men to refuse q chance to increase their list of worldly possessions any more that it is for poor persons to do so. In fact, it Is common saying that the richer man becomes, the richer he wants to be, and there is great deal of truth in that trite saying, too. Esti- mating that Mr. Walkers fortune is nearly $100, GOO, GOO, he has, by reject ing the trusts offer, cast aside the opportunity to put himself on an equal footing with the wealthiest men in the world. That may be an empty honor, but there are very few people on earth today who would reject similar opportunity. That Mr. Wal ker really has the interest of the general public at heart is evidenced by his statement, given out immed- lately after he had turned down the overtures of the trust.
 II have no respect for men whose sole object is gain and control over other men, he declared. "Such a purpose in life is false, and contempt is it's just due. I shall, if possible, make such an arrangement as will forever prevent the lands which l now own from passing into the con- trol of those who might abuse them or the people who require their pro- duct.
 If the United States had few more wealthy men of Mir. Walkers caliber, the trust problem would soon be solv- ed. His method is one way of doing charity work that is 100 per cent better than giving away millions for colleges and libraries. Gifts such as Andrew Carnegie and John a. Rockefeller have been making of late are by no means to be dispised, and they were doubtless prompted to such generosity through desire to better humanity. Yet, when one stops to consider, it can readily be seen that such donations are in reality giving back to the people only q small part of what they had prev iously been forced to pay to the donors for the necessities of life. Just the opposite is true of Mr. Wal ker's action. Instead of first taking away She peoples money in the shape of exorbitant prices for wood and timber, he is making it possible for them to keep it. He is letting the citizens of this country be charitable to themselves, which is of far more value to them than having some indi- vidual distribute their money. With all due respect to colleges and librar- ies, it cannot be denied that they do not benefit all classes of people. True, they would if everybody took advantage of them, but the average laboring man has no time for higher education. He helps pay for all such institutions. however, sometimes when he can i'll afford to do so. Mr. Walkers system of charity begins at home and affects every man, woman and child in the country. Ali have to use wood and lumber, and if they can buy these at reasonable prices they will be enabled to save just that much money for other necessities of life.
 When it was announced recently that Mr. Rockefeller had decided to donate $32, GOO, GOO for educational purposes the newspapers blazoned the fact in startling headlines. Mr. Wal ker's refusal to join the timber trust was practically buried under small headlines on inside pages. After careful consideration both acts of charity, which do you consider the most worthy?-Woman $ Dail'.