Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-02-23

blessed are the merClful. Tor they
shall obtain mercy Have you been
mercifulE
Il have"
Did you unite all corporations. bene-
filing ALP
Il united those | needed to unite
Those who by competition might
threaten you?"
Yes"
What became of the others?"
'"rhey went to the WALL
"And the Stockholders"
lost their possessions"
"Do you call that being merciful?"
The candidate was silent for mo
ment. then said. Yes; will prove 1t
If you will permit"
Not yet. Your trust being formed.
how did you make money!
by raising prices"
For the rich or for the poorT
Both"
Did the poor suffer-"
"They did"
"Your examination is over-for the
present You may state what you have
to say in extenuation.'
The poor are always poor and usu-
ally unable to help themselves. If
they had an immense sum given them.
they would use it all up without bene-
filing themselves. for they have no
talent for management. II is best that
certain persons shall accumulate funds,
then become distributors To the poor.
have been one of these acCumulatOrs
and distributors. | have endowed col
leges, built churches. established libra
ries. I have not fed and clothed in
diyiduals directly. because such action
would result in no permanent benefit
to the masses of the poor | have pre-
ferred rather to use my money
Whose money!
Mine"
did you not say that your fortune
had been built up on the ruins of those
interested in and dependent upon GER
tain corporations?'
Il did. Their ruin was necessary
that l should acquire the ability to put
millions through channels to do the
most good"
by what authority did you act?'
| MY own sense of what was fit
The judge sat silent for a moment
| The strains had seemed to follow the
heavenly inquiry. Il solemn murmur
| like distant thunder when the candi-
date touched upon his evil courses. a
sympathetic melody at the mention of
| his beneficent acts. Now they died
away entirely. The judge spoke:
| Man has been placed on the earth
to develop under certain conditions.
He has been left free in his environ
ment. but without a few basic princi-
pies he would grope in darkness. These
have been given him from heaven. So
| long as he works in accordance with
these principles his deeds are approved.
Had heaven issued an edict. Rob that
you may benefit mankind possibly
you might have obtained admittance
here. but there is no such edict. Your
| course was not even wise for the peo-
pie you profess to have benefited.
Their condition has degenerated. The
equivalent for the fruits of the earth,
gold. is now held in storehouses. dis
tributed by few, and the poor are
1
cessities. You have taken the law
into your own hands. You have no
place here"
1T is hard" said the candidate,
that 1 should have labored first to
heap up wealth. but 1.-THE of which l
could use myself. and lavished the rest
on my fellow men. to be condemned by
the high court of heaven. We have no
such principles on earth. No earthly
court would
did you respect your earthly
tcOurts?'
The candidate hung his head. He
had bribed his earthly courts. But he
was not easily put down.
"Our earthly courts stood In the way
of my designs for the ultimate benefit
Of the people"
And our heavenly court stands in
the way of your entrance here. Take
him away" ALEXANDER ELY.