The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-09-25
BIRTHDAY OF D. 0. MILLS,
PRACTICAL PHILANTHROPIST

lished the first of his popular-priced
hotels, the hosiery was a success from
thebeginning. From the first it was
self-sustaining, even paying a small
profit on the investment, but what was
more important in the eyes of the
founder, it solved, at least in part,
the problem of how to benefit class
OF needy humanity which has been
neglected sadly. In a great city there
are many men who cannot earn more
than So or Sc a week, and it is for
such unfortunates who through vari-
Gus circumstances ind themselves I'M
able to do better that the Mills hotels
have been established.
1t is not especially to the point to
ask why this is so-why is it that so
many men OF correct habits are so in
capable of getting on in this world.
Some of them lack force. Some of
them are men who have obtained a
college degree. but are destitute of a
practical viewpoint. They are quite
as sensitive as the rest of their fell
lows and Mr. Mills took THAT fact in.
to consideration. 1t is that one thing
that makes this unique charity
charity in a nobler and more dignined
sense than mere giving-so attractive
and so successful.
Twenty cents for room. 3 cents fol
/ breakfast, Is cents for a dinner in
courses. cents for supper-this is the
proposition that Mr.. Mills made
possible for man whose depleted
purse makes it necessary for him to
restrict his daily expenditure to the
half dollar limit. To the man who can
afford to pay $40 a day for a room at
one of New York's palatial hotels all
this is an absurdity. To him the
Mills hotels mean no more than a
free soup house or the quarterly re-
port a slum mission. This is the
man who, if he ever speaks of it. will
call it great philanthropy" and let
it go at that.
Hotels No. l and No. 2 represent a
capital Of $1,000 900 and pay 8 per cent
on the investment. The great new
hotel opened recently cost 81 ,400. 900,
and yields a similar income. Their
owner declared that providing them
he has been actuated by only two mo-
tives-frst. to conduct them on a
strictly business basis, and. second. to
put roof over the head of an I'M
fortunate man without either pauper-
izing or humilating him.
Mr. Mills devoted years to the elab-
Grafton of his schemes before he fixed
on a definite time to launch it. Some
Of his friends and business associates
were vastly skeptical as to the sue
cessful outcome. One of these doubt
ers was John L. Cadwalader, the emf
nent lawyer who was assistant secre-
tary of State under Hamilton Fish.
Mr. Cadwalader saw no merit in the
cheap hotel idea. and he made a good
deal of sport of the matter. On one |
occasion the lawyer was contributing
to the geniality of a club dinner by
rallying the banker on his fad.
What class of men do you expect
will patronize your hotels?" he asked
with a chuckle.
The financier smiled benignantly.
John" he replied with admirable
good humor and the naivete of a
schoolboy. II would like to see
thousand lawyers in my hotels-a
thousand lawyers who can't earn more
than S. a week"
A visit 10 one of the Mills hotels
No l on Blocker street. No. 2 on Riv-
ington street or No. on Seventh
avenue and Thirty-sixth street-will
convince the most skeptical that the
capitalist made no mistake in his
estimate of the needs of a certain
class Of poor humanity. There will
be found in the large and comfortable
4 reading and smoking rooms not the
iunkempt and replusive outcast of the
slums, but the comparatively well
! dressed citizen of the world with well
preserved evidence of gentle breed
ings.