The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-12-29
JOHN D,
WEL[;OMES
!. SOBER
CRITICISM
tRy Associnted Prees.l

New YORK. Dec. ZN.-'lt C0mDlna-
ton TO do business is effective in sav.
ing waste and in getting better results,
why is not combination far more i'm.
portant in philanthTopic work? In this
question is set forth the text an
article by John ID. Rockefeller. head Of
the Standard Oil interests published
in the current issue of The Worlds
Work. The general subject of MI
Rockefeller's article Is The gaue t
the cooperative principle in giyins.
Mr.. Rockefeller expresses the belief
that the general idea & I cooperation IN
giving for eduaction scored "a real step
in advance" wnen Mr. Andrew Carne-
gle consented to become a member CT
ths General Education Board "for in
accepting a position in this directory
he has. It seems to me stamped with
his approval this vital principe CT co-
operation In aiding the educational in
stitutions OF our country"
He goes on to describe in some de-
tail the work Of the General Education
B9ard which he said has made on IS
making a careful study OF the location
aims, work. resources. administration
and educational value present and
prospective. of the institutions cf
higher learning in the United States.
The hoard, he says, makes its contri-
button averaging mething like S2..
100000 a year, for the most careful
comparative study of needs ANA op-
pO.tunities throughout the country
ITS records are open to all Many
benefactors 4 education are availirg
themselves OF these disinterested in.
quiries, and It is hoped that more wi l
do So"
Some interesting general remarks on
the subject of benovolence illuminate
Mr.. R0ckefeler's point of view. For
instance he says
1T help an inefficient ili-located
unnecessary school is a waste. | am
told by those who have given most
careful study to this problem that II Is
probable that enough money has been
squandered on unwise educational pro-
iects t9 have built up a national sys
TEN OF higher education adequate 10
our need If the money had been prop
erly directed TO that end"
| OF Roman Catholic methods Mr
Rockefeller said that he has seen TIE
organization of the r man church
secure better results vita given sum
OF money Than other church organize
tions are accustomed to secure from
the same expenditure II is uSneees
sary to dwell upon the centuries of ex
perience which the Church Rome
has gone through TO perfect great
| power of organization.
| Commenting upon the great mass Of
/ a. al t.agaftrnl a
| feller says that four-fifths OF them are
requests for m ney for personal use
| with no other title to consideration
than that the writer would be gratified
| to have il.
| Mr. Rockefeller pays warm tribute
to TIE memory OF the late DR.. William
Il. Harper, president of the university
| OF Chicago, and makes without qualiii.
cation the statement which will be sur
prising 10 many persons, that during
the entire period Of his presidency of
the University of Chicago he never
once either wrote me letter or asked
me personally for d llar OF money
for the university" He goes on 10
explain that IN this as in all other
cases the gifts to the university were
the result OF the presentation of It's
lneeds made in writing by the officers
lof the university whose special duty
It is 10 prepare It's budgets ana super
Intend lis finances. II Is not personal
( Interviews and impassiuned appeals.
but sound and ius,fying worth that
should attract aud secure the funds OF
philanthropy The people in gfeat
numbers who are constantly importun-
Ing me for personal interviews in be
half favoIite causes err i'm supposing
.hat the interview. were il possible, Is
the best way, ~ eveR 2 GOOD way, Of
securing what they want"
In the course OF his article Mr..
Rockefeller says OF himself: "Criti-
cism that Is deliberate, sober and fair
Is always valuable and II should be
welcomed by all who desire progress.
| have had at least my fun share f ad-
Verse criticism, but can truly say that
II 1as not emblttered me. nor left me
( With Any harsh feeling against a living
soul Nor do / wish to be critical OF
these whose conscientious Judgment,
frankly expressed differs from my
own. No matter how noisy the pessi-
mists may be. We know that the world
is getting better steadily aud rapidly,
land that It Is a good thing to remember
in our moments OF depression or humi-