The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-11-03

our opinion Of Mr.. Rockefeller. His
GIFT OF million dollars TO aid the
South in suppressing or destroying
the hook worm is really a magnificent
donation. but his sentiments on the
subject are likewise much to his cred
1t. He says: While 1t would be q
privilege to act In any movement
which offers assurances of relieving
human suffering, 1t H. q peculiar
pleasure to feel that the chief activi-
ties of your board Will be among the
people Of the Southern states. 1t has
been my pleasure OF late to spend q
portion of each year in the South. and
have come to know and respect
greatly that part Of our country. and
to enjoy the society and friendship
of many of Its warm-hearted people"
That was nice in John D.. as ali will
admit. and the people OF the South
will appreciate both the gift and the
sentiment that goes with It. No
doubt he Is just like a great many
other Northern people who sojourn
for time down here and find very
different people from what they had
been led to expect. The amount of
good that money can do, In the way
of relieving human suffering can
hardly be over-estima ted, and we,
should always feel ready to give due
credit to the man Of millions who de-
votes a liberal portion Of II to the aid
of humanity in any way, 80
The work now being done ana con-
templatsd by, scientists., physicIans
and humanitarians geperalIy, ana the
millions that are and viii be spent in
| the effort to drive out tuberculosis.
one of the greatest scourges to which
humanity is subject, is bound to do
good in the end. II will cost much
money but we believe II will be sup
piled. as we believe the time and
knowledge and effort needed will be
forthcoming, Money cannot directly
buy human life or ward off human
suffering. but it furnishes the means
through which lives may be saved and
suffering avoided.
No better use can be made OF the
money with which the rich are bless
ed than to apply a liberal portion OF
It to fighting disease. While a mil
lion dollars Is really a small sum for
q man like Mr.. Rockefeller to give to
any good cause the gift is really a
fine one, and IL others of the very
rich would be equally liberal the
hands Of those who are fighting some
Of the most dangerous of human all,
ments would not be tied nor their ef-
forts limited. Many hard things arc
said Of Mr.. Rockefeller, but when he
makes such a donation as the one In
the matter referred to he should re-
ceive the credit that Is due him.
OF course, 1t is not intended to COM
pare the hook worm disease with tu-
berculosis and some of the other dead
ly scourges from which humanity Is
suffering; that is. IL this latest all
ment Is really a disease. II laziness
Is a disease, and they have discovered
the germ. It is high time that the
remedy was discovered and applied.
/ a 10 haa
probably afflicted the human family.
especially in warm climates. from the
beginning OF time. II the time is on
the way when the doctors will treat
and prescribe for hook worm sick
ness" 1t will be an evidence OF what
great advance has been made in med
zeal science.
We notice In this connection that
some good people are ohjecting to. or
and protest against Its acceptance.
They seem to look on IL as another at
tempted sIur on the South. arguing
that In making the contribution the
glver was really ridlculing the South
ern people for being lazy race.
Maybe our warm and frequently ener-
waiting climate has a tendency to make
our people less sprightly and energet-
ic than those of the colder regions
of the country. but even II that Is
true It is no reflection on our people
or any reason for censure. AS to
that matter. IL it is a disease. we no.
ties that Northern people are pretty
apt to acquire 1t after they have spent
very few years down here. wheth-
err the so-cailed disease is only cii-
matte effect. or whether It is a real
disease with appropriate germs. we
have observed that II is not confined
to native Southerners.
The objections to the Rockefeller
donation may or may not be well
founded. but suppose they are? Sup
pose that he thinks Southern people