The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-01-01
OIL KINGS
OPINION
SET FORTH IN AN ARTICLE
FROM HIS PEN PUBLISHED
IN "WORLD'S WORK."
GENERAL SUBJECT IS: "THE
VALUE OF COOPERATIVE
PRINCIPLE IN GIVING"

New York, Dec. 29.-"If COM
bination to do business is effective
in saving waste and in getting bet
ter results, who is not combination
far more important in philanthropic
work? In this question is set forth
the text of an article by John d.
Rockefeller, head of the Standard
| Oil interests published in the cur
rent issue of the Worlds Work.
The general subject of Mr.. Rocker
feller's article is, "The value of the
cooperative principle in giving"
Mr.. Rockerfeller expresses the be-
alton in giving for education scored
"a real step in advance" when Mr..
Andrew Carnegie consented to be-
come member of the General Edu-
cation Board, ''for in accepting a
position in this directory he has, it
seems to me, stamped with his ap-
proval this vital principle of CO.
operation in aiding the educational
institutions of our country"
He goes on to describe in some
detail the work of the general edu-
| cation board which he said has
made or is making careful study
of the location, aims, work, re-
sources, administration and educa-
tional value present and prospective,
of the institutions of higher learn
ing in the United States. The
board, he says, makes it's contribu-
tion averaging something like $2.-
100000 a year, or the most care
full comparative study Of needs and
opportunities throughout the coun-
try Its records are open to all.
Many benefactors of education are
availing themselves of these disin-
terested inquiries, and it is hoped
that more will do So"
Some interesting general remarks
on the subject of benevolence illum-
mate Mr.. Rockerfeller's point of
view. For instance, he says:
'To help an inefficient, ill-located,
unnecessary school is waste l
am told by those who have given
most careful study to this problem
that it is highly probable that
enough money has been squandered
on unwise educational projects to
have built up a national system of
higher education adequate to our
need if the money had been properly
directed to that end"
| 6f Roman Cotbn1io of ho1c Nv
Rockefeller said that he has seen
the organization of the Roman
church secure better results with
given sum of money than other
church organizations are accustom-
ed to secure from the same expendi-
ture. 1t is unnecessary to dive
upon the centuries of experience
which the Church of Rome has gone
through to perfect a great power Of
organization.
Commenting upon the great mass
of appealing letters received Mr..
Rockefeller says that four-fifths of
them are requests for money for per-
sonal use, with no other title to
consideration than that the writer
would be gratified to have it,"
Mr.. Rockefeller pays a warm
tribute to the memory of the late
DR.. William r. Harper, president Of
the University of Chicago, and
makess, without, qualification, the
statement which will be surprising
10 many persons, "that during the
,f h Of
the University Of Chicago, he never
once either wrote me letter or
asked me personally for dollar of
money for the university" He goes
on to explain that In this as in all
other cases the gifts to the univer-
sity were the result of the presenta-
ton of its needs "made in writing
by the officers of the university
whose special duty it is to prepare
its budgets and superintend it's fl
nances. 1t is not personal inter-
views and impassioned appeals, but
sound and justifying worth that
should attract and secure the funds
of philanthropy. The people ir
great numbers who are constantly
importuning me for personal inter.
views in behalf of favorite causes
err in supposing that the interview
were it possible, is the best way, OF
even good way, of securing wha
they want"
In the course of his article, Mr.
Rockefeller says of himself
"Criticism that is deliberate, sobe
!. ard fair is always valuable and j
should ha welcomed by all who de
sire progress. / have had at leas
my full share of adverse criticism
but ! can truly say that it has no
e:' Filtered me, nor left me Wit
any harsh feeling against a livin
0 soul. Nor do l wish to be critica
of those whose conscientious jude
t ment frankly expressed differs fror
e my own. No matter how noisy tn
S pessimists may be, we know tina
S the world is getting better steadil
e and rapidly, and that it is a goo
i thing to remember in our moment
J. of depression or humiliations.
Big Railroad Project at Spokane.
Spokane, Wash, Dec. 28.-Thre
million dollars will be Invested b