The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-11-04
Letters rom
the People
ROCKET ELLER S GIFT

ROCKEFELLER S GIFT.
Editor Advertisers president Jor-
dan, Of the Stanford University, wrote
a short paper on 1.-The Blood of the
Nation - IN which he shows that in war,
especially when long protracted, the
most patriotic, the bravest. the strongest,
are killed off, leaving the weakHngs,
the towards, the least patriotic to per
petuate the race.
No one can question the greatness
(the intellectual power, the virility, the
concentration of the Alexanders. the
Caesars, the Bonapartes. But after
reading this book by Mr. Jordan, one
can not help questioning the uses to
which these great leaders put their
powers. No one can question the great
ness, the intellectual power. the viril-
lty, the concentration, of the Astors,
the Goulds, the ROckefelIers, the Nor
gans, the Harrimans. But many are
questioning the use to which these men
put their powers.
Mr.. Carnegie presents an argument
in favor Of the few accommodating vast
fortunes, which, from his standpoint,
IS certainly very logical. And this
gift of million dollars by Mr.. Rookie
Teller to fight the hookworm. and thus
benefit a whole people, seems to bear
out Mr.. Carnegie suggestions.
Thousands of people are not merely
incapacitated for work, but are degen-
Grating; and Mr.. Rockefeller provides
the means for improving them, in ev-
cry way. Since l first began to think
of these great men and their place in
the scheme of civilization, / have not
questioned their value as leaders to
show the people what is vet to be done
and now it is to be done This vast
concentration of wealth, of labor and
of management is only the foundation
of what is to be built later. These
gifts of Libraries, parks, universities,
art galleries, public benefits, are only
object lessons to show the people what
they need
These benefits could not come with
out the accumulation of wealth in the
hands of the few. This accumulation
of wealth is the work for specialists.
And most of these specialists have
been too selfish to use their powers,
except for selfish ends.
There is a prophecy of a time com
ing when it will be more honorable
for the RockefelIers and the Harri-
mans TO serve their fellowmen than
to serve themselves. And when that
condition of human affairs comes, we
shall have statesmen who can smite the
.,cf- e -I,,,+
the people need.
The only reason that such a gift as
Mr.. Rockefeller is not generally con-
sidered an insult to our civilization,
a slap in the face of our government,
lies in the fact that it is all a part
of our human development, and Mr..
Rockefeller is but an agent in this
human development. He collected this
wealth. from the people; and he re-
distributes this much to the people.
What the government should have done,
was left for Mr.. Rockefeller to do.
He collected; he redistributed.
For showing the government it's duty
to the people, the people may honor
Mr.. Rockefeller. But for his methods
in collecting, and this influence upon
the business integrity of the people
read what follows:
HHe has done more than any other
person to fasten on this country the
most serious interference with free,
individual development which it suffers,
an interference which, toda. the whole
country is struggling vainly to shake
off.
"What has Mr.. Rockefeller given
the public in return for the code of
business principles he has taught it,
in return for the hypocrisy and cyni-
cism he has fostered} A great bust
ness organization, demonstration of
the possibilities of combinations True,
but to build his organization he was
obliged to perpetuate by force, by
bribery by trickery a vicious business
system the country at large was striv-
ing to overthrow.
"Not only has charity been tainted
by the hypocrisy of his lifeTthe church
itself has been polluted and many a
man has turned away from its doors
because of this Does all this
pay?
"From him we have received no i'm
pulse to public duty; no example of
enlarged and noble living. He
has not made good. He can not make
good. All his vast wealth spent
in one supreme effort to evade. the
Judgment of men would be but
wasted.
Yet, in spite of the selfshness and
corrupting influence of these great men,
they are the agents, willing or unwill-
ing. who are showing humanity the
way, in its slow circling towards the
heights. And whether their corrupt
ing influence upon business morals and
upon professional integrity is greater
than their power as real leaders of
human effort, we must leavt the final
decision to those who reach the heights.
The one hopeful sign is that many
have advanced far enough to feel the
injustice of our government neglecting
its plain duty to the people and the
shame of being obliged to receive this
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