The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-14
MRS, RUSSELL SAGE TALKS OF CHARITY Rich Widow Says She Was Al
 ways Very Liberal HER IDEAS ON HELPING Mrs. Sage Says She Has Picked Out Capable Men to Aid Her In
 Using Her Money to the
 Best Advantage
HER IDEAS ON HELPING

Pasadena, Cal, March 1s-tSpeciai.)-
 Mrs. Russell Sage, who has given more
 money to charity than any woman in the
 world, today gave an interview on the dis
 tribution of her wealth and the motives
 regarding it.
 why do you give so much money away
 Mrs. Sage?" was asked.
 .'As long as l had something to give and some other person needed it would always divide" was the reply. When ]
 was teacher in Philadelphia at s9oo a year. a sum I would hardly look at in the present day, I was willing to give my tenth to the Lord.
 sickness. misfortune, fires, the forced miseries of life-these are the conditions I would alleviate, those who, having lived righteousy and prudently, come to want in their old age. You know Coventry Patmore says the three most pitiful things in life are childhood without percentage, youth without love and old age without money-and he is right
 I've all have our ideas about helping people" she continued MT. Carnegie has his particular way and I hear that E. K. Pearson, who at the age of 90 recently an- nounced his intention of giving away his last s1, ,0O0, ,oo0 received 500 letters a day telling him how to do 1t. But l believe that lifting is better than teaching. You know when Christ was before the multi tude He didn't give them lecture; He just fed the hungry I believe that is significant
 T find great deal of gratitude. At the same time it Is like the Savior healing the 10 lepers. One came back to thank Him. Human nature is much the same today. Some tell of their gratitude. Some don't. have never been able to analyze why some are seemingly ungrateful.
 They have said that 1 leave the distri- button of my money to nay lawyers put that is not true. have capable men and I use their judgment, but not their in tuition. I work through organized chari- ties because that is ordinarily the best way. Why. it would be impossible for me to answer all the letters that come to me. I get some times as many as 300 a day. I never could read so many. Today I had a letter from a woman in Los Angeles which I turned over to the Associated Charities because that is the place for the appeal. She was in distress and needed placing where she could become sulf-sup- porting, and they were best able to pro- vide for her. But l do not confine my self to organized charity" continued Mrs. Sage. When I made my gift to Yale I didn't do that through organized char itN
 T knew they needed the money and was glad I could let them have it. It was the same way with the school from which I was graduated. It needed enlarg- ing and l was glad to help them.''
 In recalling the days sht spent at the Troy Female seminary, from which she graduated in 1S47, Mrs. Sage spoke of the influence exercised upon her there.
 "One of my teachers advised me to teach, when later, through misfortune I was thrown upon my own resources, say ing. Nothing is really our own until we have imparted 1t to others I felt that anything I have done.''
 Teaching, Mrs. Sage considers the high est calling for a woman outside of the duty of the wife and mother.
 Man and woman, united in harmonious. purpose, are the nearest approach to per- feet humanity we can attain. And teach ing little children Is the next vocation for a woman It isn't only the giving that requires thought and judgment, but it is the tremendous amount of sympathy that goes out with each gift that is exhaust ing," concluded the aged philanthropist in accounting for her close retirement at the Raymond while here.
 Mrs. Sage is recovering her usual vital ity. She will return east the last of March.