Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-03-16
CRITICISING THE ROCKEFELLER
PLAN.

While the general chorus of COM
ments anent the Rockefeller Founda-
ton, to which the bulk OF the old oil
magnate's fortune will be bequeathed,
has been commendatory In its char
acter, there have not been missing
criticisms that seemed sound and not
based on mere animosity to Rockefel-
Ter or prejudice to accumulated wealth
no matter what its disposition. Many
writer's of mature judgment have look
ed askance at the bequest the multi
millionaire proposes to make, fearing
that it may become a medium for the
undermining of the self respect of the
people. The tendency of those who
have amassed vast fortunes to become
public benefactors on a wholesale
scale tends, these critics believe, to
destroy the foundations on which re-
publican institutions must rest, the
ability and the willingness of the
people to support public institutions
themselves. Many have seen fit to crit
icise the Carnegie library gifts on the
same ground, but in that instance such
criticisms have lost their force through
the fact that the donor himself has in
sisted on the public doing it's part
Whether those charged with the hand
ling Of the untold millions that Rock
efeller proposes to leave to public
benevolences will be as wise is an UNI
determined factor in the future use
of the income that will be at their dis
position for plans that are supposed
to have the benefit of humanity as
their purpose.
The Washington Post is one of the
papers are doubtful of the results
of such plan to dispense charity to
an entire people AS it views it:
The Rockefeller Foundation will be
| a good thing to those who handle the
funds-that much is certain. There
! will be life positions, easy work and
big pay. The imagination runs for
ward and sees swarm of faddists,
innovators, reformers, grafters and
Missionaries buzZing around this pile of
money, eager to aid in disbursing it
to humanity, including themselves. It
| will be a miracle if some of these up
| lifters do not get in their work, there
by dissipating the funds in pursuing
impracticable schemes. Surely this
country is not in need of hotbed for
the propagation of more harebrained
! reformers than are already at large.
The foundation will not benefit the
country nor hasten the millennium by
encouraging such persons. 1t is a
! question, indeed, whether it will not
do more harm than good by training
| professional almoners.
Is this gigantic plan altogether I'M
selfish? There are various ways Of
gratifying the spirit of egotism and
selfishness. Some rich men love to
display their wealth and dazzle hui
mainly by sudden dispositions of enor-
nous sums apparently in the public
interest. Mr.. Rockefeller is not alone
in such weakness. Others as well
as he love to bangle their glittering
fortunes before the common herd
Ihey invent methods of harvesting
tame before it is ripe They give
splendid fortunes to this or that ben
efaetion-to be handed over after their
death-and revel in the applause OF
the multitude. AS a rule they hold
on to the bulk of the money until they
i die. They are skillful in accumulat-
ing praise as well as coin And they
are selfish in it.
| The American people as a nation
are not in need of charity from Mr.
Rockefeller. There is still a spirit
of self-reliance and independence. It
has been weakened here and there by