New-York tribune., 1910-01-06
ASSOCIATES TALK.
Senators Speak in High Praise
= of Mr. MIls's Career.

Washington, Jan. 5.-"The POST prints
this morning several tributes to D. O. MiHs
General regret for his DEATH says 1.-The
Post was expressed on every hand in
Washington. Associates in various under
takings of a financial, social and philan-
thropic nature, including a score or more
of Senators and other prominent men of
Washington. spoke in the highest terms of
the great work performed by the financier.
Senator stephen B. Elkins, of West Vir-
ginia, who aided Mr.. Mills in various vent
ures, asserted that a more energetic,
straightforward and honest man than was
Mr.. Mills does not live.
Known in the United States, as we'll as
abroad Senator Elkns said the work of
Mr.. Mills will be felt for years to come.
Outside of his business sagacty, the
work he has done in the interest of the
poorer classes, especially in New York, has
been of the greatest benefit to all classes
Conceiving the idea that great good can be
done the poorer classes by furnishing large
hotels. at which clean beds and wholesome
food can be obtained at nominal prices Mr..
Mills invested thousands Of dollars in three
such institutions. Barely per cent was
realized on the investment from financial
point of view, yet the fnancier believe
obtained more satisfaction and pleasure
from the knowledge that he had assisted
the needy than from any material profit
Senator Francis G. Newlands, of Ne
vada, one of Mr.. Mills's associates. had
this to say about him:
Mr.. Mills was one of the argonauts OF
California, reaching there during the perioo,
himself at Sacramento in business. and
soon became q leading banker there. Later
he became the president of the Bank of
California, at San Francisco, which was
organized by w. c. RalSton, and which
during his administration became the lead
ing bank of the Pacific Coast. He was its
president though living in the East, at the
time of its failure, a colossal catastrophe
which seemed likely to paralyZe the enter
prtseS of the entire coast: but the reorganf-
zation brilliantly accomplished by William
Sharon put the bank upon its feet, and il
is now the largest bank on the Pacific
Coast
Mr.. Mills became early interested with
RalSton and Sharon in the ComStock
mines, and there realized the bulk of his
fortune with which he afterward COM
menced his operations in the East. He was
a man of remarkable business judgment,
out of a number of enterprises presented to
HIM. No man in the country had higher
reputation either in California or in the
East for integrity in all his actions. He
had little to do with modern methods in
making large fortunes and yet his Invest
ments were in almost every form of interest
that attached to civilization and were scat
tered all over the country and the world.
HE moved very quietly and unobtrusively
upon the cooperation of others. The pre-
vailing characteristics of Mr.. Mills We're
the excellence of his Judgment and his
sense of fairness and justice. He had quite
philanthl opic side. was much interested
in the construction of hotels adapted to the
requirements Of peoP3e 3nr Of very restricted
which really substituted help that could be
accepted with self-respect in the place of
charity.
Senator Nixon. of Nevada, associated
with Mr. Mills in later life, spoke feeling
" of their relations. both social and finan-
cial Mr.. Mills, he said, was not of a
speculative nature. but possessed the keen
est business foresight. He gave as en- in
stance the fact that, while heshesitated in
taking an active part in the transconti-
mental railroad then under construction,
backed by Huntington and other magnates.
he lent to these financiers large sums OF
money with which the work was completed
Mr.. MiIs's work of making the barren
West the richest section of the country
never can he definitely gauged,' Mr.. Nixon
said He was one of the pioneers and he
gave the best of his younger years to the
making of the West. In return, of course,
he received fabulous wealth, but the amass-
ject. The use of the money gathered to be
used in the aid of others less fortunate
than he was his sole aim in life.
a. He made for himself a name never to
be forgotten, even by thousands who never
were permitted TO see him. In the West,
as well as the East, he has erected monu-
ments, not for self-glorification, which will
assist the needy for years to come
- In California. where Mr.. Mills made his
fortune, and where the scene of his early
endeavors was laid. the name of Mills IS
synonymous with honesty is the tribute
paid by Senator Perkins. of California.
Mr.. Mills repeatedly said that he could
die satisfied when the end eventually would
come, having the knowledge that he had
tried to live for others and to make others
happy, Senator Perkins continued
" He was one of the multi-millionaires of
the country who did not incur the enmitv
of the other classes with which he dealt
Following the army of fortune hunters TO
the California gold fields in the days Of
'49, he cast his lot with the rest of -them
Shrewd business insight and a prophettc
speculative nature, rather than luck. canssd
him to win out
Mr.. Mills was practical philanthropist
He did noble work in California ana
thirty years ago he shifted the greater mar,
OF his work to the East and TO New YORK
where his philanthropic work was con-
tinued on larger scale
Mr.. Mills made friends in the Vast who
always VIII remember him. When Gensra,
Grant made his trip around the worIa b.
was entertained on his arrival I'm CaI,fo
MIA by Mr.. Mills''~