The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-06-20
Mako 81. OoO. GOO a DAY.

Pity poor J. Pierpont Morgan,
Rockefeller, Carnegie. and poor Hetty
Green. Look tolerantly upon them.
They are more to be pitied than
scorned.
You see, they think they know how
to make money. AS a matter of fact,
they know nothing at all about it.
Right here In Washington is a man
who makes s11, 100000 a day. How
is that for money making?
Standing by the side Of this broad
shouldered man several days ago, I
saw him actually throw $1,000. 900
away. He insisted on doing it.
begged him to save a few millions to
give to the poor, but he laughed and
threw another million away. Shiver
reckless fellow he is.
But then he makes so much he
doesn't have to care. Besides. 1t ISM t
his money, anyhow. 1t belongs to
the United States government. The
man who makes it and later throws it
away is Joseph r. Ralph director of
the bureau of engraving and printing.
and one of the most efficient men in
the employ Of the government.
Money is the science as well as the
business of Ralph. Out of the school
OF adversely he came-up from a roll
ing mill in Joliet, Ill, where he went
to work when he was II years old. Up
from twelve hours day over a ma
chine that racked his young body and
gave him a keen retaliation of the
hardships of the laboring man and
the value of labor-saving devices.
Probably the most striking charac-
teristic of the employees of his bureau
is that the handling of such vast
sums of money as $11,O0O.000 and
1000, 900 a day breeds in most of
them a spirit of economy. In several
of them recently this spirit of econ
omy became too strong. They be-
gan to do a thriving business lending
money. The director put a stop to
this, however.
Ralph estimates that more of his en-
ployes own their own homes than
those of any other department. One
colored man who receives 500 a
month for packing about SO, 900, 900 a
dav is living like a hermit in order to
buy the home in which he lives.
Only in two instances have thefts
been committed in the bureau during
the incumbencv of Director Ralph. In
one case a girl took away $40, being
discovered three hours later. In an
other case a, man stole a few dollars
worth of stamps and was in Ralph's
office confessing a few hours later.
Something about the discipline and
the minute precautions that are taken
serves to discourage theft. The heavy
air of government hangs over the en-
tire building. The cages in which the
girls work. the machines grinding out
the money, and even the tremendous
motor truck. with its dozen or more
guards. which carries the money
from the bureau TO the treasury, all
have the effect of creating an atnos-
phere of law and government.
In big trunks. the money that has
run its last race. played over the gam
ing table, wrecking and raising hopes.
is carried back to the bureau where
II was born and where It is to die.
One trunk alone may contain $1,000
600 in big notes. And these notes,
with all their tales untold, are dumped
down into a hole, where they are
chewed UP by the macerator. AS one
watches this nerve-wracking proceed
ing-mcney literally dropped into a
hoIe-one is apt to ask, ''Oh, money,
where is thy sting?" Incidentally one
is apt to speculate about what he would
do II he had that much rnoney-villas
in France, a limousine, a few town
houses, q yacht. But perhaps the best
plan would be the one suggested by
the laborer, who said he would leave
a call for o'clock, tell the bellboy he
didn't have to get up. and then roll
over and go to sleep again.
Last year" said Ralph. 1--WE turned
out about 100000 600 600 worth of
stamps. money and securities. Half
of that was in notes and securities. A
fair sample of one days work is SILL
600. Thomas F. Logan, in the
Philadelphia Inquirer.