The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-12-31
he Egotism Of Andrew Carnegie

tine Philadelphia North-American.t
II Is now several days sine. the
,arheSle egOtlsm cached its full
mower OF ofensiveness and without
even the redeeming qualities # cyn:-
clsn or OF sardonic humor
to impose upon ex-president II tie
ohi'ed States q pension Of $4,000 a
year for life. We have searched in
VAN for any sign of approval of this
scheme to make the little
the fairy 90 lfathcr Of tie
nlted States II a sin
gle good word has been said for il,
such has escaped our attention.
We can not recall any proposition
related to public policy that, so far
as It has been discussed at all, has
induced such universal reprobation.
mere Gems to be a general senti-
lnent that the dignity of the nation
has been offended; that one individual
VINO mas nothing to him
except his millions has set himself
up as a power SO much greater than
the republic that he condescends 10
patfonlze 1t. He pats it on h" heed
and says, Now, if you are a good lit
tie boy, I'll give YOU $4,000 with
winch TO play store only. in this
instance, the game is not store but
"StateSman.'
Now. his offended dignity of the
nation, this monumental conceit of
me almsglveT compriae one phase Of
tne incident we'll worth considering.
Although, to our mind, not by n
means the most important phase, it
49,, however, the most obvious and
the most irritating. This feeling is
revhulsion to tainted money" which
has been exhibited on several occa-
sions, When Mr.. Carnegie's greatest
rival as a money-getter, Mr.. Rookie
teller, proposed large donations TO
religious work.
In the MAN,, Mr.. Rockefeller's pub
lie benefactionS have been received
with general approval They have
aided in invaluable work Of science,
in the search for the causes, and
therefore the cures, of diseases which
nave been age-long enemies OF hu-
mainly. Rockefeller endOWmcnts
have helped to promote efficiency in
public education, in every grade, from
the elementary in the common schools
to the postgraduate in the profess
siOnal.
MIR. Rockefeller by his %prodisious
contributions virtually founded a grea1
university in Chicago. He could easily
have had his name blazoned thereon
He did not If he has ever even t?iee
to control or to influence the teach.
ings Of the institution to which HI
has given more than $50, 900, 600, \
has not been apparent In results. For
long after Chicago university becom'
a center Of free thought In social ant
political science, in philosophy and. t
some degree, in religion, Mr.. Rookie
Teller continues to pou his millions
into it's lap.
1t was only when Mr. RockefeDe
offered large sums directly TO tn,
cause Of religion that the cry Q
tainted money" was raised. TIL
crimes by which the Standard Oh
monopoly had been established wer,
SO enormous and the impression 0
criminally in connection with tbs
trust was SO clear in the public mine
that Mr.. Rockefeller's donations t
religion in his declining years sug
gested an attempt to pave a roya
road to heaven. Those who had t
resented what seemed like unjust dis
;. But, aside from MI Rockefeller
religious endowments, his benefaction
have never III public opposition
The only adverse they hay
raised has been due to the eyidenc
Of such tremendous power in tn
hands Of one man. Their has bee
general agreement that Mr.. ROckefel
Ter has distributed his endowment
with rare judgment for the publ
good and with singular good tast
and c~ommendablo freedom troT
been in charge of the round house a
Hamlet, and leaves a wife and tw
= children. His father died only a shor
time ago and his widowed mother re