Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-01-06
Mr.. Morgan at Washington

]. Pierpont Morgan is probably the
ablest banker in the world. He has
the best trained mind. He has the
broadcast grasp of the principles Of
finance. He knows more about f.
nancial conditions in the United States
than anybody else. His disinterested
advice and counsel would be more
valuable to congress in dealing with
the currency question and the So
called Money Trust than that of any
other living man.
Mr.. Morgan is in Washington to
testify before the Pujo committee.
How did he go? Like a witness who
had nothing to conceal? Like a wit.
ness glad Of the opportunity to per-
form highly important service? Not
at all.
Mr.. Morgan went to Washington &C.
companied by Joseph H. Choate, for.
mer ambassador to Great Britain and
the leader of the New York bar; by
John c. Spooner, former United States
senator from Wisconsin and now a
distinguished New York lawyer; by
Francis Lynde Stetson, one Of the
ablest corporation lawyers in the coun-
try; by r. V. Lindabury, the general
counsel for the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company; by De Lancey Nicoll, who
was the attorney for the Tobacco
Trust in the recent dissolution pro-
ceedings; by William F. Sheehan, who
was candidate for United States sen.
ator in New York and is one of the
best known corporation lawyers in
the city.
And what are these eminent lawyers
there for? Not to help Mr.. Morgan
testify; for in spite for their very
great abilities, Mr.. Morgan knows
more about the subject of finance than
all of them put together. No; they
are not there to help Mr.. Morgan give
information to Congress-, but to help
Mr.. Morgan withhold information from
Congress. Their work Is to help him
evade the committees questions IL he
prefers not to answer. Their work is
to help him make his testimony of as
little public value as possible. Their
work is to shoy him how he can avoid
putting his knowledge and experience
to public use. That is the only func-
ton that eminent lawyers can have
in such circumstances.
Mr.. Morgan has shown himself a
public benefactor in many ways. He
gives immense sums to charity. and
does it without ostentation. He has
given to the people Of New York all
the educational benefits Of an art col.
lection that is well nigh priceless. He
has been a constant factor in the aesth-
etic life of the community, and he
has presented to the whole world the
example of a highly educated banker
whose word is better than most mems
bond. There is probably not a we'll
informed person with a thousand dol
lars of savings in his possession who
would not rather entrust that money
to Mr.. Morgan's private bank than to
any bank chartered by government.
So much for Mr.. Morgan's personal
integrity.
Yet how unfortunate that he cannot
display the same public spirit in the
financial education Of the country that
he displays in it's art education! Moth
ing he can give to the American people
in the way Of old masters would be
half so valuable to them as his own
brains and service. II he wanted to
he could guide them out Of their fl.
nancial labyrinth and show them how
to put the finances Of the country on
such a basis that the wages and saw.
ings and industries Of the people would
no longer be the football Of stock-job
bers and stock-gamblers and panic
breeders. That is the kind Of public
work men like Mr.. Morgan ought to
be doing, and that is the kind Of pub
lie work they never do except under
compulsion. Is 1t strange that the
great mass of people regard them as
enemies of the general welfare, and
that their known appreciation is SUI.
ficient to wither and blight the most
meritorious measure of the most
meritorious cause?-New York World.
Don't think the other follows oppor.
tunitiAa have bo0n greater than yours