Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1914-04-30
A sOCIALIsTIC RICH MAN.


lionaire owner Of Biltmore. 1t proves
our contention that it is not the ''sys-
tenn that is to blame for the poor liv-
ing or destitute circumstances in
which many people live, but the way
they themselves act or cause them
selves to be acted against. When in
true brotherhood every man. rich or
poor, treats the other with absolute
| fairness then there will be no need of
change. 1t is not the system, but it
is the way of dealing. When you
blame the system you run up against
the curse pronounced on Adam, and
there is no way on earth to get around
| it. You must work some way, men
tally or physically, for the things you
desire. The Biltmore colony is very
socialistic. but a capitalist owned it,
and hence by the apparent paradox our
contention is sustained that it is not
the system but the men behind the
system. Probably tenants on the Van
derbilt estate treated the owner just
as we'll as he treated them, and in
that lay the very cause for the success
of the estate 1t is the exemplifica-
ton of the golden rule, moral idea,
applicable to both rich and poor.
Read the short article below and see
if we are not correct:
1.-THE late George W. Vanderbilt
did not figure in sensations OF social
or domestic character. Inheriting a
vast fortune from his father, William
H. Vanderbilt, he did not seek to be-
come Millionaire, a snob, trucker
to royalty or a vulgarian. He prefer
red to be gentleman and scholar,
both of which he was. He was a lin
guist, patron of the fine arts. good
business manager and a philanthro-
pist.
"Of course, he might have made
better appeal to posterity if be had
left portion of his wealth to the pub
lie in educational or charitable endow-
mepts, but we are not sure that the
VOID has not prohted as much or
more from his wealth than such en-
dowments would have permitted.
Gas the builder of Biltmore, near
Asheville, Mr.. Vanderbilt is entitled
to public gratitude, because in that
splendid achievement he has shown
true spirit of altruism that OF itself
affords ample proof that there is no
good reason for the gulf that so fire.
quently exists between labor and capl
ital.
"Being in delicate health, he went
to the beautiful Blue Ridge section OF
North Carolina and purchased thous-
ands of acres of wild land upon which
he planned an imposing estate. If he
had built nothing but this palatial
home, conceded to be the fiuset coun-
try estate in America, there would be
little occasion to comment upon his
work
"The town of Biltmore is another |
matter. In founding Biltmore, he
erected beautiful cottages for his ten
,nts, cottages that are sanitary in all
respects equipped with such necessi-
lies as bath rooms, sewerage, water,
electric lights, and as the landlords
ay, all modern improvements. He
,rected many industries to give the
,eople profitable employment. He
,uilt modern schools. He provided
,arks and beauty spots throughout the
'illage. He.built church and en-
loved cultured pastor.
"Not anywhere in the world has
apital shown such consideration for
abor as MIR. Vanderbilt exhibited in
,iltmore
SIN addition to the village, he laid
at farms in the mountain valleys and
tocked them with the finest cattle,
heep and poultry to be had in the
World, and the farm houses erected
,ere in all respects equal to the viii
age homes in the matter of comfort
nd even elegance at an extremely low
ost. They obtain good wages. They
nioy she comforts and luxuries of civ
ization. Their children are being ed
Gated, and they have bank accounts.
heir wives and children dress we'll
nd they attend the same church that
he VanderbiIts attend. An injury to
dweller in Biltmore is always mat
Or of concern in great house on the
and misfortune to one
rings swift sympathy from the gra-
ious mistress of the palace whose
resence is known in every sick cham
or in the village.
'That was the lesson of George
'anderbilt's life. He proved that the
of man is possible. He
nowed that it pays to treat people as
uman beings and not like brutes.
lis generous impulses were always in
with the net result at the
lose of his life, that sit pays" He
lade the lives of those with whom he
7as associated happy, contented and
rosperous, and he made it pay.