Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-02-11
CHARITIES UPHELD
BY MONEY BARONS
Rockefeller and Carnegie Ex.
plain What They Hope to
Accomplish Through
Big Foundations.

New York, Feb. S.-With Seth Low,
former ma yor of New York city, as tht
final witness at the present hearing,
The federal commissions on industrial
;elations today planned to hold its
next session in Chicago. where trans
oortation problems viii pe subjected
20 inquiry. The commission yester-
lay heard Andrew Carnegie and John
,. Rockefeller, two of the richest
men in the world, defend the philan-
'hropic foundations endowed by them.
ma neither was of the opinion that the
institutions bearing their names con-
Mtuted a menace TO the people.
Andrew Carnegie testified before the
ederal industrial relations commits
non that up 10 the close OF 1914 his
donations totaIled 1924, 657, 399.
The work still goes bravely on"
aid the iron master.
7 am, indeed, n most fortunate MAJ
md think of myself in nothing else so
lappy as in a soul remembering my
lear friends, to whom [ owe so much"
After Mr.. Carnegie had settled him
ell IN The witness chair and prepared
% read his statement. which he had
prepared in advance, he was asked
what his business was.
Mr.. Carnegie's Aim.
My business" he replied, lis to do
III the good in the world tha | can
His statement was, in part. as fol-
owS:
II never bought or sold shares on
he exchange; all my earnings were
rom manufacturing, If ii were nee
.ssary for me TO return to that calling
should not consider the problem of
abor as at all difficult. On the con
rary, | enjoyed conferences with our
men. We had one rule, come what
nay:
we would never think of running
'ur works with new men. Able, sober.
veil behaved workmen such as ours.
ire not to be picked up on the streets
md we wished no others. We were
Iery particular in regard to drinking.
7lrst offense, men We're excluded 80
lays; second o%ffense, SO days; third
o%ffense. we parted company
Mr., Carnegie said he had had only
one serious disaster with labor"
This was at the time of the riot at
Homestead, Pa. Mr.. Carnegie was
abroad at the time and when he heard
Of it he wanted TO return home, but
mis- partners requested him not to do so.
Some of the men at the works. Mr..
Carnegie saio, "cabled me: Kind
master, tell us what you want us to
do and we will do it for YOU Wages
We're advanced 30 per cent" Mr.. Car
niege said. after that incident. Labor
and capital" he said, will some day
rank as one
John D. on Stand.
When Mr.. Carnegie left the stand.
John ID. Rockefeller, ST., demanded
that he be heard as a witness. Mr..
Rockefeller took the stand and began
reading a statement.
The sole motive underlying the var
ious foundations which l have estab-
lished has been the desire to devote a
portion of my fortune to the service of
my fellow man." he read. The prin-
ciples have been fully set forth in
two chapter from my book Random
"reminiscences which have already
been made a part of the record of your
committee
Mr.. Rockefeller's statement appeared
in question and answer form.
Mr.. Rockefeller was assisted to the
platform and into the witness chair
before beginning his testimony. His
voice was clear and distinct.
Il regard the right to amend or re-
scind the respective charters of the
several foundations which inheres in
the legislative bodies which granted
them as an entirely sufficient guar
antee against serious abuse OF the
funds"
Faith In Democracy.
Furthermore, l nave such confidence
in democracy that believe it can better
be left to the people and their repre-
sentatives to remedy evils when there is
some tangible reason for believing they
are impending rather than to restrict
the power for service in anticipation
of purely hypothetical danger"
A for educational institutions alter
ing their policies or form in order to
get donations from the general edu-
cation board Mr.. Rockefeller said,
he had never heard of anything of that
kind
A to our foundation he said. st
don't think such things nave ever
haDDeneu. AS to others do NOT
| know"
Regarding the responsibility of stock
holders and directors for labor condi--
ions he said:
sponsible for the choice of the best men
as directors; the directors are ulti-
mately responsible for the general con-
duct of the business and in discharginy
that responsibility it is their duty to
select the best men to actually admin
lister it. These administrative officers
must have discretion and power COM
mensurate with their responsibility A
large stockholders ordinarily would
have more Influence with a board OF
directors than a smaller one. and con-
s~equently. would have a greater re-
sponsibility.
John D. Takes Fee.
1t was learned today that after John
d. Rockefeller left the witness stand
yesterday he was handed by ths
sergeant at arms a check for So. of
which 81 was witness fee and So was
mileage from Pocantico Hills. Mr.
Rockefeller signed a receipt in a
sprawling, shally hand.
Mr.. Carnegie was so busy with
photographers after he left the stand
that he forgot his check for 81. II
will be mailed to him today.
The first witness today was Freder-
lex A. Cleveland, director of the R,-
reach of Municipal Research.
KAISER TO POLAND.
London. Feb. 6.-An official an
aouneement received here today from