The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-25
ITO DO GOOD IN r
Carnegie Told Industrial Board Of
HIS Wealth Distribution.

Andrew Carnegie in the years OF his
statement to the Federal Commission
on Industrial Relations, given 1884,
657.S99 { educational and philanthropy
icxl causes He has studded the coun-
try with free libraries. a pensioned
college professors n Is the pillar Of
q multitude Of charitable organizations
everywhere. His business. he told the
commission last February. when he and
John ID. Rockefeller were on the wit
ness stand. is to do as much good in
the world az I can"
His one requirement OF AN applicant
for help. no also declared at the time.
liz that the applicant must be willing
to help himself. II don't care a hg
what he thinks about a future world"
he said, III he is clean and wants to
better himself"
Mr.. Carnegie has a public record that
few wealthy men can approach. His
beginning as IA steel manufacturer he
told to the commission at that time In
the following words:
we began manufacturing with n cap
ital of $1,000. My share borrowed
from a bank in Pittsburg. When super
~intendent of the Pennsylvania Railroad
! had seen a wooden bridge burn. block
ading traffic for eight days. and ! be-
lieved In iron bridges the day OF steel
had not yet arrived. From his small
beginning grew the Edgar Thompson
Steel Works. Homestead Works. Du-
quesne Works. the blast furnaces and
locomotive works at Allegheny. our gas
wells in West Virginia and the great
ore fields We bought from Mr.. Rookie
Teller.
ut Is fourteen years since I retired
from business In pursuance of my de-
cisiOn to cease accumulation and begin
distribution OF surplus wealth. in which
l am still engaged"
Mr.. Carnegie announced his doctrine
for the use Of his wealth as far back
As 1888. when he published an article In
the North American Review. which was
later c~hristened THE Gospel Of Wealth.
by Mr.. Gladstone in the Nineteenth
Century MaOdsine.
Thus In the problem OF rich and poor
to be solved" he said. The laws of
accumulation will be left free the la "
OF distribution free. Individualism will
continue. but the millionaire will be but
a trustee for the poor, entrusted for a
season with a great part of the increased
wealth of the community. but admins
tering II for the community far better
than it could or would have done for
itself.
''The best mind will then have
reached a stage In the development of
the race In which 1t IL clearly seen that
there Ia no mode Of %disposing of surplus
wealth creditable to thoughtful and ear
nest men into whose hands 1t flows save
by using it year by year for the general
good. This day already dawns. Men
may die without mourning the pity OF
their fellows still sharers in great bust
| ness enterprises from which their capital
cannot be or has not been withdrawn,
and which is left chiefly at death for
public uses.
'Tn accordance with this Doctrine my
first act upon retiring from business was
to give 5000, 900 to the workmen OF
the Carnegie Steel Company as a part
Ing gift. @<.000,060 for pensions to the
men and 81 1000. 900 to maintain the IL
braries and halls I had built for them.
] was greatly pleased when later the
United States Steel Corporation saw ut
to duplicate my gift, adding $4,000, 900
to the fund for pensions"