Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-02-12
TESTIFY BEFORE COMMISSION
ON INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
NEITHER BELIEVES lNsTI-
TUTloNS A MENACE.
DESIRE TO PROMOTE THE
Welfare OF MANKIND
Steel Magnate Reveals That Donations
Total $324,657,5se and Declares
His Business ls to Do All
the Good He Can in
This World.

New York, Feb. 8.-John D. Rookie
Teller, ST., and Andrew Carnegie have
testified before the Federal commits
sion on industrial relations. They de.
Tended the foundations which they
have endowed with their wealth and
neither would say he believed the in.
stitutions constituted a menace to the
religious, political or educational lib.
erty of the people of the United States.
A desire to promote the welfare of
mankind and that alone, they said,
prompted them to establish the founda.
tions which bear their names.
Widely different was the manner in
which these two men faced the com.
mission and the audience, composed
largely of representatives of labor, So
cialists. individualists and members of
the Industrial Workers of the World.
Mr.. Carnegie went to the witness stand
from seat in the audience.
Mr.. Carnegie enjoyed that. When
he left the stand he said he had not
spent such q. pleasant afternoon in
many years.
Gifts Total $s24,657,5es.
In his testimony Mr.. Carnegie re-
vealed that up to the close of last year
his donations totalled $324,657,599. His
present business, he said, was to do all
the good he could in this world. He
sketched the growth of his steel bust
ness and said che never had such a
good time in his life" as when he was
talking to his employees. The men liked
him too. when they call you Andy
instead Of Andrew or Mr.. Carnegie,
you know the boys are your friends"
said he.
Mr.. Carnegie referred to an article
which he published in 1888, in which
he expressed the opinion that 1.-The man
who dies thus rich, dies disgraced."
In this article Mr.. Carnegie wrote that
the day was not far distant when the
man who died leaving behind him
millions Of available wealth, which
were free for him to administer during
life, would pass away ''unwept, union
ored and unsung," no matter to what
use he might leave his fortune.
true 0o6PeI OF wealth..
Such. in my opinion" Mr.. Carnegie
said. lis the true gospel concerning
wealth, obedience to which is destined
some day to solve the problem of the
rich and the poor and to bring peace
on earth, among men good will"
Since the Carnegie pension fund
was founded by himself and the
United States Steel corporation, re-
tired employees of the corporation have
received in pensions $1,575,O21, Mr..
Carnegie testified. Last year the total
disbursements from the fund amount
ed to $511, 1867. There were 1881 bene-
ficiaries.
"The hero fund, which l was privi-
legged to found" Mr.. Carnegie con.
tinued, "has always interested me
most deeply, perhaps because the idea
came to me through personal expert
ence. I could not rest until had
founded hero funds with a carital of
100000.
Rockefeller Testifies.
Mr.. Rockefeller was assisted to the
witness stand by members of his per.
sonal staff.
Seating himself with much difficulty
he started to read his answers but his
voice was scarcely audible.
Mr.. Rockefeller appeared to have
aged considerably since he last gave
testimony in public. He spoke very
slowly and calmly. He declared that
his sole motive was to devote a nor.
ton of his fortune to the services of
his fellow men. He said he regarded
the right to rescind the charters Of
the foundations as sufficient guaran.
tee against abuse Of the funds. He
told about his meeting with J. +. Wei.
born, president of the Colorado Fuel
and Iron company, and w. L. Macken.
zie King at time when there was
labor trouble in Colorado.
He told how he directed his business
enterprises and the part he played in
the administration Of the foundations.
He said he would accord all men the
right to organize, workingmen and
business men as well, providing they
kept within the proper limitations with
respect to the law and the safeguard.
Ing the general interests of the public.
Mr.. Rockefeller said he would be-
happy to surrender his holdings either
in whole or in part and let the work.
ers have a voice in the board Of di.
rectors just as we'll as all other stock.
holders do. thus giving them Of the
profits of their labor. He would be-
very happy. he said, to see the workers
be his partners in business.
AS for the $100.000,000 he had given
to the Rockefeller Foundation revert.
ing to himself or his heirs in the event
Of the legislature resembling the char.
ter Of the foundation, Mr.. Rockefeller
said he Had never allowed himself to
worry about that's