The sun., 1919-09-01


Statesmen In Mr.. Carncgie's VIII.
When ANDREW CARNEGIE signed his
will on February 10, 1912, WILLIAM
ii. TAFT was President of the United
States and LLOYD GEORGE was Chan
cellor of the British Exchequer, hold
ing an office in which he used to make
cold chills run down the spines Of the
Tories. Mr.. CARNEGIE bequeathed to
each of these statesmen an annuity of
$4,000. Mr.. TAFT's was subsequently
transferred to the Presidential annuity
fund of the Carnegie New York Cor
poration, which was to pay $4,000 a
year to every living ex-President Of
the United States. No qualification
was made in the bequest to LLOYD
GEORGE, and England is now wonder
Ing whether he will accept 1t.
Mr.. OARNEGIE's bequest to Mr.. TAFT
and the annuities he left for the
widows of ex-Presidents of this coun-
try were his practical and thoughtful
answer to the perennially agitated
question, "What shall we DO with
our ex-Presidentsp The establish
ment of the Presidential annuity fund
| recorded his decision on the general
subject. The nation makes no provi-
sion for ex-Presidents. The Presidents
salary, reckoned against the calls made
on his purse, is insufficient to enable
him to set aside a competence during
his term of Office. Although ex-
Presidents have found means to pro-
vide for themselves without impair
ing their dignity, many persons be-
lieve man who has been Chief
Executive should be relieved of ma
terial cares when he leaves the White
House. Mr.. CARNEGIE was one of
these persons, and he proceeded to put
his belief into practical effect.
Great Britain rewards her public
servants more literally than the
United States does those who hold
Office under its authority. Mr.. LLOYD
GEORGE receives $4,000 annually as
First Lord of the Treasury. He is not
rich, perhaps even not well to do.
Whether he will accept the Carnegie
annuity is a question which he can
decide without giving thought to one
thing which might require attention
under different circumstances. 1t is
plain that Mr.. CARNEGIE had no ul-
terror motive of any kind in preparing
these requests. He did not seek by
them to influence the public conduct
of the men to whom they were made.
LLOYD GEORGE of 1919 Is not politi-
cally the LLOYD GEORGE Of 1912; Mr..
TAFT too has changed in seven years.
1t will be noticed that Mr.. CARNEGIE
left annuities to a greater number
OF men in public life in England than
in the United States. In this country
Mr.. TAFT is the only conspicuous ex-
ample of this class. In England the
beneiciaries include JOHN MORLEY,
JOHN BURNS, the labor leader and
of the Local Government Board, with
salary of $4,000; THOMAS BURT,
NJ. p, who at a miners picnic de-
Tended. Mr.. CARNEGIE as a fair en-
ployer of labor after kerr HARDIE
had made a vigorous attack on him,
. and others. LLOYD GEORGE, BURNS
and BURT fought their way up from
poverty, just as Mr.. CARNEGIE did.
In Its general provisions Mr.. CAR
NEGIE's will accurately reflected the
opinions he often proclaimed. His
desire to help humanity to better
things was abundantly proved in his
lifetime. In his will he followed the
same impulse. The purity of his
motives is as far beyond question as
the amlabllity of his designs.
There is no reason In public pol
icy why all the beneficiaries under
Mr.. CARNEGIE's will should not accept
his gifts. Each will decide what
course to follow according to his
personal taste. JOHN BURNs's action
, will be closely watched; he has fire.
, quently said no man has right to
more than $4,000 n year, and Mr.
CARNEGIE left double that amount to
. him. But Mr.. BURNS fixed on $500
year before the high cost of living
cut the dollar to fifty cents, and SO
as an economist he can take the cash
without a blush for inconsistency.