South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-02-03
THE OCEAN OF WEALTH.

Young John D. Rockefener's recent remark thai
he wishes ne might have been born poor as his
father that ne might have the pleasure of
making his money instead of inheriting it. or Of
making out of it. is revivng the old agita-
ton first introduced by Andrew Carnegie as 10
whether it is disgrace to die rich" Young
Rockefeller would have It appear disgrace to be
born rich. \ lot Of people who because Unaffected
viii agree with both however would be glad to have
the riches OF which they complained,-but that is
not the question.
Young Rockefeller. after few generations, bids
fair I'm perfectly natural course of events TO have
The disgrace OF which re complains. only in his
own case but in practically all of them. duly elm
mated. From shirt-seeves to shirt-seeves seldom e
cesds three generations Wealth, like water. flows
back TO its The may be long and
devious, but it always arrives.
In the case OF Russell Sage the process is par
tcularly interesting That hard-hsted old banker
skrnped and saved. and never let "a dollar slip
through his fingers in careessness or charity Then
he died His widow proceeded to dispense his for
une svishly for philanthropic purposes Now she
is dead. and her will shows that nearly all os
he remaining s5Soeo.oOo is to be distributed among
scores Of religious. charitable and educational in
stitutions Thus 1t flows back to the people, the
ocean Of life and labor whence it came in the first
place.
carnegie accumulated several hundred millions
and was feared and hated Observation-Disclosures
sound reason. the sequel showed. Wisely realiz-
ing any mans inability enjoy or even hold to-
gether so vast fortune, and regarding himself as
merely sort OF fiscal agent OF Providence he pro
ceeded to distribute the money in his lifetime He
built Libraries everywhere, and gave royal sums %
many forms OF philanthropy. dying with but a few
billion or so has already pass
ed into the economic and intellectual crculatory
system OF the nation.
likewise with Mr. Rockefeller. far greater than
Carnegie in ability and success at the game of ae-
oumuIation He has probably given away already
more than Carnegie ever had. He may have liqui-
dated a billion this manner by the time of his
death. Tie may still leave half a billion or more TO
John r.. jr-, who viii continue the process Sooner
or later. The RockefeHers viii possess little more
than other people
Il viii bee the same with Henry Fords money. re-
gardless OF his desire II he tries hang onto
all he has made and may make hereafter. Wall
may get IL. and him. lie KEEPS
H. and leaves billion at his deaeth taxes ard
multiplying heirs and charity and foolishness viii
DO what he sought To avoid.
Il seems 10 rain money on some men. Fortune
sends them o cloudburst. or steady lonE-con-
tlnued doyynpour They gather il in great reservoir
on the mountain TOP Of milionairedom. but the
reservoir always leaks or overaows or breaks. and
she contents md their way down to the sea-leveI
where dVells the average man. with his SIS cash
in his pocket and perhaps q few hundred in the
bank
This Is the hopeful thing about great wealth.
A=a the remedy for the bitterness Of class