Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1924-07-23
THE SURRY PHILOSOPHER.
Says Henry Ford Gets No More Out
of Life Than Does He.

(By A. T. Milliken)
The other day l visited the new
summer home of the Fords, now I'M
der construction at Seal Harbor 1t
is being built on a hill several hun
dred feet above the ocean. The
building is of stone, and is in per-
feet harmony with the natural sur
roundings
AS we stood there gazing out on
the solemn, restless sea, the count
less small islands, the awe-inspiring
mountains, and the marvellous beauty
that nature has lavished upon this
spot, | thought of the owner the
builder of this magnificent home. |
thought of the older Ford, the great
business genius of to-day Then |
thought of the tremendous power of
, wealth, of the responsibility of di-
recting his immense business, of his
responsibility to society.
Then [ asked, Does Ford get out
of life any more than / any more
than common woodchopper?"
doubt if he does. The air | breathe
is as pure as the air he breathes;
the food l eat is as good as what he
eats; | can get out of nature all
that Ford can get; he can read no
better books than |. For few cents
postage, | can have the best books
printed - books that contain the
best thought Of the greatest minds of
all ages His wardrobe may be
larger than mine, probably is, but I'm
satisfied with mine. These clothes
suit me, even if they don't fit.
l., i,
| haven't any, yet | ride hundreds of
miles and never pay cent for gaso-
line-not a cent. There is nothing
like having friends-friends who
have automobiles.
1t may be that when Ford dies.
he will have a larger attendance at
his funeral than | shall have at
mine, but l doubt, though, if he has
more real mOurners than sincere
mourners 1t isn't the quantity that
| care for, it's the quality | have
seen sad-faced men as mourners
who were actually hired to perform
the duties of this solemn custom In
England there are professional
mourners. When some one dies who
hasn't any mourners (perhaps he's
|
hire these professionals to do the
mourning-the weeping,
Some high churchman, some
bishop, perhaps, will preach Ford S
funeral sermon; some obscure village
elder will preach mine. But I'm
not enyious; no, | never have heard
but one true funeral sermon
preached l have heard ministers
gid with words the reputation Of
dead scoundrels. Every man breaches
his own funeral sermon, erects his
own monument. All the professional
sophistry in the world cannot change
in the mind of neighbors that feel
ing of. either love or hatred for the
dead.
Henry Ford, perhaps unconscious
ly, is the pioneer in great in
dustrial and social movement
movement for the lettering of the
conditions of the working people.
Both Henry Ford and son are COM
mon, simple, everyday humans.
Wealth or power turns the heads of
most men, especially if they have
come up from poverty. This is not
So with Ford Strange as it seems,
most of the men who come UP from
poverty are the enemies of the labor
ing class.
Roosevelt, honored as few men
have been honored, remained to the
day of his death, the same simple,
democratic child-like man. Roosevelt
knew human nature - knew people.
He knew that honest men and women
were the highest. He knew that all
the titles you, could add made them
no better. He knew that wealth
doesn't stand for character; that the
educated were morally no better than
the ignorant. Roosevelt was the
most marvellous, Nany-sided man of
modern times-the greatest person