The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1928-04-06


NDENT.
"Your editorial. This is Demo
cratic Year. published in The lnde-
pendent last week is one, of the
worst things you have ever written"
Mr.. Knapp told W. o. Saunders.
"You ought TO get that editorial out,
read 1t over again and then admit
that you don't believe half Of 1t. II
I had written an editorial like that
l would, ,be ashamed Of 1t the rest
of my life. ~H5 ,ae
IF this Is to be Democratic
year, then God help you and all the
rest of us" continued Joseph p.
Knapp. IF your friend Al Smith IL
nominated and elected all business
will slow up from the day Of cleo
ti0n until March 4. 1929, waiting to
see what is going to happen. No
one knows what a change to a Demo
cratic administration will bring
about :. business hesitatas when In
doubt; hesitation isn't good for busi-
ness II
Return Cal Coolidge aud every
body will know what will happen;
everybody will know that things will
run on just the same and everybody
can keep busy. The election OF
Hoover would mean the same thing"
Asked If he did not believe that
AL Smith would bring as much In
tellect and more business aciimen to
the presidency as either Coolidge
or Hoover. Mr.. Knapp replied: "I
do not underestimate the ability, the
honesty or the sagacity Of AL Smith:
but l have no faith In your Demo-
cratic party; the Democratic party
has never made anything but =
Bread Line; its history Is a record
Of business depressions and eco
nomic disorders !l.g..eFs
GIie lndependsait prints A.
Knapp's views but the editor is ncs
persuaded to retract a single line OF
the editorial which Mr.. Knapp com
plains OF.
Joseph p. Knapp, owner Of
Mackay Island, Currituck County
and resident Of North Carolina by
choice Is member Of that privileg.
ed class whose profits from big busi-
ness run into billions yearly. Mr..
Knapp has big enterprises in New
York. New Jersey, Ohio and else
where. He is principal OWNER Of the
iAmericai photographic CO.. prin-
cipal ,ewirer'of the crowell Publish;
ing co. and Z. F. Collier & Son Go. |;
chairman of the board of the Metro.
politan Life Insurance Co: part
owner and director In many another
great enterprise as well.
Mr.. Knapp Is one Of those great
| American business minds whose
genius for organization, production
and saleSmanship have made Amer
lea the greatest country on, earth.
Mr.. Knapp just can't think of any
one else but his class being capabio
OF running this country. He may
he right about 1t at that.
And If all big business executives
were as honest. as liberal and fair
minded in their public relations as
! j. p. Knapp. there wouldn't be much
quarrel with a Republicans party
that respectfully does their bidding
and orders all government activities
! to function in their behalf. The
father of j. =. Knapp was the late
Joseph Fairchild Knapp. whose
genius built the Metropolitan Life
Insurance Go. from humble begin
nings to It's pre-eminent place In the
financial world. When Joseph
FairchiId Knapp died he left a gold
mine to his son J. Z. Knapp. In his
interest I'm the Metropolitan Life.
And Joseph r. Knapp didn't do a
thing but mutualize the MetrOpOli-
tan I'm the interest Of It's millions Of
~ Iicy holders. This one act Of j. T..
Knapp has been called the most
altruistic thing ever done by q con.
temporary American.
Mr.. Knapp has thousands Of men
| and women OH the pay rolls of his
great corporations; he has planned
wisely to make his employees share
holders In the profits Of his enter
prises. 1t is known that he takes
comparatively little of the profits
of his businesses for his personal
use. And out Of his personal funds
he gives millions to help other peo-
pie help themselves. He has given
a half million dollars, according to
some estimates, to Currituck County
alone; 100000 Of which Is repre-
sented in the finest rural county
school system in North Carolina. !
He found Currituck County k5s.
| trate in the mud, picked it up, put it
on its feet, washed its face and gave
it a new vision and a new life. A
lot Of us would much rather leave
the running of America to Republi-
can puppets directed by men like
fContinued or paee T--al