Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-02
PRESIDENT ON WAY
BACK TO CAPITAL
Speaks at Bird Sanctuary
Dedication on Growing
. + Art Appreciation.
Continued From First Page.)

we have crowded into the short space
of 800 years. It is only in the last gen.
Grafton that the great body Of our peo-
pie have been sufficiently relieved from
the pressing necessities of existence sc
that they could give some thought to
the art of living.
''It is significant of our institutions
and of the spirit Of our national life
that in the opening up of the new era
we have attempted to give to the peo-
pie at large what in other days had
been enjoyed only by a fortunate and
privileged few. This effort began with
popular education. The free public
school, the endowed academy and coll
lege, the high school, and the state
university were the beginnings of this
movement. They have more recently
been supplemented by public art gal
leries, popular concerts for the presen-
tation of the best music, and the OPEN
ing of innumerable public parks. The
useful and the practical is being sup
plemented by the artistic and the beau
tiful.
Vast Sums Given.
This has been done in no small and
niggardly way, but on vast scale rep
resenting an outlay of many hundred
millions Of dollars.
Many people have given large sums
to these purposes, and municipal, State
and national resources have been en-
ployed in ever-increasing amounts.
1T would be a mistake to suppose
that the organization of the material
side of existence has been completed.
1t is more likely that it has only just
begun. But 1t has progressed far enough
so that moderate amount of industry
and thrift is all that is needed to relieve
the great mass of our people from the
pinch of poverty. and when these are
supplemented with such training and
skill as 1t is possible for almost any one
to acquire. to raise them to a position
Of comparative affluence. Above this
line there are an increasing number
of individuals who have sufficient re-
sources to enable them to minister in
most substantial way to the human
itarian and artistic side of life. Some
of the largest fortunes which were ever
accumulated in the United States have
been almost entirely devoted to such
charities.
I'VE cannot observe this movement
without smiling little at those who
but short time ago expressed so much
fear lest our country might come under
the control of few individuals of
great wealth. They claimed that the
rich were growing richer and the poor
were growing poorer. Our experience
has demonstrated that the reverse of
this would be much nearer the truth.
So many of our people have large
amounts of property that 1t has taken
on the aspect of being common. The
distinction that 1t once carried is gone
1t is also doubtful if there ever was a
time when even great wealth gave Its
posseSSorS so little power as at present.
Their money is of very little value in
determining political action. Capital is
so easily secured for any promising en-
terprise that it is no longer necessary
to be rich to go into business, even on
an extensive scale. The possession of
money has never been sufficient to gain
the social attentions of persons of cul-
ture and refinement
"On the other hand, the advantages
that are enjoyed by people of moderate
means, including the great mass of
wage earners, were never so great as
they are at present Not only is their
income. proportionately greater than
ever before, but their whole method of
life. their opportunities to. secure bene-
1its which but a short time ago were
the exclusive possession of the rich,
have been tremendously increased. I
have already referred to the broaden