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Tllie Commoner.
- ' VOLUME 5, NUMBER j
6
T TT ;wl'i rwyaw im
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IN tlio midst of tho discussion concerning the
propriety of the protest made by the Con
gregational ministers against the use of John
D. Rockefeller's $100,000 for foreign missions,
comes tho announcement that Mr. Rockefeller
lias concluded to provide for the University 'of
Chicago a $50,000,000 endowment. Newspaper
dispatches say that the faculty of the University
recently received a letter from Mr. Rockefeller
in which, after referring to President Harper's
illness, tho assurance is given that Mr. Rocke
feller will increase the university's indebtedness
to him by an additional endowment of $50,000,000.
It is explained that Mr. Rockefeller considers that
this sum "will make it possible to complete his
scheme for a gigantic educational institution."
VARIOUS comments have been made with re
spect to the protest made by the Boston
clergymen against the Rockefeller contribution to
foreign missions. Rev. J. W. Frizzell, pastor of
tho First Congregational church at Sioux City, is
represented as saying: "If tho devil himself
should give mo $1,000,000 to use in the Lord's
business, I'd take it and use it." The Sioux City
Journal says that Mr. Frizzell explains that he did
not mean to draw a simile between Mr. Rocke
feller and the devil, but Dr. Frizzell said: "It
doesn't seem to mo to be part of a minister's duty
to run down tho source of every dollar which
comes Into his hands. If that sort of police work
were to be undertaken by the clergy I am afraid
there would be no end to it. I certainly do not
presume to determine the origin of every dollar
of my salary as pastor. Let the board of missions
take Rockefeller's $100,000 and make the best use
of it."
ANOTHER Sioux City minister, Rev. John S.
Watts, pastor of the First Baptist church,
Bald: "I do not agree at all with the stand these
eastern ministers have taken against the Rocke
feller donation. As I understand it, the Congre
gational board of missions asked Mr. Rockefeller
for this money over which the trouble has arisen.
I don't think it is necessary for the church to re
quire absoluto proof of the cleanliness of every
dollar it gets. And I don't know the $100,000
which Mr. Rockefeller proposed to donate to the
Congregational missions is in any way stained.
Isn't it better that the $100,000 should go into
Christian missionary work than into luxuries for
Mr. Rockefeller?"
ON questions of this character, as indeed upon
all other public questions, the New Yorlc
Sun says something of interest. In an editorial
entitled: "The money of the trust magnate"
the Sun says: "If the head of a university, or a
charity board, or a church society, has reason to
bellovo that the money of an offered gift was the
loot of a bank or stolen from the widow or or
phan, that university president, or that board or
society, has two duties to perform; first, to decline
tho money; second, to set the officers of justice
on the track of the thief. But how can the money
which a man of largo fortune offers to give awav
for the public good be regarded in the same light
f It was acquired in the way of business, though
it bo tho money of an unpopular 'trust magnate?'
Jiut it is tainted, cry some emotional persons
carried away by the agitation against the trusts
and the railroads. A year ago there was not
a university, or a charity board, or a church so
ciety that would not have accepted tho monev of
SVnr8tifmT!te in Hle country and said 'thank
j ou for it. But now there is an increasing num
ber of people, chiefly connected with the church
who say the mon6y of one such man is unclean
Thovhimn ??ChQa WiUl0Ut taminatio
They call him a highwayman, a robber, an enemy
of the Republic, and a criminal and all sorts of
shocking names. Now, if these excellent persons
can prove what they saythen his money is indeed
tainted and t should be refused; and they outfit
In hlsTac " """ S WeU as throw 5 check
THE SUN expresses the opinion that these
clergymen will "do nothing but ! S ?
K wi the money and Van theonor "
The Sup adds: "Such moralists always sa?
actly what may be expected of themey do not
blaze the way for opinion but when opinion is
once developed and makes a noise in the land
they join in the uproar with unction. What better
use can money sordidly acquired be put to than
the education of youth, the relief of distress, or
the redemption of the vicious and the benighted?
If it is counterfeit, of course it can't be used for
such purposes. But when it is tainted? This as
Dr. Parkhurst says, is a delicate question and he
suggests that we don't know how the widow got
her two mites. This reflection ought to trouble
the good men who don't want the bad trust mag
nate's money. Would they be willing to accept
it if he could show that he made it by selling
Adirondack lands at an advance? But how could
it be distinguished in his bank deposit from money
which they suspect is tainted? There's the rub!
If this cry about tainted money is to spread, a
great many beneficient institutions will have to
go into the receiver's hands. What about the man
who according to report, has sold adulterated
goods, or the dealer whose coal was slaty and
short in measure or the money lender whose
methods were usurious is their money to be
refused as tainted? Where is the taint to begin
and where to end?"
BUT Dr. Washington Gladden of Columbus,
Ohio, moderator of the national council of
Congregational churches, has an opinion of his
own. The Columbus correspondent for the Chi
cago Record Herald, under date of March 26, says
that Dr. Gladden delivered a sermon on the sub
ject: "The religion of a gentleman," in which he
said: "The money prof erred to our board of mis
sions comes out of a collateral estate whose foun
dations were laid in the most relentless rapacity
known to modern commercial history. The suc
cess of this business from the beginning until now
has been largely due to .unlawful and outrageous
manipulations of railway rates. The whole coun
try is now up in arms against this species of rob
bery. It has a right to be. It has been a long timo
waking up to this enormity. It is in this cause far
more than to any other that the monopolies which
have been grinding the life out of American indus
tries owe their power. The United States govern
ment is now engaged in a strenuous attempt to
ferret out and punish this injustice. And the peo
ple of the United States have a tremendous battle
on their hands with the corporate greed which has
ntrenched itself in this stronghold and has
learned to use the railways for the opression and
spoliation of the people."
T N the sermon referred to, Dr. Gladden did not
1 mince words. He deliberately charged John
D Rockefeller with being "the great organizer
of this system of plunder," saying: "The man from
!mmU,r mIssiona7 sciety proposes to accept
the gift is the great organizer of this system of
Plunder His fortune was built on this foundation
He has taught the other plunderers most of what
they know about these methods. He represents
more perfectly than any one else the system of
brigandage by which our commerce has been rav
aged for many years. This system must Seal
tacked and overthrown if we want to save free
government. In every such battle for freedom
have rSMS liCnenSirnonwal onT
of this battle they arl asked toVcS tfVS
money from the man who more completely than
hinfV&
mouths or become his apologists w,,i! thelr
this man's money. To St iV 3u n.0t Want
the contempt of milions o fhLL hQ work
it will strengthen otScnUrKSinraie M
and respect of millions 71,, affection
whether the MeWood more U aUbt
by our 1 Wto .EeeMS
have, according to the Washing . " rallroad
for the Chicago RecorMleraif0Lcrrf r""VUmt
and the case win soon tateCM
This correspondent, under date of Washlnefn
Mnrnh 26. fin.vs! "Thr rrnvpvnmnnt ini lon
the United States grand jury at Albuquerque N
M., evidence .collected by the interstate cornmer
commission. If the grand jury returns an indict .
ment the government will begin the prosecution
of the case as soon as it can get a day in court
This prosecution may include toe Colorado Fuel
and Iron company and the El Paso and Southwest
ern railroad. The law provides for the punish.
ment of not only the corporations which grant
rebates but also those which receive them. The
action by the government grew out of a complaint
made by the Caledonian Coal company of Gallup
N. M., which declared it was forced to retire from
business by the action of the Santa Fe railroad
In granting illegal rebates to competitors." It will
be remembered that Paul Morton, now secretary
of the navy, figured conspicuously in these rebates,
while serving as vice president of the Santa Fe
railroad.
THERE is just now widespread interest dis
played in all practical experiments in muni
cipal ownership. The Dubuque, Iowa, Telegraph
says: "Webster City, Iowa, owns and operates
its own electric lighting station, pumping station,
power plant and heating plant. The receipts last
year from water rentals were $4,796.68; from elec
tric light service, $11,941.76; Irrm the municipal
scales, $$971.21; from heating charges, $5,767.67;
rents of offices in the city hall bring the total re
ceipts from municipal enterprises up to $26,226.28.
The net receipts from the public utilities were 20
per cent larger than the city's apportionment of
taxes. Every one of the enterprises is yielding
large returns, though the rates for service are
lower than charged by private corporations else
where operating public utilities- How successful
is municipal ownership may be judged from the
fact that the council last September reduced the
tax levy by seven mills."
VICE PRESIDENT FAIRBANKS recently de
livered an address whteh no less an author
ity than the New Yorlc Sun declares to be "sound
and kind, serious, thoughtful and without a flaw."
The Sun says that Mr. Fairbanks' speech may very
properly be Called "safe and aane," that "nobody
can find just fault with it," and that "it is full of
sentiments that will receive a unanimous vote in
all virtuous and patriotic assemblages." For in
stance Mr. Fairbanks bravely declared: "Wo
gladly acknowledge one country and the supre
macy of one flag. Our laws must be Inspired by a
sense of justice. Political parties are essential
in popular government. They should stand for
those measures which are wholesome. We face
questions of great pith and moment. Let us ban
ish bigotry. Lift American politics to a high
plane. Let us wish for all our fellow citizens no
matter where they reside the fullest possible meas
ure of blessings."
COMMENTING upon these courageous utter
ances, the Indianapolis Sentinel says:
"Those who feared that Mr. Fairbanks' impulsive
and imaginative temperament might lead him into
hasty utterances now see their mistake. He is
conservative yet not unduly conservative. He is
progressive, yet with a due regard for the old land
marks." HENRY LOOMIS NELSON ventures the predic
tion that no rate making bill will ever come
to a vote on the senate floor. Mr. Nelson says:
"The question may be discussed or even voted
upon in committee, but it is doubtful if i WH
granting such power to the government will bo
reported to the senate." Mr. Nelson gives an in
teresting description of the embarrassments whlcn
Mr. Roosevelt must encounter in this way: "Those
senators who have the most influence on the re
publican side are opposed to the suggestion vhicn
was made by the president in his message. It 13
said in Washington by those who are more or less
familiar with the operation of the president's ralna
that ho himself is not so much enamored of tne
idea as he was at the beginning of December. H3
mind then had. been made up after consultation
with the school of emotional economists whom no
usually consults during tbe recesses of tho sen;
ate. When the" senate, came baciMt' was greatly
JM
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