The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923, April 07, 1905, Page 6, Image 6
-! pt$r&W'9mtrr" Tllie Commoner. - ' VOLUME 5, NUMBER j 6 T TT ;wl'i rwyaw im ' - - m -i "i, 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 WS3PJ3fSCZISX