men
who not only know how to make money, but who accept the great
responsibility of administering it wisely.

A few years ago, on the occasion of the decennial anniversary of the
University of Chicago, I was attending a university dinner, and having
been asked to speak I had jotted down a few notes.

When the time arrived to stand up and face these guests--men of worth
and position--my notes meant nothing to me. As I thought of the latent
power of good that rested with these rich and influential people I was
greatly affected. I threw down my notes and started to plead for my
Benevolent Trust plan.

"You men," I said, "are always looking forward to do something for
good causes. I know how very busy you are. You work in a treadmill
from which you see no escape. I can easily understand that you feel
that it is beyond your present power carefully to study the needs of
humanity, and that you wait to give until you have considered many
things and decided upon some course of action. Now, why not do with
what you can give to others as you do with what you want to keep for
yourself and your children: Put it into a Trust? You would not place a
fortune for your children in the hands of an inexperienced person, no
matter how good he might be. Let us be as careful with the money we
would spend for the benefit of others as if we were laying it aside
for our own family's future use. Directors carry on these affairs in
your behalf. Let us erect a foundation, a Trust, and engage directors
who will make it a life work to manage, with our personal cooeperation,
this business of benevolence properly and effectively. And I beg of
you, attend to it _now_, don't wait."

I confess I felt most strongly on the subject, and I feel so now.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Random Reminiscences of Men and Events
by John D. Rockefeller

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RANDOM REMINISCENCES OF MEN ***

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