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The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917, June 11, 1914, NOON EDITION, Image 5

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Persistent link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045487/1914-06-11/ed-1/seq-5/

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LETTER TO EDITOR
GARY'S $50,000 GIFT
Editor Day Book: The gift of Mr.
Gary, the chairman of the board of
directors of the American Steel Cor
poration, of which he was the origin
al promoter, to the local Catholic dio
cese, for use in extending church
work in the town of Gary, named
after the giver, who, in turn, will re
ceive a gold medal by order of Pope
Pius in recognition for his "gener
osity," presents some interesting
phases. The writer has on several
occasions been the guest of Judge
Gary in New York, and knows him to
be a liberal a free thinker, in fact
wiUi no belief in the efficacy of the
ology as a moral system, and yet he
makes a large gift to the Roman
Catholic Church of the town named
in his honor.
Why is this? It becomes perfectly
clear when viewed in the h'ght of the
following story:
Two brothers, both atheists, in
1902 invested $100,000 in a 10,000
acre ranch in the State of Morelos,
Mexico. According to representations
this ranch, scientifically run, accord
ing to the Spanish system, would
yield $100,000 net per annum in re
turns to the owners. A well-recommended
gerente (Mexican manager)
was secured, and plans for improving
the buildings, etc., set in motion to
make the investment as profitable as
possible. The suggestions presented
by the new gerente embodied an im
proved priest's house and chapel, and
a salaried priest then connected with
another very successful ranch. The
brothers, being atheists, demurred.
"No," they said, "cut out all that re
ligious stuff."
The gerente jumped to his feel.
"As you please, gentlemen. With the
priest you will clear $100,000 the first
year without the priest to keep the
labor satisfied to work from sunrise
to sunset for 6 cents per day you will
make not one cent."
"Oh," said the atheists, "the re
ligious element is to keep the 200
families in shape for. working pur
poses?" "Yes," replied the gerente, "the
priest will teach every one of them to
thank God every night that they have
such kind employers who grant them
6 cents each day for their comestables
(tortillas and frizoles), though they
will teach none of them to read or
write, and will not take the trouble to
marry any of the couples for work
ing purposes it is better so!"
"All right," said the brothers,
"bring on the priest!"
The gerente's returns at the year's
end fully justified the expense.
The story is valuable, not only as
showing what business men of any
creed or no creed will do to keep their
employes in shape for working pur
poses, but it illustrates that there is
no positive dividing line between the
uses to which theology is put in this
country and in Mexico, the difference
being one of degree only.
Parker H. Sercombe.
AN OBLIGATION
"I am going to Europe next
month."
"But you have been there so often,
and the trip is so expensive."
"I Tmow. But if I dou't go this
year people will think I can't afford
it,"

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