USA > Pennsylvania > Encyclopedia of contemporary biography of Pennsylvania, Vol. I > Part 66
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pist in the country has sent forth such numerous, varied, unique and stupendous charities as Mr. Childs. The worthy never appeal to him entirely in vain. Quietly, and unknown to anyone but him- self and his cashier, thousands of benefactions have reached not only his work people, but the widow, the orphan, the needy author, and all of those who have fallen by the wayside in the march of life. His newsboy banquets, his excursions for whole schools or the inmates of large institutions have been so common as to excite but little comment. His splendid support of the Centennial Exposition and innumerable other public enterprises is well known. The fountain head of his generosity and beneficence is seemingly inexhaustible. Only within the past few years, with his friend Anthony J. Drexel, of Philadelphia, was begun a project in which more than half a million of dollars has already been spent, for the comfort and well-being of his fellow-citizens. This was the building up of the town of Wayne, a model suburban village upon the western main line of the Pennsylvania R. R. a dozen miles from Philadelphia. This enterprise was undertaken without any idea of speculative advantage, but simply for the purpose of furnishing city people of moderate income or salaries with healthful coun- try homes, at the actual cost of providing them. The plan could, of course, only be carried out by organized effort and the employment of large capi- tal. Another phase of Mr. Child's public spirit has been shown in connection with his love of letters, by the establishment of memorials to distinguished authors, especially those "pure wells of English un- defiled," who flourished long ago, but whose works still live. Thus he erected a monument to Leigh Hunt; and had beautiful memorial windows placed in Westminster Abbey to the honor of the poets Her- bert and Cowper. Of the latter, Archdeacon Farrar writes (in an American magazine) :
"There are two other memorials which combine with these to give to this spot in the Abbey the name of 'Little Poets' Corner." They are the stained- glass windows in memory of George Herbert and William Cowper. They belong entirely to America, for they are the gift of an American citizen, my honored friend, Mr. George W. Childs, of Philadel- phia."
Morerecently (February, 1888) he erected a window in memory of Milton, in the Church of St. Margaret, in London, which is the church of the House of Com- mons, and stands almost in the shadow of West- minster. This peculiarly graceful tribute to the memory of the glorious and noble poet who wrote of
"Storied windows richly dight Casting a dim religious light,"-
was accompanied by an inscription from John G.
Whittier, and was unveiled by Archdeacon Farrar, who preached a sermon upon Milton the Sunday following, of which he sent the MS. to Mr. Childs. Stratford-on-Avon has been beautified and the mem- ory of Shakespeare honored by the erection of a noble monument costing fifty thousand dollars and combining a clock tower, beautiful drinking foun- tains, etc., entirely at the expense of our cosmopoli- tan-minded American citizen. The structure is fifty feet in height to the top of the vane, and is con- structed of the most durable materials-Peterhead granite for the base and troughs, and for the super- structure a very hard and durable stone of a delicate gray color, from Bolton Wood, in Yorkshire. In the oblong spaces between the margins of the basins and the opening of the arches are these inscriptions, cut into the stone :
1. The gift of an American citizen, George W. Child's, of Philadelphia, to the town of Shakespeare, in the Jubilee of Queen Victoria.
II. In her days, every man shall eat in safety, Under his own vine, what he plants; and sing The merry songs of peace to all his neighbors : God shall be truly known ; and those about her From her shall read the perfect ways of honor, And by those claim their greatness, not by blood. -Henry VIII., Act V., Scene 4.
III. Honest water, which ne'er left man i' the mire. -Timon of Athens, Act L, Scene 2. IV.
Ten thousand honors and blessings on the bard who has gilded the dull realities of life with innocent illusions.
-Washington Irving's " Stratford-on-Avon."
He has also had a rich stained window placed in the church at Long Branch to the memory of Gen. Grant. This was peculiarly appropriate, for Mr. Childs was undoubtedly the most intimate friend of the soldier and President, and much of their happi- est converse was held while they were, summer after summer, neighbors at the seaside resort. In this connection it may be stated that Mr. Childs' brief, but pointed and clear, reminiscences of Gen. Grant throw lights upon his character which are missing from all the more extended accounts of the hero's life. Gen. Grant was a frequent visitor to Mr. and Mrs. Childs at their Philadelphia home, and their beautiful villa, Wootton, near Bryn Mawr. These two houses have perhaps been the scenes of as notable assemblages as any in America, for hos- pitality of the broadest and most liberal kind has been one of Mr. Child's chief gratifications and means of making his wealth enjoyable to others. Some of these gatherings have gained National re-
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CONTEMPORARY BIOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
nown, and Mr. Child's reputation as an entertainer may fairly be called international. Many of the leading people of the world have been his guests, among whom may be named the Emperor and Em- press of Brazil, the Duke and Duchess of Bucking- ham, the Duke of Sutherland, the Duke of Newcas- tle, Lords Dufferin, Roseberry, Houghton, Ilches- ter, Caithness and Dunraven, Sir Stafford Northcote, Lady Franklin, Dean Stanley, Canon Kingsley, Charles Dickens, Wilkic Collins, J. Anthony Froude, Prof. Tyndall, Prof. Bonamy Price, Goldwin Smith, Admiral Lord Clarence Paget, Sir Philip Cunliffe Owen, Col. Sir Herbert Sandford, Charles Kean, Marquis M. Rochambeau, John Walter, M.P., Sir Charles Reed, Herbert Spencer, Thomas Hughes, M.P., Sir John Rose, Sir Edward Thornton and Robert Chambers, D.C.L. Among the prominent American people who have been familiar guests at his hospitable board are such well known charac- ters as Henry W. Longfellow, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, George Bancroft, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Dr. Elisha K. Kane, Edmund Quincy, Phillips Brooks, Chief Justice Waite, George Peabody, J. S. Morgan, A. J. Drexel, Asa Packer, Generals Grant, Sherman, Meade and Sheridan, the Astors, the Cad- waladers, Prof. Joseph Henry, Hamilton Fish, Rob- ert C. Winthrop, Vice-President Wilson, William M. Evarts, August Belmont, Alexander H. Stephens, S. J. Tilden, Cyrus W. Field, Benson J. Lossing, Charlotte Cushman, Christine Nilsson, Harriet Hos- mer, W. W. Story, Edwards Pierrepont and Dr. S. Austin Allibonc. In the vast array of friends with whom he corresponded were Washington Irving, William H. Prescott, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edward Everett, John P. Kennedy, Thomas H. Benton, William H. Seward, William C. Bryant, Horace Greeley, Thurlow Wced, Peter Cooper, G. P. R. James, Mary Cowden Clarke, George S. Hilliard, Fitz-Greene Halleck, William Gilmore Simms, Jared Sparks, George William Curtis, John Lothrop Motley, John Murray and Dr. Francis Licber. The private library of Mr. Childs at his city residence, aside from the great intrinsic value of its books, is rich beyond price in rarc old manuscripts, letters and autographs of distinguised authors and states- men, and strange wonders of the bookmaker's art. It exhibits at once the publisher's love of books, his catholicity of taste and the wide circle of his ac- quaintance among eminent men. To most people it is inexplicable how a man with such a huge busi- ness to direct as has our subject, can find time for the gratification of his book and social tastes, yet Mr. Childs does this, and while he personally super- intends the Public Ledger and transacts an immense amount of business, never seems hurried or worried
and is the most easily accessible man of affairs in Philadelphia. He is, while devoted to the conduct- ing of his great journal, never so much occupied by it or his other personal interests, that he cannot find time to devote to measures for the public good, either material or moral. Mr. Childs was appointed as one of the Board of Visitors to West Point for the year 1887, and acted as President of that body. He has as a rule, however, refrained resolutely from accepting public honors or offices, even declining to be a candidate for the Mayoralty of Philadelphia, to which his nomination would be equal to an over- whelming election. The still greater honor of a nomination for the Presidency of the United States- for which his great popularity with the labor ele- ment, and the love and respect in which he is held by all classes because of his unmistakably broad spirit of humanity and truly Christian charity, would make him a strong candidate-was also waived aside. The newspapers of the country, in 1887, began to strongly urge his candidacy in 1888, and scores of the most influential journals, especially in the East and South, without regard to party, took up and warmly favored the measure, so that he finally, unable longer to ignore the numerous sincere calls, had to silence them by an editorial utterance in his newspaper of February 17, 1888. This editorial, so strong and emphatic that it was characterized by the Philadelphia Times as "A Declination which Declines," is worthy of presenta- tion in these pages, and is here given in full :
" It ought not to be necessary for Mr. George W. Childs or for the Public Ledger to say another word concerning the connection of his name with a nomi- nation for the Presidency, yet it appears to be indis- pensable. It is embarrassing to add refusal to de- nial and then to be obliged to reiterate both with emphasis. The feeling which prompts such use of his name is too generous; the expressions of good will show too kindly a disposition on the part of those who make them, to get for answer a curt and peremptory 'No!' Yet it is incumbent upon him that he shall say what is equally decisive, viz. : that under no circumstances can he or will he permit the use of his name as a nominee for the Presidency or for any other political office.
" The reason which makes this additional refusal inevitable is brought about by a publication in the Baltimore American of yesterday, a journal that stands among the foremost in the country in char- acter and influence. Referring to Mr. Child's re- peated objections to being brought forward as a candidate, or being considered for nomination in any way, the American says :
"' We can state, however, from the very best authority, that his mind has undergone a change, and that, should a cordial tender of the nomination be made, he would not decline it. When this fact is well known the present movement in Pennsyl-
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CONTEMPORARY BIOGRAPHY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
vania in his favor will quiekly multiply its enthu- siasm.'
"It is necessary to say, courteously but decisively, that the American is wholly misinformed. Mr. Childs has not changed his mind in the least degree, and it is not possible that he will change his mind in that regard. As to declining and refusing to be a candidate for President, his mind is firm and un- alterable. It is awkward to deeline what is not authoritatively offered, but so far as it is in eontem- plation by any persons, few or many, organized or unorganized, to put Mr. Childs in nomination for President of the United States, he repeats his re- fusal to be a candidate or to be voted for, and adds that he would be compelled to decline the office, honorable and exalted as it is, if by any ehanee in
the chapter of unforseen events, he should happen to be eleeted."
It was Mr. Child's idea that his greatest sphere of usefulness lay in the guidanee of the Public Ledger. A position at the head of a great moral journal, having half a million of readers daily, is indeed a noble office, a vast and responsible stewardship, and it is doubtless true that in the wise exereise of this great power, and in the judieious bestowal of his wide- spread eharity, the life of George W. Childs has its fullest fruition, and surely one which has few equals among the benefieent forees at work in a world which needs them.
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