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Show A. T. STEWART, Severe Pros ami Popular Criticisms Crit-icisms ou Hi Will. New York, 15. The parties to whom A. T. Stewart left h-a,rirs o: $-JO,0UU or less, other than h;a wile's reiationa, are mostly attorneys, accountants, ac-countants, or other.luisiness employes or servants. Tbe press generally and the voice of tho public express surprise sur-prise at the character of the will. The Tribune says that Stewart, who bailled inquirers during his life time, lias astounded them alter bis death! He has done nono of the score of different dif-ferent things expected of him. He has never given his money in charity, devoted it to any other public purpose, pur-pose, nor left it entirely to his family. He has simply not disposed of it "at all. It was bis boast that his mercantile mer-cantile transactions were regulated by the most exact system, and not a man in his establishment was allowed to exercise his own discretion, but ho left fifty millions at least to be disposed dis-posed of according to a mero understanding under-standing of what his wishes would be if be had the task to perform himself. Nothing in Stewart's career is half so strange as his will. It contradicts his whole life. There is nothing in the will to show whether his unexplained unex-plained designs of beneficence were on a large scale or on a small one; whether tuey called for thousands or millions. The Times says the prevailing sentiment sen-timent in regard to the provisions oi the will is one of disappointment. This, perhaps, is unusual, but per- leuu-y LuiLurui. oa is uui mure uiun j once in a century that we can expect to see accumulated within a single lite so vast a fortune as that which Stewart Stew-art possessed. What boundless opportunities op-portunities for well doing presented themselves to the disposer of even a small portion o( such a sum, aud that not within the limited area of public charities, so much as in the field of serial degeneration, literary or artistic artis-tic culture, of scientific endowment. Our plans for elevating the fallen re-ceivo re-ceivo tar more attention than the methods of educating public morality, instilling refined tastes and cultivating cultivat-ing respect, whereby people :bout the level of social outcasts may bo kept from sinking toward it. The public will persist in thinking of the noble contribution that Stewart might have made to any or all of these ends, just as they will in regretting that he has not done so. The Woman's homo and the Hempstead experiment, are, bo far as known, the only enterprises enter-prises begun by Stewart which should be ranked as plans for the welfare of our fellow beings. So far as his direct instructions go, nineteen-twentieths nineteen-twentieths of bis enormous fortune pass to bis widow without any conditions condi-tions whatever as to future disposal. A man may do what he will with bis; own, but there will still exist misgiv ings whether one who owed so much to the material aad social develop ment of this country did right in giving up for the sake of the other so little of his substance in return. There are perfectly estimable persons who live and die without the slightest conception con-ception of the meaning of public spirit. Stewart's mind bad evidently become too much subdued to what it worked in to be able to respond to tho demand of this kind of loc-al patriotism in a way at all equal to his opportunities. It is true Stewart has honored womanhood by bound !e.-s trust. He has displayed faith in the discretion of his widow; he ha hu-Btowed hu-Btowed one of the most splendid rewards re-wards ever granted to faithful single-minded single-minded service in his bequest to Judge Hilton. He has remembered with princely liberality the devotion to his interests of the men who helped to guide the complicated mechanism of his business, aud two of thu friends o( his early days have shared his bounty in a geneious manner. man-ner. But many will com j tare the work of the moderate fortune liuliii, like Peter Cooper, with that ot hum of untold resources like Stewart, and regret that the great dry goods merchant mer-chant should not liavo given the city to which he owed so much some butter but-ter reasons for holding him in lasting honor. Judge Hilton says Stewart de.-pised alms giving, preferring to ursiat people to maintain themselves by their own industry. Hilton intimates that the widow's actions will indicate her husband's ideas as to the best method of aiding christian enterprises. enter-prises. The Express objects to the press criticisms of Stewart's will, and eulogizes eulo-gizes him with discriminating warmth. If others were hurt by him it was because he was wiser and bolder than others. lie was more than a great sbopk'-eper; ho was a great merchant, a first class busim-.- man, and so lilted fir the place in the cabinet to which. Grant invited him; hd had great discernment, executive ability and forecast. If he ever made a mistake in bu-inc.-:s he had courage to correct it at any pre':nt eo.it. Ili.i judgment was yood; hid courage equal Iu tin: oeca-s-iun, whatever it was, and there Was his success. |