"THE MAN WHO DIES RICH DIES DISGRACED" (ANDREW CARNEGIE?)



This is from the Washington Post, Questions and Answers (Magazine

section), 11 March 1906, pg. 11, col. 6:



Carnegie's Epigram.

Under what circumstances did Andrew Carnegie make use of his famous

epigram about the disgrace it is to die rich?--George Waugh.

The form quoted is "the man who dies rich dies disgraced." But Mr.

Carnegie is his own best authority for saying that he never said it. The

phrase was attributed to him as having been used at a dinner of a library

commission in Pittsburgh in 1894. What he really did say is thus explained

by Mr. Carnegie in a letter which he wrote when the phrase first obtained

currency. "What I have said about wealth is found in my own writings, and

not in extracts from supposed speeches. I had no reference to men who died

leaving competencies, for I believe such men are the salt of civilization;

but to men leaving millions in securities which they could have used in their

lifetime. I said I believed the day would come when such men would die

disgraced, and the tribute of approval would be given to those upon whose

tombstones could be truthfully written:

He lived without ostentation,

And he died poor,

as was said of Pitt."



Surprisingly, the AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN QUOTATIONS

doesn't have this quotation (even popular, falsely attributed quotes should

be in there).

BARTLETT'S has it and attributes it to Andrew Carnegie in 1889.

Carnegie's denial is not given even a footnote.



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