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Reasons Why Mr. Allen Opposes Rockefeller's Offer to the Bureau of Municipal Research

William H. Allen · 1914

A 1914 pamphlet by William H. Allen arguing against accepting Rockefeller's conditional offer of support to a New York research bureau.

A 1914 pamphlet debating whether to accept a conditional philanthropic offer from Rockefeller.

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Reasons Why Mr. Allen Opposes Rockefeller's Offer to the Bureau of Municipal ResearchPDF · 14 pages
William H. Allen, Reasons Why Mr. Allen Believes that Mr. Rockefeller's Conditional Offer of Support to the New York Bureau of Municipal Research Should Not Be Accepted, 1914. Microform scan, Columbia University Libraries.

About this source

What it is

This is a pamphlet written by William H. Allen, director of the Bureau of Municipal Research, dated 11 May 1914. It explains his reasons for opposing a conditional offer of financial support from John D. Rockefeller to the Bureau. The document survives as a microform scan held by Columbia University Libraries.

Why it matters

By 1914 Rockefeller had become one of the most prominent philanthropists in the United States, but his money was not always welcomed without debate. This pamphlet shows that some reformers worried about strings attached to Rockefeller's gifts and the influence wealthy donors might have over public institutions.

Look closer

  • Why might someone refuse money from a wealthy donor, even for a good cause?
  • What does this pamphlet reveal about attitudes toward big philanthropy in the early 1900s?
  • What would you want to know about the

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