When You’ve Just Enough

                  (James Patten, the grain king, is reported to have cleaned up $12,000,000 and will retire. “What’s the use of any more? he asks)

He should live in history,

     And ages bless his name;

Let his photograph be hung

     Upon the walls of fame.

Let his words be chiseled deep

     On monument and bluff:

“What’s the use of any more

     When one has got enough?”

Few are like him in this age

     Of “grab and never stop”;

For some captains of finance

     There’s no such place as “top”.

But Patten, modest, content,

     Is of the right good stuff;

“What’s the use?” says he, “of more,

     When one has got enough?”

Twelve million, a modest sum,

     Enough to eke along;

And let the world have the rest –

     In him can be no wrong!

O, would more like Patten were,

     Life wouldn’t be so tough;

“What’s the use of any more

     When one has got enough?”

March 2, 1910

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

Patten Gymnasium, Northwestern University

James A. Patten (1852–1928) was an American financier and grain merchant, born at Freeland Corners, Illinois He attended the common schools and was early a clerk, a farmer, and an employee in the Illinois State department of grain inspection (1874–78), whence he learned the details and operation of the grain commission business. For 32 years from 1878 to 1910 he was a member of several firms Patten was the mayor of Evanston in 1901-05.[1] He was prominently before the public in connection with an attempt to corner the wheat crop in 1909.[2] It was alleged that Patten, himself secured control of more than 23,000,000 bushels of wheat, and that these holdings, together 1908 (demolished) with those of his associates, were sufficient to force the price of wheat and flour up, while he gained enormous profits. He also operated his business in Liverpool where in 1911 on a trip to the Manchester Exchange his appearance caused a riot.[3]

In addition to being mayor of Evanston, Illinois, Patten was also a trustee of Northwestern University where he donated funds to build the original Patten Gymnasium. The architect of the gym was George Maher who had designed Patten's house in Evanston.

References 

1. ^ [1] "Official Reference Book - 1922" Press Club of Chicago

2. ^ [2] "Brokers, bagmen, and moles: fraud and corruption in the Chicago futures markets", David Greising, Laurie Morse

3. ^ [3] "Wheat King" & "Cotton Bull" Hawera & Normanby Star newspaper