, 1881-04-10

ceed exactly on the lines of duty and indl-
vldnal interest; il it did it would not be
generosity. We must look for the greater
part Of the funds required to those who have
the lenst personal advantage to derive from
the use of the proposed building. and whose
obligations in the n1atter. it they have any,
will be only those which every public
spirited citizen owes to the community Ill
which he resides.
It is the misfortune Of Chicago that her
citizens have not had experience OF under
ta!ziles Of this nature. They have not been
instructed in weIt-tloing, and have few, it
any, examples Of public bcnefactlons. The
coNtagion OF giving freely for the common
good has not been imported ln<o this
community either from Boston Or Clncln-
natl, and unless some one OF our
great merchants has lately caught 1t
there. there is no telling when
it will be communicated to tho
whole people. More than Que Is suspected
Of chcrishlng plans for magnificent and ELL
during monument to lis memory i'll the
shape Of some public institution to bo found
ed after his death. but all the schemes OF this
nature are still very much i'll the air. There
is not one apparently who rs yet has leari1ed
that :" lie gives twice who gives quietly" and
lie gives three times who lives to see Ills
money doing good to others. II it is more
blessed to give than to receive, then he Is al
unfortunate nlan who deliberately makes
death the door to his felicity.
There could not be 4 grander example OF
the advantage Of carrying out plans OF public
I'm. fh1E
which is furnished i'll the career of Peter
Coopcr, lie founded a noble charltyt geil~
cra,,on ago, and has lived to enjoy the honor
Of it thousand-fold since; to be known as
tho bencfactor of l, multitude OF lis fellow
men, and to have the affection and
esteem Of his ncighbors In de-
gree which no other citizen of New
York has realized. Not only as
tile founder of the Cooper Institute but as
the director of It's actual ooerati tions, he has
had the opportunity to show his wisdom and
liberallty; and as the one most interested ln
its welfare he has given it the benefit OF his
business sagacity as perhaps no other man
would have been able or willing to do. How
infinitly to be preferred is the experience OF
such all ono to that of Stephen Girard, for
Instance. Few Ut any OF the Institutions pro-
vitled for in tho wills Of citizens Of Chicago,
from the Chicago University to the Sewberry
Library, have equa|cd the expectations that
were formed concerning them, while i'll more
than one instance they have becn Involved
in litigation and the Intentions Of their
founders wholly OF in part defeated. e.
We have strong hopes that the Library and
Art Memorial Building will mark a new de-
parture III the habits Of Chicago with refer
-ence to public enterprises, The efforts for
The raising OF this fund may early give rise
to /: now iuca Of what constitutes civic glory,
and If this is done in some practical way the
undertaking will be amply justified. Tic
wisdom of the Committee appointed to pros
ccute the canvass may be trusted 10 carry 1t
forward with diligence and fidelity; but we
shall be disappointed II the canvass OF indi-
yiduals who arc conspicuously able to give
large amounts is neglected in the more sen-
eral plan. On the one hand it should be said
TINT thn poor have been asked to give What
they could, and t|lat the rich have been urged
to make good the deficiency.