Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-11
MAY MAKE A MISTAKE
Mr.. James B. ScOtt's Mild
Warning to City Councils.
POSITION OF MIR. CARNEGIE.
The Two-Million-Dollar Library May
be Withdrawn.
MORE TALKS WITH COUNCILMEN

The wrangle over the control of the Car
negie Library, instead of abating is becom-
ing more heated each day. Opinions were
rife Yesterday around City Hall and other
places freoueuted BY Councilmen that Mr..
Carnegie would withdraw his offer Of about
s, 600, 900, owing to the antipathy oil certain
officials to the proposed management. MIR.
James B. Scott, Chairman of the Commission,
stated last evening that if Councils did not
rectisy the ordinance to suit Mr.. Car
negie, and would not accept the library
with the string tied to it, as Mr.. Magee
iacetiously termed the offer, Mr.. Carnegie
would put the money down in his pocket
and say nothing. This means the same
thing as Withdrawing the offer of s. 600, 900.
Mr.. Scott was seen last evening by reporter
of THE DISPATCH, and to the latter's oues-
ton, the chairman of the commission said:
MR.. SCOTT DEFENDS MR.. CARNEGIE.
az Just arrived home this morning from
Philadelphia and have not seen the account
of the controversy between Mr. Magee and
DR.. Holland in regard to the library Con-
sequently cannot speak intelllgently on
the question at issue. As understand 1t.
Mr.. Magee objects to the way Mr.. Carnegie
wants to have the library conducted. There
is nothing wrong about that. Mr.. Magee
has his opinions the same as any other man,
and why shouldn't he? / think, however,
that Mr.. Carnegie has the right idea, and
the commission has the assurance of several
members of Council that the latter body
will change the ordinance governing the
library TO conform with Mr.. Carnegle's
views"
"Do YOU think Mr.. Carnegie will with
draw his offer unless the library is conducted
according to his views?"
'Mr. Carnegie cannot withdraw his offer.
If Councils do not change the ordinance to
suit Mr.. Carnegie, and thereby refuse to ac-
cept or act on the offer, Mr.. Carnegie will
probably put the S2,0O0,0O down in his
clothes, and he will be so much the richer.
1 cannot speak one word for Mr.. Carnegie,
and do not know what he will do if Councils
do not make the change.
PEOPLE SHOULD NOT WORRY.
81 do not see why anybody should worry
or talk about the matter until Councils
show what they intend to do. The only dif-
ference between certain members of Council
and Mr.. Carnegie is about filling the va
cancies on the commission. Mr.. Carnegie
nominated u citizens in addition to the
city officers. One of the conditions con-
nected with the offer is that the II citizens
on the commission outside of the 9 city
officials, should have the power, as
a body, TO fill vacancies in the
body of twelve. Mr.. Carnegie said the
people, as represented in the body of twelve,
had no power to fill any vacancy In the
body of nine, and the bo3y of nine had no
power to fill any vacancy in the body of
twelve, although Mr.. Magee apparently
wants it the other way. In the ordinance
presented certain Councilmen wanted a
majority vote OF the members of the COM
mission to fill all vacancies, to which Mr..
Carnegie objected. In a letter the latter
stated that he wanted the twelve citizens TO
fill the vacancies in their own ranks, and
asked that the ordinance be changed.
MUST DELIVER THE GOODS.
"Now, Messrs. Lambie, Carnahan and
Heating and others promised US that they
would have the ordinance changed to suit
Mr.. Carnegie's wishes. We have no right
to assume that Councils will not do this.
The gentlemen 1 have mentioned promised
it would be done If they cannot do as
they promised, why all well and good.
will assume that they will do it. They
will obliterate the differences and vote for
the amended ordinance.
"As Mr.. Carnegie is putting his money
into this building, do not see why he
should not have a little to say about who
shall conduct the library. In the Pratt Lii
brary, in Baltimore, the founder nominated
all the officers. In the public library of Bos-
ton there is not one city official. There is a
law there that prohibits Councilmen from
occupying place on the commission. By
giving it into the hands of commission of
private citizens the library is sassured of GER
tain permanency to the personnel of the
body of men who will conduct its affairs.
at will be mistake if Councils do not
accept the gift. There is not one gentleman
on the commission of u framed by Mr.. Car
negie, who is not interested in the pros
perity of the city as much as any Council
man. do not think they would want to
turn the building upside down and destroy
it. Consequently they would be able to
conduct its management.
MAY DEFEAT THE AMENDMENT.
A canvass of Select Council Yesterday
shows disposition to defeat the proposed
amendment. John S. Lambie, the author
of the amendment, did not appear to be very
hopeful of the success of his measure, and
was rather disinclined TO speak of the sub
ject at all.
r. B. Carnahan, when asked what be
thought of the possibility of the amendment
being defeated, said: 81 want to say moth
ing, but let those who oppose benefit to
the city take the consequences"
Mark Donley was met or a Birmingham
street car, and in reply to the question
whether he would vote for the amendment
or not, replied: "No, 1 shall not be party
to the city paying $4,000 per annum for
keeping a monument in order. Beside, the
city would find that she could not get off
with $40, 600 when repairs, salaries, insur-
ance and purchases for branch libraries are
taken into consideration. l am opposed to
handing over the powers vested in Councils
to outsiders not chosen by the people, but by
Mr.. Carnegie, and will certainly vote
against it. !"
Andrew c. Robertson, when approached,
looked wise and declined to commit himself
saying he would show how he will vote
when Councils meet. He had not as vet
settled how he would vote.
Samuel D. Warmcastle, one OF the most
conservative members of Select Councils,
said that the moment distrust was enter
tanned of the representatives of the people,
it is a direct blow at the institutions which
are based on popular will. He thought
that body OF men which could appropriate
and devote something like S720, 900 for edu-
cational purposes, as Pittsburg had this
year, could certainly handle even such
large interest as Mr.. Carnegie's million
dollar gift with full Justice to the subject.