Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-12
WARNED ONCE MORE.
John W. Beatty Says Sand is Being
Thrown in the Public's Face,
In THE FREE LIBRARY SQUABBLE.
Mr.. Carnegie Insists Upon the City 0rdi-
nance Being Changed.
HE WILL DICTATE TIE MANAGEMENT

possibly be withdrawn, owing to the bitter
feeling it has stirred up between members
of both branches of Councils and the gem
tlemen composing the commission named
by Mr.. Carnegie, was the general topic of
conversation all day among those interested
in the library. Many views we're expressed
and it was stated that the warning sent out
by Mr.. Scott would have beneficial effect.
Among those wrought up over the matter
was John W. Beatty, the artist, who talked
on the subject from an art standpoint. He
said.
''The personal controversy in reference
to the Carnegie Library has, think, served
its purpose. A few facts in connection with
the inside history of the ordinance and its
amendment have been made public and
these facts at least furnish food for thought.
1t will be well now to get down to the main
question. We all rememb ber the youth who
applied Tor position in an attorneys office
with the view of ultimately becoming a
lawyer.
A GOOD MORAL LOST.
1.-THE attorney, instead of questioning the
boy. told long story about farmer who.
upon going out to shoot an owl which was
seated on the barn roof, discharged his gun
and set fire to the hay in the barn lot.
Tremendous excitement followed. The barn
was ablaze. There was much smoke. The
horses and cattle were to be rescued. Neigh
bors were called, etc. The attorneys descrip-
tion OF the fire and efforts to rescue property
and life was graphic and interesting. When
the story ended the boy simply asked, Did
he hit the owl?'
II may venture to say that the one ques-
ton uppermost in the minds of the great
body OF citizens interested in the welfare of
Pittsburg to-day is: Are we to receive and
enjoy the undoubted benefits which would
accompany the most magnificent gilt ever
offered to the people OF this city, or are we
to forever lose this gift with all the benefits
dependent upon accepting it? If lost twill
not be the loss of a magnificent building
only. 1t will be the loss of an influence
which should flow from the home of Iltera-
ture and art, and sweeten and enrich the
lives of our people. No man is above this
infuence-no man should be below it. All
are therefore alike interested in securing
superb home for literature and art, and no
individual, or class of men, should stand in
the way or hinder, through any motive
whatever, the people from receiving SO great
a benefit.
A PERPETUAL FEAST.
ITO say that the people at large are not
intensely interested in this matter would be
absolute nonsense. Only the comparatively
rich can buy fine books. Only the very rich
can own choice works Of art. The people
know this thoroughly we'll, and they under
stand fully that the establishment of
library and art gallery, such as Is proposed,
means perpetual feast to all classes, but
especially to those who otherwise would
never enjoy such bounty, because of being
too poor to own fine libraries or collections
Of paintings. This is the one point which 1
think should not be lost sight OF. The peo-
ple-the great mass who cannot otherwise
secure the benefits and pleasures which are
sure to flow from the establishment of
superb Tree library and art gallery-have
been promised this benefit and they want it.
They have, moreover, filed no objection to
bearing the necessary annual expense of
such library, and they certainly have ex-
pressed no dissatisfaction with either the
members of the commission appointed
by Council or those named BY
Mr.. Carnegie. If satisfied with the
commission as now composed, they will
certainly not object to a condition which
will perpetuate the body exactly as organ
ized and accepted.
REFLECTED ON THE COMMISSION.
care the 12 gentlemen named by Mr.. Car
negie and cheerfully accepted by the people
as his and their representatives not compe-
tent to elect successors In case vacancies
occur? How would it do to say that to as
sumo that they are not competent is more or
less of a reflection, whether intended or not
upon the capacity or the integrity of these
represen tatiyes? All this talk about re-
Elections upon the capacity or integrity of
the members of Council is sand thrown into
the faces of the people, for the purpose of
deceiving them.
''The commission was com posed wisely and
with the single and oisinterested purpose of
securing the very best interests OF the
library, and upon the plain and indisputa-
BILE ground that such a vast interest should
have stable and constant policy, and that
such fixed policy could only be secured by
having at the helm gentlemen whose tenure
of office was not dependent upon the various
and spasmodic political breezes that
blow in the various wards in a great city.
There is no reflection, consequent upon this
course, cast upon anyone or body of men.
1t is simply plain, common sense view of
the matter, and the member of Council, who
is also a member of the commission, him
self knows that he may be defeated at the
next ward election. and his experience as a
member of the library commission 90 for
naught, 1 know that the art-loving people
of Pittsburg are thoroughly satisfied with
the commission, and with the condition
which provides for its perpetuity as COM
posed, and 1 believe that our citizens gen.
erally recognize the wisdom of the arrange
ment."
Mr.. SCOTS POSITION REAFFIRMED.
Mr.. James B. Scott. Chairman of the
commission, was seen yesterday and asked
If there had been anything new developed
in the lively controversy over the ordinance
which will be voted upon next Monday by
Councils. He said '"The only assumption
upon which the commission can go is that
Messrs. Heating. Lambie and Carnahan
will do as they said they would do when
Mr.. Carnegie called the attention of the
commission to the discrepancy between his
letter and the ordinance. The above-named
gentlemen said that the ordinance would he
N ade to conform to the letter, and Mr.. Car
napie and the commission accepted the
statement at par. There is no assurance to
the contrary from any official source. and 1
think the best thing Tor all concerned is to
wait and see what action Council takes. No
one will be found to deprecate any discus
sion BY which the public mind will be in
terested In the library.
A noted lawyer OF Pittsburg gave it as
his opinion that Mr.. Carnegie could easily
find methods of erecting and equipping his
library and SO regulating the endowment of
the same as to make it gift to Pittsburg's
citizens without saying 'by your leave" to
Councils. should that body insist In PLAYING
dog In the manger. As the legal gentle
man is d friend of Mr.. Carnegie. the subse-
quent opinion that the star spangled Scotch
man will proceed without regard to Coun-
ellis, If rebufied by them, comes with much
authenticity.
Murdered on n Railroad.