Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-16
Mr.. SCOTT CONFIDENT
He Yet Has Firm Faith in the Passage
of the Library Ordinance,
AS ORIGINALLY RECOMMENDED.
Mr.. Carnegie's Gift Analysed From Com
mercial Standpoint.
1T WILL COST THE DONOR BIG MONEY

James B. Scott, Chairman of the Pitts
burg Carnegie Library Commission. was
seen at his home on Ridge avenue, ALLIE.
gheny, last evening. and questioned con-
cerning the widely circulated report that
Mr.. Andrew Carnegie had written a letter
to Pittsburg in which it was intimated that,
should Councils refuse to pass the ordinance
in the shape desired by Mr.. Carnegie, he
would withdraw the offer made to the city.
Mr.. Scott's answer was prompt and ex-
plicit. "No such letter has been received
by me, and don't think Mr.. Carnegie has
written such letter to anyone in either
city. Mr.. Carnegie is now in Washington,
attending tine sessions of the Pan-American
Congress, and he has written me recently,
but in no way has such an intimation been
expressed. have written and telegraphed to
Mr.. Carnegie that everything Is all right,
and everything is all right"
"Should the ordinance not pass"-began
the reporter.
Mr.. Scott interrupted the sentence. "But
the ordinance will pass"
'In the shape desired by Mr.. Carnegie?"
asked the reporter.
SIN the shape desired by Mr.. Carnegie"
answered Mr.. Scott. "Messrs. Lambie.
Heating and Carnahan are all of one way of
thinking The ordinance will pass"
ut is rumored that Mr.. Magee is being be-
seiged by his friends, who believe he has made
mistake In antagon1zing the ordinance. and it
Is also reported that Mr.. Magee is searching for
plan by which he can soften his attitude upon
the matter. Have you any comments to make
upon these reports ?'
Mr.. Scott said none whatever"
Did you notice the action of Select Council
upon the ordinance. yesterday?'
Il notice that the matter was referred back
to the Library Committee. 1t is in safe hands,"
MT Scott refused to give in detail his reasons
Tor the belief that the.ordinance would pass in
accordance with Mr.. Carnegies views, content
ing himself with the remark that he felt con-
viction that things would come out all right,
and that the delay in action, up to this time,
had been part of the general plan. There
will be meeting of the commission, one of
these days" said Mr.. Scott, land everything
Will move along from that time. have in my
ship of the commission which has, perhaps, not
been thoroughly understood owing to the en-
ployment OF various arguments tending to es-
tablish the hypothesis that the taxpayers are to
pay S40,OOO year interest on q loan BY Mr..
Carnegie. Suppose we assume that Mr.. Car
negie's million is loan TO the city-which it
is not but a gift-how is 1t that Mr.. Carnegie
easily commands per cent That 81, ,OOO, ,OOO
that Mr.. Carnegie gives to the city therefore
costs him the S50000 per annum that he could
command on the investment of such a sum.
or s2O00, 600, he will lose s750OO or 100000 per
annum. Is it not plain that he Is sacrificing
both principal and interest?
FOR VALUE RECEIVED.
ut is argued that the city will pay 900 in
terest a year for the sum Mr.. Carnegie gives.
Analyze that specious view little and it will
be seen that the city will get value received,
over and over in the benefit arising from the use
of the libraries, and in the establishment of
the city by the erection of handsome buildings,
who can compute in figures the benefit Then
Is there not wide discrepancy between the
s4O, 900 that the city will pay, no matter what
Mr.. Carnegie's gift may be, and the interest he |
will lose on the probable basis of 81, 600 600?
Granting these propositions to be true does |
lt seem unreasonable that Mr.. Carnegie sacri- |
ticing the principal of his gift in perpetuty and
losing in perpetuity the interest on that prin- |
cip2l, should be given in perpetuity the con- |
troll of the fruits of those financial sacrifices?
Reverse the conditions. Suppose that any man |
offers to lend the city of Pttsburg ST. 900 600 to
be used in erecting library. with $4,000 to
be paid back yearly as interest 1t would be
absurd for that individual to desire
the management of the buildings thereby
erected. And yet certain efforts have been
made to put Mr.. Carnege's intentions in the
light last stated.
,an only be arrived at by discussion and venti-
alton in The public prints, of the bearings of
his whole matter, that Mr. Carnegie relies in
MS plans for Plttsburg. 1t should not be for
he taxpayer, not only confers more than value
'eceiyed upon the people in return, but by its
in the maintenance of the library |
'everts directly to local sources"