Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-19
APPROVE THE LIBRARY.

| Resolutions Adopted by the Art Society
Urging the Acceptance of Mr.. Car
negie's Gift-Expressing Gratitude to
the Donor Figuring on the Cost ol
Maintaining the Instieution.
The Board of Directors of the Pittsburg
Art Society have adopted the following
resolutions bearing upon Mr.. Carnegie's
gilt to the city of 81, 100, 900 for the purpose
of erecting public library and music hall:
| WHEREAS, Mr.. Andrew Carnegie has pre-
| sented to the city OF Pittsburg the sum OF
81. l00, 700 for the purpose of erecting main
bull ding and six or more district buildings
| ut the various centers of population,
wherein a free library system is to be main
| tanned by municipal appropriations OF
$40, 200 year: and has signif1ed has intention
| of giving the further sum of $1,000, 900 to
endow the gallery of (chiefy) American art
which Is to be included In the main library
building. together with music hall, q
| museum. and quarters for the leading scien-
| titc and artistic societies of this vicinity;
and
Whereas, Under tho temporary influence
of strong excitement, several of our indus
trial organizations have been led to express
themselves in manner adverse to the gilt
and its donor, and such expressions nave
been spread abroad and multiplied so as to
produce in many quarters an impression
unfair alike to Mr.. Carnegie. to the wage
be it
Resolved, Therefore. by the Board of
Directors of the Art Society of Pittsburg,
representing the cause of literature and the
fine arts, and voicing as we believe, the
prevailing sober sense of this community:
First-ThIt, in justice to Mr.. Carnegie,
PUBLIC attention should Mt this time be
called to the following considerations: !,
That during Mr.. Carnegic's past career Ms
an active employer of labor he has, besides
paying the highest current wages, volun-
In, AnI for. 1,ic md fhnr.
ployes such help as the Braddock and other
free libraries q cooperative store system,
savings bank facilities with high interest, u
gymnasium and other means OF recreation.
Q, That, to say nothing of the iIcalculable
benefits flowing through all channels from
the immense industrial establishm ents in
which Mr.. Carnesie's money is permanently
invested, this sum of s., 100000 that he is
giving to the public represents the entire
proportion of profits earned by distributing
over sl2 900 900 in wages alone. 3. That,
while Mr.. Carnegie on principle stipulated
that the library buildings should be main
tanned by yearly appropriation of $40, 900
from tho city, the money he contributes
himself is equivalent, ut the legal rate OF in
terest to q perpetual endowment of $40 600
year. l. That at any rate, q liberal ex-
penditure of public moneys necessarily and
properly follows upon all great public gifts
of this nature-such for instance, rs Mrs.
Schenley's park and Mr.. Phipps' cOnserva-
tory-and should not ut all detract from the
cordial appreciation due alike to each of
ally helpful public institutions.
Second-That in Justice to the wage work
ers Of this vicinity whether the formal ex.
pressions above mentioned do or do not
fairly reIre:ent their serious individual
opinions at presently, it may be confidently
asserted that as the time goes on ana they
come to see the pract ctical operation and wide
usefulness of this great institution, So par
t1cularly designed to benefit the wage work.
ers of this and future generations, their own
expressions OF grateful recognition will be
as warm and as heartfelt as any.
Third-That, in justice to the people of
this community, whose sentiment is over
whelmingly against the tenor of the adverse
expressions already referred to. it is proper
for the Art Society, voicing that sentiment
to express publicly the liveliest apprecia-
tion and gratitude for Mr.. Carnegie's public
spirited munificence in establishing hero nh
or literature, science and art
unequaled to-day in its broad and varied
scope and invaluable in the strong uplifting
influence it is destined to exert in our COM
for untold generations to come.
Fourth-That these resolutions be spread
upon the minutes and copies thereof be sent
to Mr. Carnegie. II