New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-01
10 NOHIN EENEE ICTlR

The celebration a, Ithaca yesterday OF the
Hon. Henry W Slre's elghteth birthday ami
v"rsary was an occasion which no thoughtful
'.'izen can contemplate without gratitude and
pride. r. f"w men is ., long Nfe given, ana 10
fewer SIN IL Il granted - make their lives So
widely and permanently bcnciicent To their fel-
lows. II was fitting that this commemoration
should take place AZ Cornell University. which
owes. II hot IFS origin IT, greatness T. Mr. Sage's
wis" munihcenoe; and that the formal address OF
c'ngratulniiDn should proceed from the imme-
date members ~ that Institution. Yet Il IS
diNoult - conceive ~ single citizen az this
stat" who would Mt have been glad TO Join In
III" celebration AMI % subscribe his name to the
address. Mr. sax" has given outright to Cornell
University about $l.2j00OO. and by his wise and
generous administration OF It's affairs he has Sc
cured 10 II several millions more which probably.
without him, II would never have received Ac-
cording - any standard of measurement. such
b'nrhc"nce y monumental In its magnitude II
has seldom been rivalled In the history OF Ameri-
can "ducaiion. And II We take into consideration
the s'7lu"nt Influences FOR learning and for good
that have pervadeJ the State and the Nation.
and II We attempt moreover. to reckon the value
" Mr.. Sagc's services in other departments Of
activity. and. by means least. the inspiring
worth OF his example to hts fellOw-men then w,
see how inadequate is any gift. however costly
or any address. however eloquent. to be more
than token Of the esteem and gratitude with
which he IS regarded
Another occurrence Of yesterday. In this city Is
also 10 be considered. not in any spirit OF odous
comparison. but an impressive and. we trust
not Ineffective obJect-lesson. This the
Fayerweather will contest. With It's merits
probable result we have not 10 deal. But here is
a vast bequest to institutions Of learning. COM
parable indeed with the gifts Of Mr.. Sage in peril
Of falling 20 achieve its purpose. simply because
Il was a bequest and not a direct gift. No re-
proach IS to be- uttered against Mr.. Faycrweather
His purpose was high and as generous as that
u any benefactor Of the community And per
haps IL would have been impossible. or mprac-
tcable. for him 10 bcstow his wealth upon the
colleges during his own lifetime. Because. how
ever he did not or could not thus bestow it, a
large share Of 1t may never reach the objects he
had in view. one man has given with a generous
hand while he yet lives 10 his purposes full
filed Another. and many others have given, as
they thought In their Wills TO be executed after
they were dead. and courts and lawyers and con-
testing heirs have brought their purposes t.
naught. 1t should need no eXhortaton to per-
s,ade any intending giver which Is the better
example To follow. Greatly as we may honor
every man who gives posthumously for the well
fare Of those who survive and succeed him. more
must we honor those who give In their lifetimes
and themselves administer their gifts for the
good OF their contemporaries as well as for sue
cccdng generations. In deeds OF charity. II Is
well said he gives twice who gives quickly. In
all affairs he gives most surely who gives with
his own hands