New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-01
CONSOLIDATION NO BENEFIT
DIR. sATTERTHwAITE REvIvEs THE ATTACn'
UPON A LARGE LIBRARY-THE QUESTION
OF MIR LEMONS WISHES

DIR. sATTERTHwAITE REvIvEs THE ATTACKS
UPON A LARGE LIBRARY-THE QUESTION
OF MR. LEMONS WISHES.
| To the Editor OF The Tribune.
] Sir: / have been reading with interest various
| articles in the daily papers the public library
scheme. which contcmplates constellation uhuer
certain conditions. OF the Lenox Astor ana liideh
| properties. AS yet have not seen any arguments
that seem to be weighty in favor OF this consolida
| ton. but inasmuch agreement appears 10
| have been filed at Albany with the Secretary OF
| State in pursuance OF the Legislative Enabling
| Act It may be well now TO look at the plan
seriously
SO far as the Lenox Library is concerned. ven
ture to think that consolidation would be improper
for several reasons. Mr. James Lenox. whose per
! sonal acquaintance enjoyed for many years was
remarkable man. Trained by his father 10 NOR
ough business habits. and afterward inheriting
| fortune OF several millions. he added TO his wealth.
| by the judicous management OF his investments
while at the time he devoted himself actively
TO works OF philanthropy and benevolencc. greatly
increasing their utility by his careful attention to
details OF every kind. But personal Identity was
concealed In most Of his gifts. on the Lenox
| Library however, he III to have his name In
scribed OF II he proud. Himself the foremost
Of contemporary American collectors. the library
was to be the permanent home OF his most valuable
public and private treasures. IL embraced DIS COZ
lectlons and represented the absorbing passion OF
| lifetime. And IL his wish not only that Inc
| library should have ample space in which TO grow
and mature. but that I, should bc backed by sufil-
ciont capital insure its protection. He doubtless
| contemplated also that other philanthropsts with
| equally clear and advanced views would. In time.
contribute his foundation along the lines he had
| laid down. To a certain extent his wishes have
| been carried out Some others have added TO MS
collection while his sister Miss Henrietta \. Ienox.
at her death left capital In money and real estat"
Of something like a million. and perhaps more. In
furiherancc OF his design: and there he no doubt
in my mind that many more will be disposed TO con-
tlnuc the good work II the opportunity offers In
this city there to-day at least two collections
forming OF somewhat similar character. and know
OF at least abroad. all OF which might be added
to the Ienox Library thus maintaining iis present
character And the phraseology which Mr.. Ienox
adopted the transfer OF this great gift TO the city
implies that he felt his wishes az TO the de-
| velopment OF tho library would be held sacred But
! the presence OF the family portraits In his gallery
should II nothing else indicated It. show that there
he felt them to he safe FOR all time. and that MS
monument would be enduring. In fact. had al
| ways supposed that this building dignsnc1. impress
siye and stately Was an ornament 10 city. until
| learned that some Of the new trustees found IL
''ou; % date" AMI not In accord with the afchec-
| tural requirements Of the time and that therefore
| II might with advantage be pulled down TO make
place for something better suited to the taste OF tho
new management. Is this the condition OF public
sentiment? II So how long Is n going 20 LAST But
| do not believe that public sentiment In 20 untrue
TO the principles OF honor. that /, Is lacking IN
| respect FOR tho founders name. James Icnox le't
| a memory that ! believe Is he'd In the hghes,
| popular esteem. and he has given us nm example
| that even phanthropsts may emulate. hut. II We
| are 10 pull down the I.enox Library for the reason
| given wc may with equal intelligence cls'nor 10
| have Trinity Church pulled down. ani IT'S grave
yard turned into public park. because neither th-
| edj0ce nor the tombstoncs accord with our modern
| nrlv Lot "a
Will be established. II is well TO count the cost OF
| vandalism
| Besdes. the public Is very quick TO note anything
| that looks like diversion OF public trust An eS-
| ample is now az hand where money has been with
held from a dcnominationai enterprise because 1t
| had been charged with good deal of force that
contributions toward special object had been d.
vcrted to another OF quasi-spcculaive character.
| And in the Of the Lcnox Library III" pre-
ponderatng value Of It's properties over those OF
either the Aston or Tiden might gvo color TO
| the notion that the present scheme was only
clever way OF ''capturlng' under legal protection Il
valuable fund This idea would gain In force II the
Lenox Library property was ultimately 70 .. , SOL.
the plum may be- yy a ar, ec luscious yo anr
| garden and 10 watchdog may be- IN sight
But the uses Of the f~nox Library have been misun,
derstood At FIRST some OF the public prints attacked
| do 80 now They know more. Tempora nutantus
reference libraries. like the Mercantile and 10 The
credit Of the latteg NoT howeycr colec , d is
object lesson for collectors II has 81 been io ga
egn libraries II is really in the main treasure
| house for many rare. costly-lndeed. | might say
| some Of which arc unique while others could not
Apart. however. from considerations o. public pol
icy. venture to afirm that tho proposed consoua-
| ton would not be any gain 10 the pubic g.n'fay
! In ms experience have found that great libraries
| are cumbrous and unsatisfactory m other ways.
Even II tho be as perfect as in the british
| Museum there ~ great loss Of time IN collecting
books for consultation. while desired information o,
For these reasons the better class Of students are
apt prefer the smaller selcc, libraries where thc
student rs brought nearer 10 IN" BOOKS ~ mnra'
the librarian can be better acquainted WIN ms ma
,orica Soccty's library Of the Academy OF Medicine
or of a dozen others that could be mentioned would
OF great public library. such 40 accumulation OF
Heterogeneous terhinrc would BE- rssc"isa y are l
special collection. TO consolidate its material WIN
OF The proposons Is 70 Include n The cons1l'd,,
ton the Aguilnr Free Circulating Library WIN w
collection Of Juvenile books. suited only FOR nch2ol
!" fu1 so nat o fS",o GS only pos iii
seems to have However sounds wei, ana people OPP,
Gus consideration when 1t IL backed by an Imposing
Brieny. / believe that tho consolidation Of the
cnox Astor ana den library pr2p1rer h wo nay "e
positive dssayaH'"gs to 'ne o rwp phnnhr"pss
planning some act Of public munifcencc nc pubic
s saul, on sacred trust, while the reading public
| would not gain oven temporary advantage, ,
| In conclusion. / beg to say that nave dchy"1,
making these statements. thinking that some ono ui
| those who were nearer TO Mr.. I.cnox thnh j. hiI
| who had TO remember his bounty. WuuIu
| raise his voice in protest Now, M no one OF tncIh
| appears TO have spoken. I venture to come bcIoro
| No hubble adding that I do not assume 70 rep
| resent the opponents OF the scheme. should nh.o
felt willing 10 express similar Views " the name
be dshonorcd that Of any respectable clxrn h Oh
| this city. THOMAS IL. sAIIEtih""'"
| Ncw-York. May q, 1886
| NOTES or TIE STAGE