The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-02
AMERICAN |LIBERALITY
1T is SHOWN IN THE MANY GIFTS
MADE FOR PUBLIC BENEFIT.
Charitable and Educational Institu-
ity-The Donors Choice.
New York Independent.

New York Independent.
There is no country on the face of the
earth which compares with the United
States for <he liberality of its gifts made
to the public by men and women of means.
No other fact more interests the intelligent
European visitor than the dependence OF
institutions of learning. hospitals, nOraries.
etc. upon private beneficence. We do not
depend upon the state 70 do everything for
us We depend upon individual generosity,
and we can depend upon it safely.
Great universities with magnificent endow-
ments spring up almost in a night and re-
ceive nothing from the public treasury.
The average gifts, counting only amounts
reported in the public press, from $5,000
and upward, are according to Mr.. Rossiter
Johnson's compilation for 'Appleton's An
nual Cyclopedia, not less than $50. 900, 600
a year, and doubtless not a little is omitted.
This does not include the gifts in smaller
amounts for benevolent and missionary So
cieties. Notwithstanding the hard times
and the election the total for 1896 exceeded
$4,000, 900.
AS we look over the list we are struck by
the preference which givers Indicate for
TWO objects, colleges or universities and
hospitals. They seem especially interested
in the education of the young and in the
care ofthe sick and infirm. There are a few
large gifts, like that of Oliver Ames for a
public high school at Easton, Mass, or that
of Mrs. Schenley for a public manual train
Ing school at Allegheny, Pa, or that of
Messrs. H~avemeyer and Benedict for a
gymnasium for the public schools of Green
wich, Conn; but the larger gifts are natur-
ally to institutions of learning not sup
ported by the state. Barnard College has
received large gifts from women. Prince
ton and Yale and Harvard and Leland
stanford have been specially favored, while
the Chicago University has received several
millions from friends other than Mr.. Rookie
Teller. who has given his main gift during
the year to his own city of Cleveland for
a public park, and to Vassar and Barnard
colleges. Mrs. Bradley, of Peoria, H., gave
over $2.000,00 for All institution in that city
to be under the control of the Chicago Uni
versity.
HOSPITALS AND LIBRARIES.
The other cause which specially appeals
to givers is hospitals. Mrs. Aspinwall gave
81. 1000, 600 by bequest to an Episcopal hos
pital in Philadelphia, and Mr.. Shoenberger
a bequest of $500, 900 for a hospital in Pitts
burg, and there are many others of
smaller amounts.
Gifts to libraries follow after. Mr.. Black
stone gives $500, 600 for a library at Bran
ford. Conn.,: Mr.. Donnell, a bequest of $780,
wv W NAC 4NNN IOAh / 0lICQidllllS III
brary; Mrs. Houghton, SIPS, 900 to North
Adams. Mass; Mr.. Kennedy and DR.. EN-
met, 100000 to the New York Public Lii
brary. and other gifts are of smaller
Apart from colleges, hospitals and libra
ries the gifts are scattering and to special
objects, like the Children's Aid Society, the
Massachusetts Horticultural Society, the
Boston Museum Of Fine Arts, the st. Louis
missionary society there.
We see how the choice of the average
person turns, who has impressed upon him
fit of the world. He will probably give to
a college, perhaps to a hospital, possibly
to a library. These are the objects that are
in the public mind. The college or univer-
sity never has enough; it is always hold
ing out its hands; the development OF
learning keeps it always i'm arrears; and, if
this were not so, the development of popu-
lation would do as much. Yet here we no.
tice some irregularities. The large gifts to
the South, and especially to colleges and
other schools for the benefit of the negroes,
have been sadly few and small. We very
seldom hear of one that has received so
comfortable an that it can de-
pend on its own trustees instead of on a
missionary society. They are all begging for
their daily bread instead of for Wears to
come. So missionary colleges abroad re-
ceive very few gifts. 1t is strange that such
tinople, to take one illustration of great
service and great need, are not oftener re-
membered in wills or in living benefactions.
MAY BE OVERCOME.
ALNGHlIdAo Ainh ci l appeal " z
lieve visible suffering. There is some dam
ger, we suspect, that this appeal will be
overdone. There is yet an almost unlimited
call for public libraries, although a few
large cities and smaller towns are very
comfortably provided for. There is no
more attractive way in which a man who
has acquired wealth can benefit his native
town and at the same time provide a memo
rial Of himself.
We suspect that gifts to museums and
public art galleries, made mostly in pictures
and collections, have failed to be recorded.
There must have been more than we find in
the list. Every man of wealth ought to be
a collector of some sort, and valuable coli
~lections are likely to be bequeathed or given
to the public. This is one of the finest fea-
lures of American public spirit.
Great pictures and all antiquities for ar
tistic or historical purposes ought to reach
the public museum at last, even although
they may rest on the way in some private
collection. We observe one large gift of a
park to the city of Cleveland. 1t is a beauti-
full kind of q gift hat ought to be repeated
many times.
Then there are great wants, generally of
some branch of learning, which nobody
will ever think of supplying. Who will sup
ply the fund necessary 10 prepare the
needed critical editions of the Old Syrtac
Scriptures? Nobody. Who will enable the
Metropolitan Museum TO make such a coll
lection of Babylonian antiquities as brings
the scholars of the world in annual summer
pilgrimage to the British Museum? Nobody.
Who will give the money to establish and
support, at suitable places, not geological
and botanical gardens for the delectation
of a city public, but gardens Of domestica-
ton and acclimatation of animals and
plants. with a view to the production and
study of crosses and breeds? Many such
wants could be suggested by specialists to
those who are asking what good work they
| can put their money to after they are gone.
| But the lesson we draw from the grand rec
ord of the year is, Give what you can in
life. and give by bequest, if God has given
you wealth. to objects that are Of real inn
portance to the public. Give in the line of
your tastes. If you have any; and if not,
ask the advice of public-spirited men or of