The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-11-16
of public penefactorr.o


Texas, November IA, 1S9S.-To
j Of The Post: Referring to your
EDITORIAL on 1.-THE Lack of Public
RS" and also to the letter OF your
lent ~" wtilcn suggested it, per-
= offer o few remarks ON the same
q agree with "T" that there are
Hsn among us, nor with The Post
4kes several generations OF large
develop phllalnrhropist. Whne
zyery few missionaries here for the
a place, yet There are men of am
s. with whom a donation OF $780,
700, 900 would not in any way in
Nth a life of comfort and luxury.
: to my observation in other
4 is not the inheritors of wealth,
j that are the most generous with
ley for public purposes, but rath-
VINO have made their fortunes by
3cks, and are still in touch with
) OF their less fortunate fellow
Y no mention only few whose
cur to me on the spur Of the mo-
&rnegie, Rockefeller, George w.
"a Henry Rosenberg, are all mep
"a life poor, and yet no posssssor
led wealth eXcelled uaem In public
5eems, in my opinion, to be the
Hin us Is not lack OF money. in
Z self-acquired, but rather a lack
u in the subjects suggested in
Gle, such as public parks, public
art galleries. madhanical AMI
institutions end other simlaU
Ehat work for cultivation and civ
Sudh things are seldom thought
ranely the subjects OF converse
hort, they are not in the air. Aud
5tate Of things, permit me to say,
Ddness, that the press is to con-
Eextent responsible. The press In
too m,loh engrossed with purely
questions, to the exclusion of
\ that is of vital Importance to the
B and uplifting of the people-nnd
phase OF politics, too. that often
u excites the least attractive traits
\ nature-passion. hatred and an
Any casual observer will admit
4 time, attention and newspaper
ven to merely personal politics
tie kind of politics that relate
| tho promotion Of the interests OF
ZEN or sets OF men, without much
Immediate and local public inter-
Entirely ont OF proportion to that
10 ether matters Of far greater
Be TO the welfare of individuals
Immunity at large. In fact, there
|bf perspective IN the public prints
relative importance of matters
| the public that Is often deplor-
] the other hand. tn. press loses
, opportunity for serving the pub
bf commanding itself to the most
y portion OF the people. by not In
|ore on the intellectual and esthet-
|of the community. Those taings
to beaItify our surroundings,
|hdt and elevate the mind. espec-
Tho young, should be made more
I in the daily press, both by edi-
preston AMI encouragement, and
pirate selections. Those who have
know that uhere are active forces
york north, esst. south and west
r. the promotion OF those things
Re life more attractive 10 tyery-
IN In towns and In the country,
V village improvement societies.
libraries. art diubs. museums az
goncies for helping the poor In all
ipergencies. Not long ago toe Ly-
Jelly ri this city. an old, but poor
appreciated institution. made an
stir up some interest IN the neces-
'tainiDg municipal aid for public
In so doing II gathered and pub
atiatics showing that hardly
over 5000 tnhabitsnis exists out
Southern States tf-at does MT
public library supported b. mu-
ID. Yet very little response was
y The arpeAl Of uae LSceum 90