Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-05-10
his surplus wealth by well

distribute his surplus wealth by well
bestowed public benefactions, then the
most envious among us will be moved
TO say truly here is "a man who loves
his fellow-men and would serve them
Well" Early in his career as million
aire, Mr. Carnegie announced the most
remarkable and the most wholesome
doctrine that all surplus wealth is "a
sacred trust in the hands of the pos
SCISSOR for the benefit of his fellow
beings. In his address at Pittsburg,
on the occasion of the opening of the
magnificent library which his gener
|osity has created, Mr.. Carnegie said:
The conclusion forced upon me is
that surplus wealth is a sacred trust,
to be administered during life by the
possessor for the best good of his fell
low-men, and venture to predict the
coming of the day-the dawn of which
we already begin to see-when the
man who dies possessor of valuable
millions which We're tree and in his
hands to distribute, will die disgrace
ed. He will pass away unwept, unhon-
ored and unsung, as one who has been
unfaithful to his trust
And Mr.. Carnegie not only asserts
this as his policy, but puts it in prac-
tice, of which we have abundant evil
Idence; it is probably not too much
to say that he is today the greatest
public benefactor in our country. 4
NOSE careful consideration Of the best
method of reaching the public welfare
has at all times characterized Mr.. Car
|negie's benefactions. His favorite work
has been the building up of free pub
lie libraries and similar educational in
lstitutions, and in this he has not con-
fined himself to grand monuments in
larger cities, but has rather preferred
to establish or aid tree libraries in the
smaller towns and poorer communi-
ties, where such advantages are most
needed. Over one hundred cities and
towns, mostly in the United States,
are the beneiciaries of this great work
Of philanthropy, to which Mr.. Carne-
has contributed within the past few
years more than $1O,oO0,OoO, the past
| year (1S99) alone showing record of
over $5,Ooo,O00 devoted by him to the
good of the public. Among the many
benevolent institutions established,
the institute at Pittsburg which bears
his name deserves special mention.
Pittsburg being the home city. Of
many of his employees and the head
quarters of his great manufacturing
institutions, properly received special
consideration, and the magnificent
Carnegie institute, costing nearly 81
100000 testifies to Mr.. Carnegie's re-
gard for that city.
! Mr.. Carnegie's private gifts are
numerous and liberal and are known
to be in Keeping with his public bene-
factions. He does not refer to them
as Charities" however. as he does not
want his beneficiaries to feel that
they are regarded as objects of char
ity. He was the largest individual
contributor to the relief fund for the
Johnstown food sufferers. and during
the financial stress of 1894, when so
many workmen turnout the country
We're without employment, he offered
to duplicate every dollar subscribed by
the, people of Pittsburg and Western
Pennsylvania for the relief of the I'M
employed of Pittsburg, besides keep
ing his own large force of workmen
4 in employment at sacrifice to him
self. The public contributed about
$126,000 by popular subscription to the
fund, and Mr.. Carnegie promptly
gave his check for an equal amount.
We cannot take leave of Andrew
Carnegie without mentioning other
qualifications worthy of note. With
but little school education to COM
mence his career and with active. re-
sponsibilities at an early age, which
necessarily demanded his whole ener-
gies, one would hardly expect to find
| in. him man of great learning and
profound judgments on all questions
of public Importance and national well
fare. Nevertheless, this is exactly
what we do find, and no man of our
time has better understanding Of the
issues of the day, both social and po-
| litical, and no man has pronounced
| more wisely upon them. On the grave
questions of national concern, which
the past two years have forced upon
us, the strong stand taken by Mr.. Car
negie for national justice, national
honor and true Americanism, is worthy
of the greatest American statesmen.
AS writer on the important questions
of the day his work shows the most
careful analysis and accurate iudg-
| ment, for the author of Triumphant
Democracy is not only careful stu
dent of human affairs, but a master
scholar likewise, in the knowledge of
those great principles which control
both individual and national welfare.
So then, do we find Andrew Carne-
gle, ironmaster. philanthropist and
lscholar-an American citizen of whom
his country may well be proud.
| A. j. Tullock,
Leavenworth, Kansas.
Dubuque Boy Drowned.