The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-04-02
cARNEelE's WAY OF GIVING.
The Practical VnIue of Free Public
Libraries.

The Practical Nalue OF Tree Public
Libraries.
Mr.. Caruec.e's rapid succession OF
gifts. for public libraries chiefly. nggre.
eating millions 90 dollars. indicates
says the Sew York Suu that ha spoke
with entire sincerity when he ana unc.
ed bis purpose 81 distributing bIs great
fortune for public purposes on the the
orv that "ho who dies rich dies dis
gncol' Having sold out his iron aud
steel interests 90 q huge combination in
that industry hc ha, occasion no longer
10 use the two hundred or more millions
10 money De possesses as capital for
the business AMI ~ course so vast a
sum Yields an income which Is FAR be-.
voud his personal needs Ills fortune
has become 10 him rather burden
than a blessing. Tor he has 40 oupor
tuuty aud no disposition TO use it sim
ply as means ~ power or "a stepping
stone 20 IT, Probably hundrcdth part
Of u, even two huulrclth part. would
be ample Tor his requirements
II will lo observed that MIR. Carnegie
has not adopted any ot the methods
! commonly suggested hy philanthro.
| pists-by Mr Hewitt flr instance EX-
"eut the S5.OOOOOO hc has given for the
benefit Of the employees Of his old iron
and steel foundrics and shops Mr. Car.
negie's gifts are for public libraries
snI schools They are not 10 improve
tho toncmcnts Of the poor. their phys
ical condition That Is, they are for the
!1t"llectual improvement Of people
rathcr than Tor their material amcliora.
ton anG as he has begun it seems like
| " hat he VIII continue.
Doubtless Mr. Carnegie. wisely and
with true philanthropy fears 10 on
courage spirit Of pauperism and TO
! diminish the self reliance which lies at
| the basis Of character deserving re-
| spect by making gifts out Of his abun.
dance which shall SAVIOR Of mere char
table and clccmosynnry aid. Not long
ago we said to Mr. Hewitt that IL he
should propose a plan for getting rid
Of the evils of human conditions which
commanded the approval Of iudlcious
men money sufficient TO carry II out
, would pour in on him. The magnih.
cent gifts Of Mr. Carnegie now confirm
that prophecy. but ne form Of them In
dlcatcs lhat the plan proposed did not
commend itself to Mr.. Carnegie's iudg-
mont His purpose is wholly to raise
the intellectual equipment Of the labor
or so that Of himself hc can lift him
self above the hardships Of his mate
rial circumstances.
4 question may arise In many minds
whether the mere provision Of Libraries
OF books will couducc 10 that end. The
| great mass ot books In popular de
mand are diverting and entertaining
rather than substantial literary food
on which to build up intellect increase
aptitude for useful aud profitable EN-
ploymcuts aud develop and strengthen
character 4 technical school such as
that which pittsburg expects Mr.. Car
ncgic to cudow lu that town with
twenty-five millions would better serve
such practical purposes. Books are
now so cheap. more especially the
great English literature ON which copy.
rights have expired, that they can ho
bought for about the cost of car rides
10 and from q circulating or other d.
brary aud iu the newspapers OF the
present Is "a wealth OF reading OF the
most substantial sort which is obtain.
able Tor the cost OF q single car ride.
We do not mean IN saying this 10
! critlclsc Mr. Carnegie and the method
which hc has chosen for his almost