The times., 1901-03-28
,l,nIatInn statcmert.
The Carnegie Gifts.

No one doubts th2t Andrew |alntEte II
a great philanthropist. any more than
anyone doubts that he is the very great
est ironmaster ever born of woman. His
gifts are as grand and princely as they
are bihliomaniacal. This Is especially
true Of his noble offer to the city of New
York to provide the metropolis with six
ty-tive branch library buildings, to cost
eighty thousand dollars each; in all, five
million two hundred thousand dollars.
The rnunihcence of the proposition is
not affected by the unimpOrtant fact
that. in some slight degree, it is condi-
tional New York, or somebody, IS to
furnish the sites, which it can be readily
understood are not to be had for nothing:
and New York, or somebody. is to furnish
the books IN any event, the taxpayers
Of the city are to provide a fund for sal
aries. repairs. additions TO the collections,
and care and maintenance generally. An
authoritative local estimate places the eX-
pense Of keeping the Carnegie Libraries
open to the public at the annual income
from an invested capital Of ten million
dollars. and this does not take into ac-
count the first cost of sites and books
What outlay these may require it would
=
haps safe to assume that the amount
would not fan FAR short of the sum of the
original Donation
In addition ia providing for these feun-
dation necessities. Mr.. Carnegie. in the
cauny Lowiand generosity of his heart
calls upon the people of New York 10
match his gift with the assumption Of a
burden which, capitalized, might reach
proportions three times as great as the
boon itself; and yearly to pay out, ap
proximateiy. three hundred and fifty
thousand dollars for the privilege OF en-
joying it's benefits This sum in fifteen
years would little more than equal the
sum Of the splendid charity itself
Il Is a magnificent and soul inspiring
scheme, for which during all time tie
good ard benevolent Andrew Carnegie
would receive the credit and his memory
be kept ever green in the hearts Of mis-
bcuesciaries by substantial annual addi-
tions to their tax bills Thus are multi
millionaire beuefactors able TO impress
the taxpayer OF the period. 1t must have
been a Scotchman from the vicinity Of
Skibo Castle who invented the co-opera-
tive fishing plan. by which ne hired peo-
pie TO fish for him on shares; they fur
uishing hook. line. pole. bob sinker, and
bait, and receiving half OF what they
caught I'm payment
NealJh-cOlOssaI wealth such as ar
Carnegie has-can do wonders. With II.
and enough of it. he could work miracles:
but. without supplying the requisite capt.
tai, il would not be feasible for him to
make his sixty-five eighty thousand dol
lar buildings find themselves in sites,
books, and an income adequate 10 the
support Of well regulated libraries. he
knows better than to attempt it. and 50
he invites the national metropolis to pay
out double his donation in less than thirty
years; and 10 begin business by making
Al investment Of at least three or four
millions just to get a start and to show
that there is no iI-feeling. It was no
doubt AT old lady in kits and trews. who
c0nsenJing that her daughter should take
a swim. instructed her to hang her maid
en- raimeut upon the overhanging limb Of
q hickory. but rot TO go near the water
According TO an ancient fable. persons
belonging 10 that great race known as
the chosen people cannot make a living
in New Hampshire. On much the same
grounds we entertain a horrible suspicion
that a Maine Yankee would starve TO
death in Scotland.