The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-21
All Great Britain Disconnected Mt the
Munificence of the Transat-
lantic Millionaire.
GIFT MAY NOT BE ACCEPTED
BECAUSE 1T MIGHT PAUPERIZE UNI
VERSITY EDUCATION.
Comments of Some of the Leading
Chief Educational Institutions.

LONDON, May 2O-Andrew Carnegie has
given G2,0O0 900 to establish free education in
four Scotch niversities-Edinburgh, Glas-
gov, Aberdeen and st. Andrews. He stipu-
lates that the benefciaries be his Scottish
fellow-countrymen" only, no English, Irish,
cclonials or foreigners. The fund will ap-
ply to medical as we'll as to commercial
education, and will be placed in the hands
OF trustees who will pay the expenses of
Scottish students benefited under the
scheme.
A meeting was held in London Satur-
day to consider Mr. Carnegies gift. Among
those present were Lord Elgin, Thomas
Shaw, NJ. p. Mr.. a. j. Balfour Sir Henry
Campbell -Bannerman, Mr.. John Morley,
Mr.. James Brice and others. The matter
was discussed at length, but no conclusion
administering the gift.
Mr.. Carnegie desires that all Scotchmen
and Scotch women shall enter the uni
versities on an equal footing, hence the
money is not given to the students to pay
their fees, but to the universities them
selves The system is made perpetually
free. and Will probably be under govern
ment auspices
According to the educational authorities
the administration of Mr.. Carnegie's gift
presents considerable difficulties, and for
this reason the Scotch papers, for the
present, are rather looking the gift horse
in the mouth, while the English press is
inclined TO cavil at the method of Mr.. Car
negies munifcence.
The leading Scotch paper-the Edinburgh
Scotsman-says editorially that Mr. Car
negies offer is ''discouraging from its very
magnificence," and proceeds to show the
gift might disorganize the whole educa-
tional system. 1t points out that fees
which students pay only small part
OF the cost of educating them the remain
der beng supplied by endowments, and
that, if Mr.. Carnegie's project were to
bring an increase of students, the universi-
ties would be compelled to appeal TO the
public for further funds. Then, if uni
versity education is free, the country will
soon be asked. the Scotsman contends, to
make secondary education free also. In
conclusion it asserts that acceptance of
the offer demands the most careful consid-
Grafton, although it is an offer which Scot
land cannot afford to decline without the
best of good reasons"
while expressing admiration and gratitude
1T is obvious" says the Times, that this
splendid gift cannot leave Scotch education
as 1t was before. Cambridge has not been
lucky enough to be associated by birth or
otherwise with a transatlantic millionaire
but nobody south of the Tweed will envy
the Scotch universities, If we can only be
sure that Mr.. Carnegie's generous donation
will be well applied and administered in the
best interests of education. Splendid as
the promised gift may appear, it ought not
TO be allowed TO pauperize the whole Sys-
tenn of university education in Scotland
where the sturdy spirit of independence has
been among the moral and intellectual
characteristics of the nation"
The Daily Chronicle says: ''It requires
great judgment to give away large sums
both wisely and well. 1t would be better to
employ the money in freeing the universi-
ties from debt, completing the schemes of
their faculties and endowing them for re-
search
The Daily News says that ''the colossal
nature Of the gift almost takes ones breath
away" 1t thinks that money devoted as
Mr.. Carnegie proposes will bear more fruit
and prove a greater blessing to Scotland
than If applied to endowments.
The Daily Telegraph says: "Croesus was
commonplace compared with Mr.. Carnegie
1t requires little insight into one of the
deepest characteristics of Scotch life TO
realize that this is precisely an act calcu-
lated above all others to make the name of
Carnegie as permanent as that of John
l. ms