New-York tribune., 1901-06-17
CARNEGIE GIFTS CRITICISED
CITY SHOULD BE ASHAMED TO RECEIVE
LIBRARIES, THE REV. 2. S.
GRANT SAYS.

The Rev Percy Stickney Grant in his sermon
TO the graduating class of the College of the
City of New-York. the Church of the As
cension yesterday afternoon. criticised An
drew Carnegie's offer Of libraries 10 this city
and his great gift to four Scotch universities.
After referring to the temptation of material
ism. Mr.. Grant touched on Mr.. Carnegie's offers.
| saying We find man giving libraries to
city which should be ashamed receive them.
The same man gives universities 10 country
which never asked for anything in university
education but opportunity to earn it," Among
other things Mr. Grant said:
Probably you will cast your lot in New-York. 1t
Is great city next TO London. PROBABLY the great
est in the world; Doubtless in your time II VIII
y in population The great temptation whicR
see about Us men With immense wealth; here one
possessing 100000 there one worth $-to"""o'
and another worth $i0000OGo
Many OF the men who have arnassed great Tort,
unes attach too much Importance to the rough ana
ready spirit which they believe to nave alded mem
most materially Mr. Schwab. We may conclude.
has little confidence in education along higher lines
an assistance in business affairs.
The men OF millions nave power Wherever ,hey
Young men Sc mis- and what is The result? They
throw themselves like fagois into the furnace OF
material production
The harbor OF Hong Kong is beautiful But back
OF Hong-Kong rising sheer almos, from the waters
edge, is a mountain called the Peak, The shado"
Kong Is never liberated from the shadow OF the
IN the Very same way that the Peak affects the
| inhabitants OF Hong Kong so viii the enormous
| been amassed i'm the country viii bear down upon
| the aspiration Of Americans. Freedom from this
shadow depends alone upon the attitude with which
youth. the only means Of maintaining the liberty OF
| our forefathers, is belief in God, true healthy
! religious instinct, which alone can preserve the
| Americans from the shadow and burden OF ma
| DO not be dcuded into the material viewpoint
OF life Do not forsake the idealistic for the prac-
tocratic in thought-thnk the best things be aris-
tocratc in manner-do the best things; he aris.o-
democratic in sympa thies-love every fellow man.
no matter how humble. and be democratic In your
! lows.
| In closing I wish to remind you that you have
finished course in A great system OF public
public schools are the forthcations OF the nation
! Stand ever ready TO protect them. hope that II
| ever creed. policies or demagogue malign the sys
| TEN. you will rise as man in their cause
After the service. in explaining what he had
| said about Mr. Carnegie's gifts. Mr.. Grant said
| that he had been sctuatcd by feeling against
| Mr.. Carnegie personally. My statements" he
| said, were brought forth by the feeling that
| such gifts Mr.. Carnegie's have tendency 10
! undermine the Independent spirit of the people.
| Here we have the spectacle of the citizens OF a
[ great city-one of the richest cities in the world
: standing calmly by and watching the city
treasury being robbed by politicians and their
| friends. and then those citizens who have
watched the Iooting of the treasury go down on
! their knees and fawningly accept a gift Of
| millions for public libraries
| A public library should be built by the people
| The money that is taken from the city treasury
should build the Libraries. Every taxpayer who
| goes into the building should be able TO say to
| himself. My money paid for part of this My
| self and my fellow citizens paid for all of it"
Across the face of that building should be in
| scrbed. Built by the people, and not the name
| of any man.
| When l spoke of the Scotland universities I
! meant that the gift of Mr.. Carnegie to them is
10 pay the tuition fees of the students. The
| students have not asked 10 have their tuition
| fees paid. They do not want them paid. They
| prefer to earn their university education"