The Morris County chronicle., 1902-09-05
ELIZABETH TO RECEIVE
Sl5O,OOO LIBRARY.
Plans and Elevations Show Structure Well
Adapted for Purpose.


to His Fellow Citizens-True Pa
triotism Shown by Love of County
Doing ones Best the Real Test of
of Manhood.
The plans and elevations of the $780,
600 library which Congressman Charles
N. Fowler has offered to give to the city
of Elizabeth were placed on exhibition
in the window of the United Electric
Company of New Jersey, 217 Broad
street, Saturday morning. One set con-
sists of an elevation and plans by Carrere
and Hastings, of New York, and there
is an elevation by Ackerman and Ross,
of New York, the architects for the new
court house.
The following communication in the
Elizabeth Journal of the Both ult. gives
the history of Mr.. Fowler's offer, and
answer the many stories that have been
in circulation concerning it :
Editor Journal hope you will give
blC 1OlIOWlllS RldCC III
the columns of your paper
To the citizens of Elizabeth-Were /
not the nominee of great party for
public office, / should take no notice of
the Misrepresentation which are con-
stantly being made, with studied design
and malicious intent, concerning my
purposes and plans for public library.
Bur duty as such nominee compels me
to call attention to certain facts, lest
! possibly the party to which / belong
may suffer in some slight degree be-
cause such mistatements are be-
lieved by those who honestly desire to
know the truth.
If these misrepresentation were di-
rected against me personally and were
not made for political purposes solely,
time would dissipate all false rumors,
and the realization of my desires would
justify my course in the judgement of
all home lovers and fairminded citizens
of Elizabeth.
shall not say anything about what
has been DONE SO far as actual progress
has been made in the purchase of pro-
perty and oveltures to the city.
However, word may be permissible
with regard to the object of the pur-
posed building, and my purpose with
relation to it.
Very soon after the election of Presi-
dent Mckinley in 1896, confident that
should soon be able to supply. in some
slight degree, what the city of Elizabeth
so greatly needed, public library, | be-
gan to study the subject of location and
consider our needs. After the fullest
deliberation became convinced that no
plot of ground so fully met all the de-
sired ends as that lying between North
Broad street and Westminster avenue,
and fronting on Prince street. And in
this judgment | was confirmed by the
opinions of a few friends whom | had
taken into my confidence.
Many varying and conflicting thoughts
had to be weighed and balanced before
| could satisfy my mind just where the
building should stand. This settled,
took precautionary steps to protect the
property and then extended my thoughts
along the line of library requirements
from new point of view, SO far as | am
aware, and tried. to reconcile the use of
such public building with the grea test
possible good and pleasure to the young
people of our city, as well as store
house for books.
The longer and more medtated upon
the subject, the wider grew the horizon
of its splendid possibilities lor good and
what had thought in the outset could
be accomplished for forty or fifty thou
sand dollars, has grown and grown in
scope until | am sure that just the right
thing cannot be done for less than about
l$125. 900, which, with the land, will
make the property cost about $150,00O,
for the support of which $12, 900 is the
very minimum if the people are to de-
rive a maximum of benefit from the in
stitution.
1t has come to my attention already
: that there are those who are remarking,
''why doesn't Mr.. Fowler give the
money to support the library%
This reminds me of an incident that
occurred when a gentleman received the
present of horse. He expressed his sp-
probation of the gift, and then pro-
ceeded to ask the giver whether he
would not also provide the oats to feed
the animal.
But such a suggestion carried with II
something more than brutal rudeness, as
it contravenes the usual practice and
every sound thought upon the subject
President Roosevelt used the follow
ing language, the other day, at Els
worth, Maine and refer to it as most
pertinent and apt in replying to this
suggestion:
IF man will submit to being car
ried, that is sufficient to show that he is
not worth carrying. In the long run tie
only kind of help that really avails is
the help that teaches man to help him
self. Such help every man who has
been blessed in life should give to those
who are less fortunate, and such help
can be accepted with entire self-reSpect.
This meets with my hearty assent, only
adding that if the public spirit of the
city OF Elizabeth will not maintain such
an institution as is proposed, when ii
once becomes able to do so. it would be
far better that it be not built
am one of those who believe that
no man or woman has any right 10 be q
loafeP or parasite on the social body
and what is true of the individual is
equally true of communities, states and
nations.
To each of us is given certain talents
and powers, as a sacred trust by our
i Creator; and he is the best man and the
] best citizen who is the best trustee oE
such resources. To one it is giyeN to
achieve success in meutal work. AN
other, in the exercise of physical powegS
while upon all rests the sacred W9iga,
ton of doing the very best v sreveE
duty calls.
Nor does our trusteeship ebd when
we have by most ar6uous toll and segt-
sacrifice, paid enormous dividends upon