Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-01-31
CARNEGIE ON GIVING.
Philanthropist Considers 1t a
Real Task.
BUSINESS EASY IN COMPARISON.

Mere Holiday Making c~ontrnsteG
with Present work He Said In a
speech IT Dedication of Library
Given to Washfnaton-Prefers Not
to re Distracted by Hearing Of Hu-
manity's woes and Weeds
With President Roosevelt and many
public men present. the new public IL
brary. Andrew C~arnegie's gift to Wash-
ington. has just been formally dedi-
Gated. says the New York World. The
house Of representatives adjourned in
order that its members might witness
the dedication.
Perhaps happiest of al was Mr.. Car
negle himself. who came over to make
the principal speech at the dedicatory
exercises and to see for the first time
the MAGNIFICENT building.
Mr.. Carnegie expressed himself az
greatly pleased with the constructed
aud arrangement Of the building, de,
clariug that it was one or the best he
had seen.
1T was my desire not to be present. "
he said, 'but the request Of those who
have labored so long and successfully
to, establish this library could not, and
l concluded should not, be resisted. 1t
is so little to give money to a good
cause, and there an end; so grand to
give thought and time. The difference
should always be accumulated between
the man who merely gives of his sur
plus and him who gives himself.
II shall not descant upon the advan-
tages OF the free library, but this seems
an opportuEe occasion TO explain just
what the free library business
upon which / have embarked.
"Seven hundred library building have
been given, chiefly within the last two
years, most of which are built or under
construction. During July last 276 ap-
plications for library buildings were re-
ceiyed from various parts of the Eng
lish speaking world. all of which were
or are being dealt with. Upon arrival
in New York last month we found over
$50 additional applications from the
United States and Canada.
We have today 3S5 new applications
on hand. Thus there are under consid-
Grafton today more than 800 applica-
tons, the great majority of which will
no doubt be given.
"As long as communities are willing,
as you are in Washington, to maintain
a library from the proceeds of taxation
as part of the city's educational sys-
tenn, so long / intend to labor in that
vineyard, keeping myself free as posi-
BILE from hearing of the woes and
wants of humanity in general, to
which. if l listened, | would soon be-
come unfit for my special work, which,
I think. is best of all.
''This is not charity, this is not
philanthropy-it is the people them
selves helping themselves by taxing
themselves. They owe no nan anything
of moment.
THE submerged tenth, which in the
census we designate as dclinquents, do
not appear to be properly the objects OF
private beneficence. They should be
the care of the state. The habitual
criminal, drinker, loafer, needing the
necessaries of human life should be
cared for, being human, by the state,
town or community as a whole, and
some day when we have gone further
in the path of general civilization,
though these will still be clothed, fed,
housed, nursed, educated and reformed
as far as possible, they will be isolated
from their fellows as unworthy to
wear the revered name of father or the
holier name of mother.
81 rejoice for my part that | have
found a field which still occupies nay
thought and time and keeps me. al
though retired from business, as busy
n man. I think, as ever was in bust.
ness, which always was more of Il rec
reation than Il burden. 1t was easy
compared with the life | now lead
mere holiday making in comparison.
Verify, the way of the distributor is
hard.
81 dread the coming of the day when
| shall have to look out for new fields
for distribution. for we have now sys-
tematized library giving. 1t will be a
great plunge. Between 400 and 500 let
tiers a day o reach my secretaries,
and most of them also promptly reach
the waste baskets.
"a man who has surplus wealth and
escapes making a fool Of himself once
a week or so in view of all the tempta-
lions he has to resist and all the foolish
things he is urged to do, should be con
sidered above the average in wisdom"
In his speech President Roosevelt
said that Mr.. Carnegie's gift was the
best possible method of helping people
to educate themselves.