The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-01-11
SUNDAY, JANUARY II, 1908.
THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY.

THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY.
The Caucasian will admit that it is,
at times. unSentimental, cold-hl0oded
perhaps in it's view OF questions and
measures which affect the public, and
being free and unrammeled. gives ex-
preston to its views in its own peculiar
style. Yet, at times. its sympathy may
he as tender and as gentle as that of
woman. Since the defeat of the PROPOSE
ton to vote special tax in aid of the
Carnegie library rich men and cap
italistS have been criticised IN lndehn-
lite terms because they contributed to
the defeat Of the tax. The critics have
not viewed the question practically, and
it may be said that the tax would not
have been defeated if the Caucasian's
editor had not pointed out to several of
his friends the objections against the
Carnegie proposition. As sensible. prac-
ticable men the objections were consid
cred i'll a conservative spirit and the
result is historical Instead of being
criticised. the gentlemen who contr-
hutcd to the defeat of the Carnegie
proposition should be commended
On this score we reproduce from The
Harlequin, published in New Orleans.
the following:
SPLENDInl.Y INSANE
You splendid insane. yciept The
Central Socialist Club of Louisiana
Throw away the quarter-million dol
lar gift of Carnegie! -.@-..
Mark you, III this vast den of thieves
wherein the honest shiver in cold cor
ners; on this brave earth from which
departing none returns to tell us there
is aught besides: here, on this solid
sphere where abide forever hunger and
want. cold and heat, sickness and death,
side by side with all the rosy hand
fnaidens of JOY, here who shall say may
to expediency and be adjudged' entirely
sane?
You splendid lunaticsi Harbingers,
advance couriers, heralds of a turmoil
and a hell which are yet to make this
blessed country exceeding hot. mad re-
membrancers of even-handed justice,
don't You know. sirs. that when man
has reduced man to the perjury of beg
ging, it is ill-manners in the beggar to
spurn and despise the aims.
n What though the libraries which dot
the country everywhere proelainling
The benevolence and perpetuating the
fame of Carnegie be iilAreality the tears
of toll the sweat Of despoi1ed Labor
glistening under the fair sun---it is
some return to some body The libraries
themselves. God be praised. are wholly
good and true; sanctuaries of the intel
lect:: and it boots little who paid for it.
Some day these same libraries will con-
tain an account OF the Homestead
strikes some day some splendid Amer
lean Carlyle, grand in the august glory
of truth. shall recount the American
Revolution. the unseating Of special
privileges and Of The kings and nobility
who sat upon these special privileges
and this grand man, handing down to
the ages a trtte account of this little arc
III the cycle. will mention one of the
first symptoms, one Of the advance har-
bingers Of the revolution, the Home
stead riots. Did you ever note the NAL.
evolent irony Of nomenclature? Hone-
sfedd'--What splendid keynote for
the music of history that is making and
yet to be written!
You splendid madmen! Mad as the
noblenlen Of the AK. the field and the
forest who stood around gigantic
Washington Ye know not what ye do.
Remembering the Homestead riots, the
armor plate scandals and other acts of
Mr. Carnegie and his partners we hold
that il would be an infamy to perpetuate
the name Of Mr.. Carnegie incur midst.
and that il is impossible for the city of
New Orleans to accept the gift without
dishonoring its manhood and without
i
lending its aid to the army of the
wrong
You gentle Romans! Know you, how
wrong you arei You know not what
you do.
Listen and be forever silent!
The Picayune in its issue of .Janu-
airy /. first page. fourth column, says
that Carnegie is the worlds greatesi
public benefactor. That from our great,
vibrant, vital autocrat Of morals. piety
and pure sanctity should seal the mat
ter.
That is The Harleauin's view and
here is the caucasian's: One great OBJ
lection to the proposed Carnegie library
was that it had string attachment. in