The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-01-09
WASHINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Gift Of MI. Carnegie Formally Dedl-
Gated Before Great Throns of Not
able People.

Washington, January IA c%oncourse
Of notable personages assembled this
afternoon to attend the ceremonies in
cident to the dedication of the WASH
ington public library. In the audito-
rum of the new library-a handsome
white marble structure located en
Mount Vernon square and donated TO
the people of the national capital by
Andrew Carnegie-the dedication GER
emonies were held.
The participants in the exercises in
Guided the president Of the United
States, Mr.. Carnegie, the doncr Of tie
building and the presidents of the
building commission end the board of
library trustees. Among those who
the ceremonies were members
Of the cabinet, members of the Senata
and the house of representatives, and
people prominent in civil and political
life throughout the United States. AT
ter prayer by Bishop Satterlee, Presi-
dent Roosevelt was introduced.
The president said that h counted
himself fortunate in attending the L.
brarY dedication ceremonies, i'll some
respects as representing the people Of
the United States. to express his CRATE
full appreciation of the wisdom of Mr..
Carnegie in presenting a magnificent
free library to Washington. He be-
lieved that a man ought to consider
himself as thrice blessed who m ght
use his wealth for the benefit of the
whole people. The common school sys-
tenn. of course. lies at the foundation
of education. but it was only the foun-
dation. The enormous majority of
American citizens must, of necessity.
educate themselves. Such a library as
that donated by Mr.. Carnegie would be
helpful, because it presented a way by
following which the people might edI-
cate themselves. No philanthropjc
work was really valuable except SUCH
as enables the individual to hello him
self.
Every man needed help-needed the
chance TO show the stuff that was in
him. The free library afforded mn
the opportunity to eQualiZe oppOrtunt-
ties n left it to each one TO show
whether he would take advantage %
those that were offered to him.. The
opportunity offered by this free libra
ry was equally far from the two primo
vices of human nature-hardnPsS IF
heart and softness Of head" He said
that he had attended the exercises. be-
cause he felt hat to secure self train
ing was of such Importance that the
president Of the United States could
not be present on an occasion of great
er moment. He concluded with an eX-
preston of his thanks to Mr.. Carnegie
for his splendid gift to the people of the
national capitol.
The building was then formally turn
| ed over to the library commission, and
Mr.. Carnegie made an address. He
said:
Free libraries maintained by the
| people are cradles OF democracy and
their spread can never fail to extend
and strengthen the democratic idea,
the equality Of the citizen. and royalty
to man. They are emphatically fruits
of the true American ideal"
Mr.. Carnegie a that he had given,
cheerfully within the past two years.
100 library buildings. During the
month of July last 276 applications for
library buildings were received by him
from all parts of the neutrality-suspicious.
world. When he arrived in New York
last month from Europe he found
awaiting him applications for $50 addl-
tional buildings. Today he has on
hand 1856 new applications, making IN
all under considerat ton now more than
500. 18th great majority of which," he
said, will, no doubt, be given"