The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-12-01

the great world has been bettered just a
little. This much is sure: against
such riches no bar will be found at the
gates of paradise"
Thus in the limited time available, /
have tried to give hint of the charac-
ter of man we received this handsome
donation from. Thus as he says is to be
solved the problem of the rich and the
poor, the laws of accumulation to be
left free and the laws of distribution
free. Thus is life sweet and virtue pos
sible.
Thinking over this life last winter and
| of its beneficence toward my home city,
the question arose, "Is there no way in
which we can appropriately show to Mr..
Carnegie simething of the gratitude and
appreciation that we feel toward him."
To Mr.. Carnegie, as to all to good men
| and women, virtue is its own reward,
''the JOY is in the doing" So far as
he is concerned, there is little that we
can do for him. Every thing that money
can buy he has at command. After
considering the matter it occurred to me
that nothing more appropriate could
be done than to set up in this hand
<some building durable picture of the
generous donor done in the best pos
sible way. SO | wrote to Mr.. Carnegie
asking him if he would be willing to sit
for an artist friend of mine with the
view of my presenting an oil portrait
of him to be suitably exhibited in this
building, to the end that not only we
but coming generations of our peo-
pie may be reminded of the personal
of him who had been so generous with
us. | assured him that is should be
known that he had nothing to do with
originating the idea or furnishing the
means for carrying it out. With char
acteristic brevity, he sent back word,
"Send on your friend
So | sent word to my friend, Mr..
Freeman Thorpe of Washington, one OF
the foremost portrait artists of the
countrywide has painted from life per-
haps more distinguished Americans than
an other artist in the country, including
Presidents Grant, Garfield and McI<in-
ley, Speakers Blaine, Henderson, Can
non and others-to call at Mr. Carnegie's
home on Fifth Avenue, New York, and
make the painting. Mr.. Thorpe was III
New York at the time painting some
portraits and he promptly went to Mr..
In due season the painting was complet
ed. As is his habit in relation to all
things which he has to do, Mr.. Car
negie was much interested in the prog
ress of the picture and on its completion
congratulated Mr.. Trorpe very warmly.
employed Mr.. Thorpe to select for it
in New York suitable frame.
And now, Mr. President and gentle
men of the Mankato Library Board, it
affords me unfeigned pleasure to pre-
sent to this library an oil painting of
our generous benefactor, Andrew Car
negie, who, in his Gospel of Wealth."
has enunciated doctrine affecting hui
man conduct only less potent for good
than those of the Gentle Nazarene, a
doctrine indeed which is essentially a
modern adaptation of the doctrine. of
him who came to bring peace on
earth, among men good WILL
The picture was unveiled, two large
flags that had concealed it behind their
folds being drawn apart Applause fol-
| lowed as the glance of the audience fell
upon the well known features of Mr..
Carnegie.
John C. Noe offered the following reso
lutions, seconded by C. f. Wise:
That our distinguished congressman,
James Thompson McCleary, should of
his own volition, and without any sug
gestion of this board, or any of its
| SoiuoC W NC Pe'iiiIOu o'iiu Wis
evening formally presented to the public
library, the truly admirable portrait of
Andrew Carnege-of whose iiberality
this beautiful building is a continued
lasting reminders a matter of great
qualification to all the members of this
board, and desiring to place on record
some evidence of our appreciation of the
gift, we, the board of directors on our
own behalf, and on behalf of the en-
tire community, and the patrons of the
library, do
Resolve, That we hereby extend to
the donor of this excellent portrait our
heartfelt thanks for the thoughtful
proof of his continued interest in the Ii
brary and its usefulness, shown by his
generous gift of this portrait;
Resolved, That we gladly assail our
selves of the opportunity to extend our
thanks to Mr.. McCleary for his success
full efforts in interesting Mr.. Carnegie in
our library, leading him to donate the
generous sum with which the building