New-York tribune., 1905-11-19
CARNEGIE LAUDS POVERTY
FAILS TO MAKE Girl.
Does Not Respond to Plea at round
ers' Dag Dinner.

The General Society of Mechanics e't"
men of the City of New-York made piea - o.
drew, C,arnaeia last night for few thousand or
several thousand or few hundred tnousahu uoi
lars. or anything he chose TO give anu Nii -.
negie dallied with their hopes IN q t"eny t ,a1a.
sreecb and three times raised them TO the hisnest
pitch of expectation before he sat oo"h VIZ
few heartfelt words of thanks for their ateehtioh'
but never hint at gifts to come nearer than i0o
years hence. He did say after referring TO VIA
he was pleased to call the little that ne mao uo0
for the society in the past (merely giving u So''
that 'if he were prophet, If he could venture 10
call himself prophet land his hearers VINO iiau
listened to that almost prayer for money, sat Win
open mouths and straining ears. waiting ~siuhs
for the fateful Words. If he could take upon nm
self that role "a glass dropped from neFVeiess
hand and shivered upon the hoor), he would ven
ture to say that $50 years from new the society
history would record more glorious deeos fhan
the last hundred years had
The occasion was the annual celebration OF
Founders Day of the society, yesterday being tne
120th anniversary There about three hum
dred persons. equally divided. among men and
women present in the large banquet hall at
Delmonico.'s. The was decorated with
American flags and Mr. Carnegie sat beneath
a festoon OF flags held together by a large
shield. With him at the speakers table were w T.
Strauch the chairman president OF the society;
Dr. J. G. Schurman. president OF Cornell University:
A c. Humphreys president of Stevens Institute;
Robert c. Ogden, John E. Parsons. Henry NJ Mac
Cracken, president of the University Of New-York;
John NJ. Finley, president Of the College OF the
City of New-York; Charles NJ. Pratt, president OF
Pratt Institute: J. L. Buttenwieser, president OF
the Hebrew Institute of Technology; Ralph NJ.
Easley, Edward Lyman Bill, John c. Freund.
Joseph J. Little, ex-president of the society. who
was POSTMASTER for the evening; John r. Van
Wormer the Rev C. P. Fagnani. president of
Union Theological Seminary the Rev. DR.. Donald
Sage Mackay and Professor Louis Rouiilion.
Facing the speakers table table for women.
the leading among whom was Mrs Carnegie.
who, with Mr.. Carnegie, was the guest OF the
society for the evening. With her at the table were
Mrs. L. c. Carnegie, Mrs. Mackay, Mrs. Hum
phreys Mrs MacCracken Mrs. Strauch, Mrs. Pratt,
Mrs. Finley Mrs. Buttenwieser. Mrs. Fagnani and
Mrs. EasIey. Mrs. Carnegie was the most simply
dressed of all the women present. She wore a
white dress with jewels. and her hair was
brushed straight back from her forehead.
The first speaker was President Strauch, who re-
viewed the history of the society. recalling with
emphasis the gifts Of Mr.. Carnegie, and presented
Mr. Little as the POSTMASTER. Mr.. Little made
the real plea to Mr.. Carnegie for further benefac-
tons
When Mr.. Carnegie the bandsstruck up For
He's Jolly Good Fellow and the sdiners rose and
sang Mr. Carnegie was visibly affected He
told with beamlng countenance how he had
advised that the s41S,000 of the Franklin fund
be expended in Boston such work as the Me-
chanics and Tradesmen's Society had done in this
city, and he would duplicate the fund He paused,
with hand outstretehed benignantly, and his audi
ence waited with baited breath But he proceeded
to tell how his grandfather made shoes. And.
he said. Il would rather have that record behind
me than twenty worthless dukes He continued:
Fifteen years ago this very night. on the 18th
day of November, Mrs. Carnegie and I attended
just such banquet as we do tonight We heard
just such recital we have heard tonight, and
I, of course swept away. Can /, said to
myself. do such thing this? Can L hope to do
snch work in the world
Mr. Carnegies face spoke volumes, and his
hearers waited again in sitting silence for the
syIables come.
..I hope he said, Others here tonight viii be
converted in the same manner" r.
There long, united sigh. and Mr. Carnegie
continued:
No heritage is SO valuable to be born in pow
erty and compelled to labor early age. Abol-
ish poverty! Abolish wealth, ratheri Thank God,
that the poor be always with us. for 1t is
them that the foundations Of democracy rest.
Mr.. Carnegie gathered his coattails In his hands
and seemed about to sit down But he hesitated
and Strengthened himself again But. in conclu-
sion," he said, 'I want to say" He paused Il
have to say Once more he waited thoughtfuly.
And then he made his prophecy.