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

|
Gospel of Wealth.
"The main consideration should be
to help those who will help themselves;
to provide part of the means by which
those who desire to improve may do
so; to give to those who desire to rise
the aids by which they may rise; to as
sist, but rarely or never to do all. Ne-
Their the individual nor the race is i'm
proved by almsgiving."
In his Gospel of Wealth. Mr.. Car
negie discusses the three modes in
which surplus wealth can be disposed
Of leaving it to ones family, bequeath-
ing it at ones death for public purposes,
and administering it by its possessors
themselves during their lives. The first
and second are the usual ways, the first
being the most common. The above
arrangement gives Mr.. Carnegie's idea of
the order of their merit, the least meri
torious being the first. In discussing the
first mode, he says: "Why should men
leave great fortunes to their children?
If this is done from affection, is it
not misguided affection?" In discussing
the second mode he says: at is impos-
sible to eXtol any man greatly for sim
ply leaving what he cannot take with
him." 1t is the third mode which Mr..
Carnegie breaches and practices.
Last Saturday was Mr.. Carnegie's
birthday One of the newspapers of that
day in making suitable comment on his
life and works said that of his enormous
wealth he has already ''distributed'
$3.50, 100000 OF this sum this commune
ty is beneficiary to the extent of $780,
900, the amount donated to this city
for the erection of this library building.
The erection of public library buildings
is one of the favorite methods of Mr..
Carnegie in administering or distribut-
ing his wealth. AS he tells us himself
in a brief autobiography:
at is, no doubt, possible that my own
personal experience may have led me
to value free library beyond all other
forms of benefcience. When I was a
working boy in Pittsburg, Colonel An
derson of Allegheny name [ can never
speak without feelings of devotional
gratitude opened his little library of
four hundred books to boys. Every
Saturday afternoon he was in attend
ance at his house to exchange books.
know the intense longing with which
the arrival of Saturday was awaited,
that new book might be had
Surprising that instead of providing
this library building, Mr.. Carnegie had
sent the money here to be distributed by
responsible people among the worthy
poor. OF our $4,000 people in round
numbers, say that 500 could be consid-
cred in such a distribution. They would
have received an average of $50 each.
How long would it have lasted and how
much real good would have been ac-
complished? Probably quite as much
harm as good would have resulted.
But consider the benefaction actually
extended. Mr.. Carnegie gave to this
community $4,000 to be used in erect
ing a library building, on condition that
the community would through it's prop
er officers, the city council, bind itself
to furnish a suitable site and provide
for maintenance a sum annually equal
to ten per cent of the donation. The
community has been helped without be-
ing pauperized. He furnished the build
ing, but we have the privilege of fur
nishing for ourselves and our children
and our children's children the mainten-
ance. We have been weakened but
strengthened as a community. Within
these walls are collected 10000 volumes,
carefully selected, for the information,
inspiration, and entertainment of old
and young in this community. Here,
no matter how poor we may be in this
worlds goods, we are afforded opportun-
Iity to keep company with the chosen
and the best of all ages and nations.
Writing of Mr.. Carnegies benefactions
in this line of public libraries, Colonel
David Banks Sickles, author of Leaves
of the Lotos," well says:
Who gives the best to man gives most
to God,
And deeds benefcient inspired by noble
minds
GLADDEN. the world and add new joys to
heaven.
So with exalted aim and grand design.
He caused the streams from fortune
golden fount
To flow throughout the land he loved
so well,
That all might know the blessings and
the bliss
Of knowledge boundless as the eternal
A matchmaking revenue of thought.
H. II 81 for