The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-06-01

tons were threshed out and Atlanta
moved steadily forward. For a long
time we had a Young Mems Library
founded by private enterprise. Later
this was merged into a Carnegie Ii
brary. / am not informed well enough
about Mr.. CRrnegie's exact methods
or business. and could not, as some
are quick to do. say that he has made
ii rightly or not, in every respect. l
suspect he has made II just like folks
in general, by a little Of every kind OF
way.
/ am unable to answer the charge
that it has been wrung from widows
same trouble with that charge is, as
Josh Billings said about many things
like 1t, 1T is better not to know so
many things than to know so many
things that are not So" / remember a
few years ago reading a magazine ar
ticle giving some OF the Christmas
methods of Carnegie. in which he re-
membered all OF his workers rather
handsomely and pictures of his shops
high plane on which he conducted his
affairs, and 1t was stated that when
other men were striking and discon-
tented that his men and their families
were happy in his service, and salts
fed. If it suits them it suits me. l
know nothing else about It, But sup
pose he has not been a saint in bust
ness. Suppose he has been just an
ordinary man. and made mistakes,
even as you and I? Suppose some
earthinesS clings to his Golfers, still,
for the sake of argument and logic, is
1t tainted money? What is tainted
money? Often 1t means faint yours
and faint mine" What makes the
faint?
1t seems to me the motive with
which a man uses that which is hon.
estly his makes it clean or unclean.
Surely, the motive OF making libraries
for the education of future populations
Is not bad motive. Bad men do not
build Libraries, or lead in peace con-
crosses.
Then If we get righteous case of
nausea over Carnegie's tainted"
money where will we draw the liner
Whom shall we appoint over the con-
tribution box, and the public treasury
to censor every penny? And by what
kind Of scales will he weigh the coin
to see if 1t comes up to the right
standard of holiness?
What will we do about the school
books and the school houses and the
teaching which are all paid for by
revenue from saloon, and brothel, and
gambler, who pay taxes that these
other things may be kept up? Gentle
men, are not some of us IN danger of
a great big case of "straining at a
gate and swallowing a sawmill?"
1t is really good to hear of such
consctences as those who prick up at
tainted money, if it means anything,
but look at it. Does 1t bear scrutiny?
1t would almost sound as II a voice
were speaking from the heavens to-
day, saying Cleanse first that which
is within the cup and platter, that the
outside of them may be clean also"
But as to other things.
In a seaport there are apt to be
stragglers and unemployed, and ad-
venturers. This is true to some ex-
tent of all seaports. Seaports are apt
to get the driftwood from all over the
world. Many Of these would not work
II they had to, perhaps. This kind Of
an idle populace is a menace and de-
moralizing agency to any city. The
influence is badly every way. This
does not need to be argued. But,
perhaps, there are other people who
are born here, have no other place to
go, who would work in NILS or fac
tories. / believe 1t is found that the
cotton mills do not prosper in low
latitudes where labor from the lower
country districts must be depended
upon. It requires the hill country and
hill population. But there are some
lines which can be done here. As the
city grows 1t will naturally grow in
this respect. The commercial organi-