The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-08-28
CLAUDE DOESN'T LIKE CARNEGIE

Claude LEngle's Dixie hands out the
following warm one concerning Jack
sonviile's Carnegie library. The article
was written by Chas. f. Jones:
November 4. 1902, the electors of
Jacksonville voted on the proposition
TO accept the offer OF Andrew Carnegie
TO donate a public library building 10
the city. The ordinance calling the
election stipulated that the city should
raise by taxing its citizens $1,000 an
nually to maintain this memorial to
the man who obtained mis- enormous
wealth by starving his workmen, and
having many OF them shot down in
cold blood when they arose TO claim
their rights.
These men, frenzied by ragged chill
dren and restitution, demanded living
wages. and the Homestead riots with
their brutal butchery followed.
But that is another story.
some Jacksonville men wanted to
perpetuate the memory of this man,
and his proposition was accepted, the
vote being $40 for and s25 against.
This was the result OF an active cam
paign on the part Of those favorable
TO a Carnegie library, and the utter
lack OF activity on the part of the OPP
position.
after the acceptance by the people
of the proposition, on the expressed
condition that only $1,000 be expended
annually in maintaining this institu-
ton, the same city council that passed
the ordinance carrying this provision
passed another ordinance the follow
ing January which provided for nine
Co. ,hro o,I !, foh aIc
prescribed that said trustees should
incur certain expenses to be paid by
the city. But in this ordinance the
limit was left out The people were
deceived in accepting the proposition.
They were told that the annual ex-
pense should not exceed $4,000, and yet
the budget for the present year shows
an expenditure of $15,499 for it's
maintenance.
There is nothing to prevent the
trustees from mourning an expenditure
annually of $4,000 or more.
There are thousands of people here
who have never entered this mem
oriar to the steal king. I am con-
WINGED that. aside from giving few
= jobs and honorable positions to some
citizens. the whole 'shebang' amt
worth the five, let alone the fifteen.
II made my first visit to this library
a few days ago. / spent two hours
there. and eight white people entered
during that time, and three negroes
were also there enjoying Andrew Car
negie's philanthropy.
"Of the whites one came to inquire
the way to the court house and four
were boys, one of whom was looking
for sporting dope
THE lingerie that gowned the three
ladies who came convinced me that
they were abundantly able to pay foI
all the books they desired.
1.-The health authorities have pla-
carded the town giving warnings
against expectorating on the sidewalk
This Is good movement DR.. Terry
the city health officer. has raised
sand about the flies and says that one
of these insects can carry about 90O,.
100000 germs Il think this is the exac
fgure).
well, IL one measly little fly will
suction feet can carry so many germs
public circulating library book in
the hands of a careless and unsanitary
Afro American-we call 'em that wher
they get to visiting Mr.. Carnegie's H.
brary-ought to do ten times as much
devilment as a thousand flies.
ANY white man can carry books int
homes where there are contagious dis.
eases, and not one word is said abou
these educated germs which are jus
as dangerous as those common one:
scattered by flies.
1.-THE library is being supported b!
the taxpayers to 'memOrize' one of thu
greatest 'scoundrels Of finance tina
ever cursed the earth. 1t is costing
three times much the people
agreed to pay for it. and there is moth
ing to prevent an expenditure ten time:
larger than the amount named in thu
ordinance calling for the election helt
November 4th, 1902
cit seems to me that the proper
course to pursue is for the city council
to hold this library expenditure to thu
original amount. If the trustees hav,
q right to exceed this one cent, the!
have a right to exceed it a hundred
thousand dollars. 1t is time to call
halt"
The Star agrees with the astut
Claude in most things. but he has over
looked a few points in his denunciatiol
OF the Laird of Skibo.
The Homestead strikers were not s.
badly paid. A table of their wage
published at the time of their strik
showed that their labor was better re
Enumerated than that of similar work
men elsewhere in the country. The,
were receiving from $3.50 up to IS an
$40 day. and the scale of living wa
lower by 80 or 40 per cent in 1892 thai
1t is now.
The Homestead workmen were suf
ficiently we'll paid to equip themselve
with Winchester rifles and a generou
supply of ammunition, which they be
slowed most prodigally upon the Pink
erton detectives who were trying t
guard Mr.. Carnegie's works.
Also, Dixie is wrong about Carne
gie's hirelings shooting down tn
striking worknfen. 1t was the othe
way about. The Homestead WORKINGS
struck not so much on the question o
wages, as for the recognition of thei
union. Mr.. Carnegie was in Scotlan
at the time. and it has often been sal
by many we'll acquainted with hir
that had he been at home the strik
would not have occurred. III. c. Frici
Carnegie's manager. refused to trea
with the workmen and the works wer
shut down. Frick tried to send a de
0aehment of Pinkerton men into tn