The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-05

personal element Is submerged In
highly developed investigations, and
the human being behind the philan-
throplc machine Is frequently lost to
sight. Mrs. RUSSELL SAGE, thanks to
her salient personality and her eager
interest in subjects of widely differ
ing natures, escaped this unsatisfnc-
tory fate and remained until the day
Of her death a striking and impress
sive figure In New York life, unob-
scured by the engine Of distribution
through which some of her good
works were accomplished.
The creations for classifying, In
vestlgating and weighing the appeals
for aid that reach the rich through
many devious channels are unques-
tionably necessary IL worthy causes
are to be helped and unworthy beg
CARS are to be kept from absorbing
all the benefits that come from the
charltably inclined. In some cases
the mechanism becomes overelabo-
rate and the cost of apportionlng the
fund Is excessive. But the worldwide
giving that for years has character
lied American philanthropists could
not be accomplished without some
such mediums Of intercourse. Conse-
quently we have the endowed funds
and foundations, some with restricted
objects, some with general purposes.
OF these the Peabody educational
fund may be taken rs typical, al
though the founders Of many of them
make no provision, as Mr.. PEABODY
did, for the extinction of the trust,
Large perpetual endowments for
which Government control Is not pro-
vlded are heartily opposed as against
public policy by many intelligent citi-
zens. The possibility Of selfish, anti
social management Of great sums Of
money after the personal supervision
Of the founder Of trust and his
friends have passed away is never
absent from the minds of great num-
bers Of students Of this complex and
difficult subject.
l& Mrs. SkGE's generosity took on a
picturesque aspect when she first en-
tered on the management of her for
tune, largely because of its authors
VIGOROUSLY parsimonious personal
habits. Mr.. SAGE accumulated the
money, and what he accumulated he
saved, and his practices brought him
no remorse. even though they sub
jected him to such slashing on
slaughts as the examination con-
Quoted by Mr.. CHoArE in the Laid
law case. Actually Mrs. SAGE had
been a regular contributor to worthy
causes before her husbands death.
but of these benefactione, as Of many
in the later period Of her life, the
public remained uniformed.
The Sage Foundation. with its am
bilious programme, represents one
side Of Mrs SAGE's attractive nature,
but only one. In 1t the great instl-
tuition Of research, education and 30
cial betterment is fairly illustrated.
But smaller enterprises in which she
engaged give a more attractive pic
ture of her fine sense Of what might
be Of value to her fellows. The res
toration Of the Governors Room in
City Hall was work inspired by
artistic spirit and enlightened civic
zeal which bore fruit quickly in the
installation generally throughout the
interior Of that beautiful and his
toric structure Of fittings appropriate
to Its design and as nearly as posi-
| Bile reproducing Its original state. The
people Of New York should see to 1t
that in the future greed and igno-
rance and the whims Of passing ad-
ministrations are not permitted to
undo the excellent work Mrs. SAGE
carried out and inspired in this noble
building. Its preservation Outwardly
and inwarlly in its present state will
be worthy monument to her puDfc
spirit and discerning mind.
The mile Of rhododendrons given by
Mrs. SAGE for the adornment Of Cen.
trial Park revealed her In. charac ter-
istic attitude toward favorite object
Of her interest. The impulse behind
the gift was peculiarly appropriate
the park received much attention from
Mrs SAGE, and her thought was to In
crease its attractiveneSs for the mill
ions to whom Its beauties are an in,
splra ton and treat. The discourag G.
ing fact that among those millions
were not few so selfish as deliber.
ately to destroy, in so far as they
could, this child Of her fancy, has
often aroused comment. Thus all OF
US suffer because Of the misdeeds Of a
few. tolerated by our laziness in moi
Furnishing the wrongdoers.
Mrs SAGE never got over being q
schoolmlstress She remained to the
last splendid type Of that fine
womanhood that has given and is Civ
ing so much to America through the
channels Of education, public and pri
vate. Her talks to school children
were based on good sense Informed
by wide experience and illuminated
by penetrating intellect. Where car
be found better advice for boys ant
girls, men and women, the obscure ant
the powerful, than this?