84 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 
By all these means the Museum did become, in Mr. Jesup’s life time, 
a veritable Mecca for scientific men and societies from all parts of the country, 
and foreign scientists of distinction were its frequent visitors. He labored 
in season and out of season with the authorities of the City and State to 
promote the interests of the Museum, and by the princely bequest of a 
million dollars doubled our endowment fund, which he had labored strenu- 
ously and already contributed generously to create. The debt of gratitude 
which the Museum and the City owe to him can only be repaid by continuing 
his work, and carrying it as near to perfection as the ever-growing domain 
and horizon of science can permit it to go. 
We should be false to him and to our own trust if we allowed the work 
of the Museum to stop where he left it, advanced though that point was. 
Its relations with the city are fixed and permanent. It has grown with the 
growth of the city in the past, and it must continue todo so. Judged by its 
marvelous present development, New York is destined soon to become the 
greatest of the cities of the world. Shall it be content with riches and luxury 
and material strength, or shall it lead, as it ought to lead, its sister cities in 
higher things, in knowledge and culture, in art and science? We and our 
successors can give it that lead, if we will, by promoting with all our might 
the higher objects of such institutions as this and the Museum of Art, and the 
universities, so as to make the higher education and training of men and 
women the leading feature of our civic life. 
I deem it a great privilege in behalf of the donors to present to the Mu- 
seum this fine statue of our beloved and honored President, Morris Ketchum 
Jesup, and am glad that his Honor the Mayor, who by virtue of his office is 
one of our trustees, will accept it on the part of the Board. 
RESPONSE 
By THE HonoraBLeE WILLIAM J. GAYNOR 
Mayor OF THE City or NEw York 
Gentlemen: 
No one can witness this occasion, or go through this great Museum, 
without a feeling of pride in this great city. It and its citizens are constantly 
doing something for the moral and intellectual elevation of the community. 
The good thus done is incalculable. The result is that this is the most 
intelligent, decent and moral large city in the world. But while many 
