Why do you feel sad about the fact that an individual who values science is "privately funding" a great publication? surely you don't object to private wealth and/or activity?

Being dependent on the whim of a wealthy individual is saddening.

Could one be, instead, appreciative of and grateful to the considered, generous decision of that individual? how do you think he would respond to someone expressing one kind of feeling or the other?

I assume that he became a multibillionaire in part by not troubling himself with the opinions of nobodies.

Why do you think that I'm not? Lol

Would it be any less saddening to depend on the whim of an uneducated, innumerate and manipulable mob?

Better would be the considered preferences of an educated numerated mobs.

Please don't put opinions in other people's mouths. Not everyone believes that extreme levels of wealth controlled by one individual is good.