Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-08-28
lcommunlcatst.
WOrkingmen's Reading Room and
TfhraRv

Library.
notice in Thursday mornings JoUR.
NAL an editorial stating that the work
ingmen and mechanics Of the city IN
tend to organize reading room and
lyceum, where they can spend their
evenings and improve their minds in
acquiring information. I also saw a
gentleman going around on Thursday
collecting money 10 aid in establishing
such library aud reading room.
The idea o. having place where the
aforementioned class can improve their
minds is certainly praiseworthy ore
Every lover Of intelligence will rejoice
to see the disposition for Improvement
manifested By the mechanics as body.
The carrying ont Of this plan, in some
form, cannot fail to lead TO the moral
and intellectual elayation of all who
avail themselves Of the facilities which
it is proposed to provide.
While / am glad 10 see such q move
ment started, think il would be better
for the mechanics and workingmen 70
take stock in the old Library Association
rather than to institute new library
and reading room. j havsrseveral
reasons for this plan, which win give.
Firstly, it will save expense. In every
we'll appointed library there is g large
number OF standard works without which
. library" so called is no library at all
in the true acceptation OF the tarrn
What would library be without the
works Of Shakespeare, Miltcn, Pope,
Scott, Bulwef, Dickens, MacauIay, Glib
bon, Prescott, Irving, Locke, Hugh Mil.
Ter, Barns, Bancroft, DAubigne, Hal
lam, Byron, Stephens, Humboldt, Agas.
siE, and - on7 A library ought TO have
not merely the latest publications, many
Of which are so attractive; and the cur
rent papers and magazines, which every
intelligent person likes to read as they
are published; but il ought 10 have the
more substantial reading matter fur
nished by the standard prose works, and
il ought also to supplied with the
works Of the greatpoets aud drsmatists,
in order that while the understanding is
cultivated, the imagination may be ele-
waited and eGherializsd, and made to CON
template something besides the bread
and butter, the bacon and cabbage, the
dollars aBd cents of everyday life.
There is an outer life which should re-
ceive its due share of attention; but
there is also aninner life, which, If neg
ieeted, wiH degenerate into foul imagin-
ing, heentiousness, or bestial appetite,
and bring the man from bis high estate
almost to the level Of the uuthinking
animal The old Library Association is
already supplied With the most valuabla
Of the standard works ia prose and
poetry at . great cost Il seems extrav-
| agant to incur an additional expense
when the books are now here in an
established institution.
Secondly, the Library Association al
ready has commodious and pleasant
room fitted up, and stocked with not
only the standard works, but the best of
the current newspaper and magazine
literature. Persons desiring to read at
the Library room will 6Rd clean, light,
quiet, pleasant place to do 90, with an
attentive librarian to furnish the publi-
cations desired. If members wish to
take books home to read, they can do
so, under certain rules necessary in
every properly conducted library. In
these respects, the old Library is as well
regulated aa any one can b2. AS for
the management, if any considerable
number OF MECHANICS and working.
men so calleds it seems to me that
any man who does any kind OF labor
either Of head or hands, say eight, ten,
twelve, or fourteen hours day, is q
workingman1 take stock and desire q
representation on the Board Of Direct.
ors or amongst the officers, they can
readily accomplish their object at the
next election, if not before. There viii
be, / presume, no difficulty in gaining
their full share OF the control of the in
stitution.
Thirdly, should IKE to have what l
am writing of come 90 pass, because
do not like to see anything doneto keeE
mp the spirit of caste and to make differ
ent classes IN community. The inter.
ests of the merchants, manufacturers,
} capitalists, artisans, and "workingmen'
of Evansville are the same, so far as
regards the general welfare. We al
desire to see the people become enlieht
ened, well behaved, and reputable. W.
all wish to see the city become large
and permanently prosperous We like
to see institutions built up that are
credit to the city. Why should W,
separate each class BY itself, like Noah
animals aud birds7 II is better to have
III -oml.u- nr1 -aasnrsr~ 81 &Ls-t
ing men Join in and make the old Ev
ansville Library 6rst-clAss institution
eniirely worthy Of the city, and to keel
: Il so, than 10 have two or more feeble
| lily sustained libraries, liable to die al
any time Of collapse. Let as all JOIN
together as one people-merchants ant
clerks, capitalists and l2borers, manu-
facturers and employees Let us unit
instead of divide. Let Us counterac
! this tendency to disagreement and dis
: Indignation in society, and cultivate tn
: spirit of equality and fraternity. IL
only by doing so that we can build up
, great city, and render the communit
n happy and prosperous
Auxiliary to the objects and plans o
= the Reading Room and Library for th
cultivation OF the intellect, public lee
( lures are designed to be used for III
promotion Of knowledge in our midst
Make the old Association uumerou
and strong in membership, and il ca
!, command every winter the very best @
the lectaring talent of the country
!. Now that the war is over, lecsnrins va
!. come more and more into vogue. an
every city tbs size of this win be hehin
!. the times, ard viii be depriEing itself Z
. a great intsllsctuAl benefit, that fails I
= have public lectures Ii The proper ses
Al &MA ~sM