New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-27
SOCIAL SCIENCE.
CnnrInued from telrsr Page.

tucns for the care Of paupers NewYork has adopted
in substance the rude methods prevailing IN Ens joi
support counties or tOUns tolthosI gefetW
ten. have We'll ARRANGED system Of pauper establish.
ments on an inelhgble principle oil cIlssc"tUd con-
sequent suffering and moral degradation There u n
marked distinction between NeW'1 OIK anu CO.. IN
hand, and the rest OF the sa'e on
the other with respect the care OF paupers so has
they may be considered separately Asa senert hom~h
there is no local interest In the care o o pO' otber
The people may be pu6lcsPi re the In oou EtnS
directions The funds are IaiSeu r an are often
by Boards of supervisors WI, WIZ exnenditures
pledged by their constituents TO Keep e1peniHI aoo1
at the lowest possible rate ana VINO IAN VI i 90
where more liberal views are aGse l TbeTe are no
RanZatOn Of this pauper system Is CBa S.ta
lions to interest themselves IN the ADMINISTRATOR VI
affairs. Much good might 6e done IL ts ~ S st IN
each County an intelligent commission composed lh part
odmedca men who shall gratuitOusly and report
annay 10 the Boards OF Supervisors and OF state car
ties. better course however Is to enable the eIae
participate IN the management OF the County 81
az to secure by central authority, certain degree od
comfort and convenience with reserved poweI III
of persistent delinquency ny the local ~
the necessary expenditures upon inc county;
The physical and moral evils resulting from the present
system very great and the only nope OF opI le
in total change. We must deinanu ooinplee
removal Of the and dioc TO proper homes WORK
for the abebodied division Of the se9es ana SuaI e
lust Of brutal companions lh ae O oSeT hand
demand the most favorable notice In the County
Of NewYOrk the charities are placed under bOaru -!
s 1 and pSrcaSriy to Mr.
Bowsn But n some cases ventilation imperfect, and
msy s be 6S exercised G N distributing outdoor relief
and the Bureau for unemployed labor does NOT Iny an
missiOners Of Emigration perform WORK OF
Hnemployed, but it may be doubted whether too many
Abe6oded men are not supported IN inns Guy 1uI h e
hoard OF Heaitris desirable particularly in relation to
number OF persons In tenement houses ana lhe re-
sSsed With vi ysw The city institutions oT
the care Of children committed by the inagtsu%1es T
abandoned,
ucuaTy to the juvenile asylum ana 10 the UI o
hnse IsoTs we're received in some detail greatly
praised for originality, economy ana eIholehey'
Prof Dwight was succeeded by A. r. spofford Libra
ran OF Congress, who read long ana very instructive
and interesting paper on the
PUBLIC LIBRARIES OF THE UNITED STATES.
While library in America has yetreached DoOVO vol
umes, there than twenty in Europe II we may
put faith In statistics, which have passed that nSuFe'
The advantages OF great libraries, in their centu
ries OF collection the invention Of printing are
enormous and as regards the earlier literature, cannot
be overcome The first books dedicated TO public use
in this country were given through the virginia
Company of London to the college established in Var
ginia But books and college both persisted two years
later and Harvard College at Cambridge belongs the
honor OF establishing the first American library which
has survived This was in 1888; and though totally
destroyed by fire 1884, the library sprang into renewed
life and now ranks fourth among our most valuable
libraries great and welchOsen library is mcrocosm
of the an encyclopedia lhdV u kIO"ui
from the earliest recorded history to the events or dis
coyeres of to-day made to the losses 70
history and literature constantly occurring from the con
agratons Of libraries. and the only remedy structures
VITA freproOf interiors pointed out The complaint
rife quarters. that have too many books IN
libraries was keeny analysed and shown TO he unfounded
American scholars ana writers are eontlnuay uINeh
eiay IS t&s true OF historical and literary
Interesting sketches gwen OF The history aud char
Of the largest American libraries, whose con
tents stand as follows IN 1863
]. LibElry 81 Coagre Washington. l83Gy9
3 Aston Ilbr'ry, $4,000
Harvard Col se LbTsry Sa%Or0se' d asgS
PtiaasS1sa iaSrsly Co P6ate phia.... ...... 5000
SeT 1SIk - it Idly Y,f 81 SG
10 College Library New Haven.............. 5000
The summary OF the condition of the Library Of Con
CTess concluded with the suggestion that two things
yet needed TO complete ITS usefulness both to the
il has been butt aD and sustained First The completion
tnow almost accOmplished OF its printed catalogue OF
treasures and secondly TO be thrown open 10 read
during the evening as well as during the hours Of
business It's value 10 the class employed in
the public service would thereby be incidentally in
creased; snd II Washington IS ever TO become awning
more than an mslgnlLcant cry, u should present
every reasonable privilege and attraction both
the f' power Of Of" the Government to afford
The history Of the Astor Library founded by beqnest
1884 had been made too familiar by repeated publication
to need repetition The generous founder gave two per
cent out II his fortune Of S2OOOOOO TO create public
library for the city which had given him all his wealth
The gift splendid one greater than had before
been glyen in money to found library. Moreover the
100000 Mr. As0r p years appeared 10 be. and
OF to-day. Itt It remains true that the be;
the donor, and that the growth and even
the proper accommodation OF the library must have
The prncps inicritdr Of his vast Wealth These for
tunatey for New-lOrk have been neither few nor small
II Is considered how noble collection Of books Is
here brought together how many Of the eostest works
every department Of art and science opened freely
for general consultation. how encyclopedia and yet
how select is the Hbriry may seem inydous to sug-
gcst NewYOrk has not yet realized from the AstOr
bcqncst what the terms OF the will would seem 10 de-
lnand"a public library. accessible at all reasonable
times and hours Tor general use Tree OF expense 10 per
OF tins city enjoy IN the Cooper Institute,
through tie wise aud liberal endowment Of private
citizen fcadir groom filed with the best perod
S Si 6 A " Tcn1ri,s Tie aomevbaf stTn1epi
regulations % its only free library the conspicuous
Doubtless these would be Inconvenience and
pense In Throwing open the doors of the Astor Library
during the CyLuug hours when alone II is possible FOR
readers = avail themselves Of It's stores But there
are no difficulties which could readily be suruOunted
certainly none be compared with the existing loss
and deprivation intellectual aid which ~ sustained by
so many. Is thuYg that this great tonpe Of learning
should be permaueutIy isolated from the OF stu
dents well Of general readersf The public regards
with permanent favor those institutions alone which full
nh the ends Of the highest utility; and the just pride
which every NewIOrnr feels IN the AstOr free Library
Is tempered by the sad reelection that 1t is deemed neces
ally half an hour before the sun goes down.
Within week past the great Oequest OF DT James Rush
the Philadelphia Library OF over AOOoOOO has been
accepted by the bare majority OF five votes ~ poll Of
800 stockholders This lack OF harmony Is due TO
The fact that the beQues hammered v the donor with
numerous conditions, deemed by many friends Of the
Library highly oncrOus and yexatOus. The library is
not 10 provide places for mindtaintug reviews con
trOyerSia politics for those teachers Of dlsOnted
of broad aud liberal bequest narrowly bestowed The
idea Of excluding from great public library. |
which Is to become historical, The representa-
tive periodical literature OF the times. Is very |
nconsiderate The greater part OF the published era
tue our day respect elevated above best
daily Journals, whether regards dignity OF subject
breadth OF view elevation Of ann, or excellence OF style
SO for from beng IN any peculiar sense teachers OF d
ointed thinking the newspapers afford to the authors