The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-11-09
Our Library.

.'Let not the spirit Of EmporiaA grow
proud, !" and tempt him to sing . jubilant
TIE Deum over our mills, our railroads,
cur schools, our newspapers, our Senator /,
our prospects and our churches, lest ne
be called upon to chant doleful mIserere
oven our sidewalks, our saloons, and sour
library" The last mentioned evil Is
Sufficient to furnish the theme for strain
"sadder than owl songs" Can it be that
our saloons flourish at the expense Of our
library and other improvements? Three
years ago the library WAS in large, pleas
ant room. neatly and tastefully furnished,
cared for faithfully by gentlenanly IL
brsrian. Net . licensed saloon In the
place. Now there are FIVE IF the lat
ter, and doubt II any Of them is 30 cheer
less and gloomy as the frowsly, ugly, dis
NAL looking room containing our city IT,
brGrv. Half the shelves are occupied by
histories, biographies. religious works,
etc., arranged in dusty, and orderly
rows. Their bindings unworn by usage,
and such names as Bancroft, Hume, Pres
colt, Irving and Spurgeon. staring with
reproachful brightness at those who pass
found on the adjoining shelves. On those
latter shelves is q perfect '1Oila Podrida"
Of literature. The dignified and erudIte
Macauiey is nearest neIEhbor to that in
Eensely Overwrought fiction writer, Miss
Evans. The practical, scientific Agass IL
tete-a-tet0 with ''Ouida,'' who should be
banished from every library accessible to
any body. Orpheus Kerr, that whim
steal and reckless perverter Of orthogrs-
ply, hOb-nobs with the stately savant
Thos. Carlyle, and many more equally
ludicrous illustrations of the homogeneous
arrangement ~ Of these books might be
given. Furthermore, the library Is in
debt, how much I know not, but pre-
sums that the - bank does. The
shameful condition Of our library does not
necessarily cast ref1scLIon upon its Off
cers--lf 1t has any-but upon US, the citi-
zens who have tacitIy refused TO aid an
encourage their efforts to make IL pleas
ure and profit, elevating our me tai and
moral standard, aud retaining in our own
town or county at least portion of the
hundreds CT dollars yearly carried
away from it by the pFo2rIetOrs Of second
rate theaters, cireuses, cock-fghts, horse
races, etc.
The most stringent laws are naught but
mere words written on paper until they
are enforced. The most inspired elo.
quonce, like the subject matter that Ham
let read. IL mere swords, words, words''
unless it inspires to deeds. Why invite
temperance lecturers here and not pre-
pare to co-operte with themf--for even
should the moderate drinker, the tippleT
and the bessotted drunksrd be induced
to sign the pledge and wear the blue rib
boa, how long would he hold cut against
the Establishments of q saloon, il there
were no other pleasant room where they
might meet for social intercourse or enter
tainment. If Christian temperance pe0-
pie cannot provide as comfortable and
profitable rooms for the amusement of the
youth who roam their streets, or the stran.
ger within their gates, as the followers Of
the two greatest devils out Of purgatory-
mammon and drunkenness-whyi insult
the great apostles of reform by asking
them to waste their time, elcquence and
logic on US.
Let US arouse from our lethargy TO 8
saving repentance and rescue the youth
the needless and the tempted ones from
the faDgs Of the despoiler, and gather
them into the safe folds Of a heartfelt and
homelIke christianity. II.