The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-03-11

to state that several OF the citizens 0i
Cairo poseess very excellent and quite
complete privats libraries, which are Of
great value to themselves and
their personal friends. But to
the members q the Woman's Club
and Library Association 10 accorded the
pleasure and privilege Of placing In the
hands Of the whole community the sida
and advantages to b derived from Q pub.
lie library. ! uss the term, "public IL
brary" advisedly, for, although the en-
terpriss II strictly speaking private one,
established by number Of private indi-
viduals, Il 10 not designsd, nor ever has
been, 70 con1ine in adventages to them
selves. but their efIEts have been from
the beginning, for the general good, and
for the establishment ana maintenance Of
. public library TO afford and encour-
age useful and entertaining reading.
The memkrs Of the Association regret
that they are not able TO term It . tree
library, and Il IL their anesre hope that
sometime IN the future, when the growth
Of our city and the needs Of the popula'
ton shall demand It, that from our hum.
BILE beginaing nav spsing such 9 free
public library 9 may = ssrmsd under 2
Law enacted in ths ssats March III, 1872,
Whcu pfOvS ~ cosssSo sssesss sou
@s1ps e a V jSSsf5l2E -
cities OF iess tim 10000 inhsbi.
tants, by ievyinG tax not ex-
ceeding one nsill ON the dollar,
yearly. The activity manifested In the
short period since the enactment Of the
above law indicates that Illinois will
soon take q high position among the
states that maintain free public libraries
for the benefit Of al the people. Such
legislation carried into effect In our own
CITY will assure Q suitable provision for
the maintenance and free use Of what we
have bad the honor TO establish, and
place In the hands Of the public on pay.
ment Of q small annual subscription to
dsfrsy the necessary expenses Of keeping
the library open. This annual subscrip-
ton has been put ut the lowest figure
possible, that al may have the benedt OF
our books. We are especially anxious
that young people may patronizs the
library, and cultivate taste for literar
ture that will exert Q beneficial influence
over their whole lives. The love Of
knowlodge comes with reading. and
grows upon 1t, and the love Of knowledge
In q young mind il almost Q warrant
against the inferior excitements OF pas
sion and vice. None can fail to recog-
nize the importance Of setting young
persons in the way OF reading the best
books early in life. We cannot begin
too early In life to give them bent to-
wards culture which shall abide BY
them and raise thcm above the work-a-
day world which will demand 20 large Q
share Of their time and strength. No
after effects can accomplish what Is done
with ease early Ia life In the way Of form.
Ing habits. either mental or moral, and
it Will certainly b OF great benefit TO 90
ciety in general, and oar own drestdes In
particular, II w are able TO furnish and
cultivate . tasts for history. biography
aud travel, and In fiction (which al
young minds naturally crave and must
be provided with) the pure and elevated
writings OF Miss Alcott, Mrs.. Whitney
aud Mrs. CTaik, Thomas Hughes and
Charles Dickens, TO supetsede IN tAe
hands Of our young people the miserable,
trashy dime novels, and other exciting.
harmfnl and Vicious literature 81 the
present day. Would that my voice had
the souni Of trumpet that II might
reach the cars OF every boy and girl In
the whols land, as ! beg them never 70
read . book or paper they would Be
or ashamed to haye their mothers
ace, Such books will tall into their hands
sometimes placed there deliberately BY
thoss who Know bettOr, and who should
trembie at the wrong they do innocent
minds |; but thsy arc deadly polson,
whether they quickly destroy, or grad.
usily undertake. moral sensibility. Ply.
sicians versed In the tyeStmspt Of tho1e
nerve centres whose disorder has 70 ri.
armingly increased In late years, have
testified to the euarvatlng Influence oil
the prevalent romantic literature. and
declared il to b. Q fruitful cause Of evil 20
young persons, Fathers and mothers, d.
yeu realize what sort q books, your shlld-
rem ste many Of thsm reading o(tsn-tinnel
BY stealth, to The destruction Of Ill taste
tor pure and healthipl literature and alas
to the destruction also OF their young
souls! Help W, We ask for the sake Of thosl
children, to put into their hands such
books ~ will help You to make Of them
noble and pure men aud women. While
We have had :some drawbacks ard dis
ceuragemsnts, VS. have had many and
great incentives to labor for the
accomplishment Of our desires, and
ell who are present here to-nlghl
In our tasteful and comfort
able room, will Congratulate Us upou
our success. From many friends w
have received substantial tokens Of 70
gard, interest and Encouragement, an(
our grateful thanks now are and eve
shall b theirs. it 10 Q matter OF mucl
regret that the msip body OF the book
Of the library are not here tonight To-
your Inspection. A. you are. doubtless
most OF you, aware, II was decided ate
careful elaboration. guided BY the ex
ample Of the libraries Of Omaha, Evans
vile and Springfield, and other places
and In accordance with advice given Il
the special report OF the public ibraris
Of the United States from Washington
City, to send to Europe tor the greateI
part Of our books, An appropriation Q
$500 has been made for that purpos
| with which we expect TO purchase th
| greater part, II not all, OF the celebrate
Tapchnitz collection Of English author
from the publishing house Of Tauchnit
| 4 Co., Jleipzie. For this amount {
money We can procure about 400 vol
umes, strongly and uniformly bound, {
convenient size, and lettered, which, wit
the several hundred other books Il
GLIDING loans, donations, and 500 wort
Of new American publications., wi
torn . library Of which we shall hav
reason to be proud. Many OF u
large and valuable libraries Of 9TH
places had Tar more humble beginning
For instance, that OF the Philadelp6l
Library company, now numbering ON
LOO. 100 volumes and owning In additie
much valuable property with sever,
thousand dollars out Of Interest, sprsu
from little debating sOciety called 4