The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-04-09
The Public Library.

The report presented by the President of
the Portland Institute and Public Library at
the animal meeting, Monday, is of general
interest. The condition of the institution is
in many respects satisfactory, but it is still
sadly wanting in many of the requisites of a
good public library. The deficiencies are
quietly set forth in the report, and though
no distinct recommendations are made and
no requests preferred, the illusions to the
aid rendered by other cities less wealthy and
less populous than Portland to their libraries
indicate very clearly the opinions and wishes
of the directors.
The directors have certainly carried along
the institution as we'll as could be done un-
der the limitations imposed upon them. 1t
is not, they will readily acknowledge, as
good library as town of the wealth and
general culture and aspirations of Portland
ought to support. The pecuniary aid given
it by the city is small, and as long as it is de-
pendent upon subscriptions it must necessa-
rily pay more attention to fiction aud light
literature in general than to works of solid
worth and enduring interest. The directors
have done the best they could under the cir
cumstances, and while endeavoring, as is
their duty, to please the patrons of the Lii
brary, have managed to devote considera-
bic portion of the funds at their disposal to
the purchase of reference books and STAN
dard works. While supplying present call
they have kept the real objects of public
library in mind, and so conducted the insti-
tuition that it may easily and with compara-
lively small outlay become a store-house of
information to which anyone in seach of
printed information can confidently turn.
Certainly as soon as the financial condition
of the city will permit the expense a liberal
appropriation should annually be made for
the support and increase of the Library, so
that it shall no longer be dependent for rev.
enues upon the contributions of novel-read-
ers.
THE new Governor General of Canada is
not having very enjoyable time in his in
tercourse with the Dominion Parliament.
He finds the people he has come out to gov
elm very much inclined 10 manage their own
affairs. The removal of Lieutenant Govern
or Letellier was so strongly demanded that
Sir John A. Macdonald was forced to inti-
mate to the Marquis that it would be wise to
let him 60. But His Excellency very dutifuI-
ly replied that he would see what the Home
Government had to say about it. The his
ses which created the announcement were,
no doubt surprise to the Queens son.in-
law, but they showed unmistakably how lit
tie our Northern neighbors relish the inter-
ference of Downing street in their affairs.
There is much excitement in the Dominion,
and the Premier is openly charged with hay
ing acted in bad faith. 1t is held that he
should have insisted on the removal, and re-
signed if his wishes were not compiled with.
The Governor General is now in the unpeas-
ant position of resisting the suggestions OF
his Cabinet and the demand of large por-
ton of the House of Commons. The peo-
pie across the line are evidently in no mood
to be trifed with, and these agitations will
certainly not bind them closer to England.