, 1881-10-11
THE L1BRARY BUILDING OF THE FUTURE.
Tim fI0n ri Of lfricfl1rn nf tia Ilnfiifo Ii.

lrnry have ttbne well lit not acting hastily
upon TIM report ot: tho committee to whom
WIS referred tic ttiatter Of Il future library
building anl In taking tl,ag 10 consider tho
,.latter Tile fateof tho memorial proposI.
tDr which las ttlgil Of innnlttol,, was sll!fi-
ciont warning, especially NJ the library Ques-
tfon wus involved in the memorial. Thc
memorial was to have been erected by a
general popular substitution, and it was
assumed that tho moment It was announced
every ole, INN, woman, mud child. would
rush lMto It, a,ld that demonstration OH tic
anniversary Of the tlro would Elye MI I'M
pulse to the movement that wuall carry It
ol, 10 success, The sentiment was aIl well
enough, and tho proposition was nil well
enough mud very glltterlng OIL tic sur
face: but, without discussing the ca,scs
Ut the fnilurc, tho thing didn't work.
People don't seem to care anything
about tic fire. nnd tho further away
they got from II tho less disposed tt,8y
nro to remember It, rs Is tic case il, ail other
ca!amites. They nre not pleasant things
TO remember Or celebrate. Tho nnnfscr~
sary went by altl no 0l,u took heed
of It except TnE CHICAGO Ttn1nuSE,
whtcl, supplied, rs It always does, the
grcnt popular, memorial tfemas,d wttl, its rp-
lOsRAl edition devoted to the ten years growth
of tho city, alMl TINT was nil tic celebration
tho pcuulo wanted. Having failrtl to do any
Thing IN cooperation With tho memorial
movement, Tic Library Committee NOW pro-
p0so to 90 atonp, mil havu suggested to tho
boar.l That contributions be solicited, TINT
mn ndtlress be issuud to tho peop!e settling
forth the objects to be attained, that tho
wards Of tho city hB cn!aynsseA by agents,
Tint subscription boxes be openrd III public
p!accs, ptc., etc. Mr., Loowcnt!lal, In his
continent upon tho roport, very sensl6ly
satl TINT It was putting tic curt before
the horse, md TINT people would not
glyu money without first knowing wl,at tho
building was going to bo like, mid whore 1t
Was gong to be located. MIR. Loewpntl,al
might ',aya gono still further and bcen cor
rect II ha had taken tlle position that tho
horse will hover bo llarilcsseA to tho curt,
either before It Or beilind It. at. tho saint
time, 1t IL NIL we'll Gl.UMgll to go al,cnd with
tho subscription, for whatever thoy procure
| will bo so .ltucll In, but II tho bonrsl count
upon a,,y argo sum, or fanoy tl!at tue wl,oio
public IL golng to enthusiastically tatIy
| round the contrlbutlon-hoxes, tlloy will lind
themselves mistaken. 'rhdy mny put box
Oh every building al,d n callyasser In eyery
l,elgl.b0rllood, but boxes and cai,yassers will
not erect tho library building.
| Thuro are bnt two ways Ut putting up such
q building: one OF them by tho excrefsa Of
faith, aud the other upon sound aud practical
business principles. The first, Or tho fatt'
| pIan, IL by lugaey. On the rcrEoto con
tlugcl,cy ttat aono wealthy ,nun SHOULD tlte
Rrd leave sufficient to batiA It ws lnlght
tayo library bn!!t,lng-providctl his heirs
lid not break tho will. hut talis plan ln
wolves q degree Ut fattl. wIicl, would move
nil the mountains tn Tho world, the wost
ttaclt, anu all the PLANETARY systems. TIL
other plum Is the 0nly practical one. and tl,a
Is, for the Library Board to persuatlo tn
Council 10 levy special tax. say ot $500, QUO
lEstttLutcd over perloA Ut tl,reu years, III.
Tux 10 bc paid by the whole peoplo pro ratl
III proportion to the genural tax leyy, aud th'
sum to be devoted to tho building. Th,
would amount to $685. ,lsA per A,ll,,,lM, q sun
50 snlal! that it wou!tl not bo' felt Dy any
body. In this way the widow woult
pay her mlte md tho MillloMatEcs tilair plies
Tho pub,ic-Hpirltea man would have tile co1a
sciousless Of lolng what he wants to aslt
Tic sttngy man Of doing what he ought Il
10. The whole people would haye all Inter
est III the building, II pride III 1t, a,'u yoIc'
III It's administration. Such Il building
placed upon central site, like tho old City
Hall lot. for Instance, would mot only he 81
ornament OF which citizens might bu proud