New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-05
Sr1rLnN. HOrSE LLER4RLEN.

STfTTON-HOC Use LIBRARIES.
That fine advantages of some such inStitu-
lion rs the Free Circulating Library should be
placed within easy reach of all the people OF
the CITY. and especially of the classes who
stand in greatest need Of bcnignant influences
of this sort, cannot I've questioned. Mayor
Grace has shown his appreciation OF TINS lac'
by declaring that there should be a branch
Office of the library in every police preclnr'
and in yesterdays TRIBUNE Mr.. NaE makes
the supplementary suggest N that the citY
might furnish desll-IOOm Tor the distribution
of reading matter at each staton-lou't. hat
is there improper or impractica3lc III Suth
scheme The idea of The city rs mAmci-
pllity, cooperating with voluntary as'ocIl-
tions Of citizens for some educational, bcheNO-
lent or rcfornatoTy purpose Is not . novelty,
The ChilIren's Aid Society Is IN example oi
this twofold system. Tie two great museums
are now legally established and working OF
this basis. There are evident reasons why
any broadly progressive scheme for promoting
and preserving the public health, mental
moral or physical. is safer r not intru'ed
exclusively to the effort and control OF
voluntary sGndtory comm son. SucA
institutions need u more Stable Foundation than
precaliouS charity. On the other haad, ~ The
entire responsibility for any gc1t work rests
upon the city ii may .aii into tIt ho.d' ci
Ignorance, Indifference or brutal sriii>1r'>S.
The only useful purpose which .hr Park Board
is now serving is the unint"uio1H md r.
mote one of exhibiting isr.f a. au awful cN-
annie in this direc ION. I'm rlrrrr" ,n.S dIai
maua gc,uent has resulted in no G"2llpcNs or
conflicts, bat on the contrary has worked Wei.
I'm the ease Of ia, muse ms, for eNImpie, when
the municipal authorities have proved made
ouate or Inefficient thrtrustec, Aa}' come to the
rescue 1t is conceivable that the time may
come when Board of Trustees viii he so
constituted personally IS 30 exert less com
mandns influence. and il tbs case we may be
allowed 10 hope that the civic branch of the
management will prove equal to the nccessi-
ties of the situation. While the spheres of
activity of the two executive forces are Suf-
fciently distinct 10 prevent collision in every
day administration, they are 80 constituted rs
to he mutually helpful.
of course the municipal machinery should
only bc used to aid a movement which is i'm
portant and worthy. But beyond dispute
he Free Circulating Library Is Ill
every way commendablc and of the widest
and most far-rcaching utility. Again, civic aid
should only be extended to movement whose
promoters have demonstrated their energy,
devotion. discretion and efficiency. But no
one can read the last Free Library report
without being convinced that the trustees and
officers deserve the highest praise. Il is enough
TO know that each book IN the library has been
circulated seventeen times; that, although
given ont to any properly identified
resident OF the city, only one book has
been lost for every H. $40 read; that 9,GO5
persons have availcd Themselves Of the
PRIVILEGES of the rtading-rOom and that the
most wholesome mental food has been given to
those that need it mo5t-yonug persons,
namely, between the ages Of fouHccn ANA
| twenty years. From This showing it
would seem hardly possible That any liDerliity
! Of the ciy in this direct .un VculG b. abused.
| The only question is how cln the city render
the most prompt and efficient assistance;
and the stat0n-hou,r plan, if NJ FL practical lc,
manifestly affords an opportunity fox immcdi-
ate and economical support.
The fact that rcpusiyr ideas suggestions Of
crime and punishment and distress are the
only one, now associated with statiOu-hou-r
ought not Of itself TO condemn the scheme,
but on the contrary should commend it. IL
Is time that the law should be regarded "a
something higher than a protection against
violence. A policeman ought to represent
something more and better than brute force
to be welded against burglars and murderers.
He restores the lost child to its parents, points
out the way to the bewildcred stranger, he is
helpful III a thousand ways, and he ought
to protect and warn against thou
sand dangers ard discOmfortS as well rs
| brighten away the assaults Of the criminal
classes The otatiou-hou>e. then, ought to bc
tue symbol OF something higher than sheer re-
| preston. There is no re- son Why il should not
| he the typical centre of order and propriety
| aud gentcness. II may be that in some stations
no accommodation could be made for read
| ing room. a case of books. or even Tor a dis
tributing desl, connected with central library.
But most ass,redIy Il station-housc should bc
the very last place in the city where AT certain
| hours of the day the work of furnishing the
| people of a given district with healthfai read
| ing would he out OF harmony with its puIpo-",
| its management, or its surroundings.
ICE-CUTTERS QUAEREL&.