Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-15
THE CONGRESSIONAL L,aRARY.
The Proposed New Building.
THE SUBJECT BEFORE THE JOINT CONGRESSIONAL
COMMlTTEE-THE QUESTION OF SITE, ETC.

THE SUBJECT BEFORE THE JOINT CONGRESSIONAL
C0MMITTEE-THE QUESTION OF SITE, ETC.
The recommittal of the new library bill by the
House sent that measure back to the joint select
the Congressional library, and not to the regu-
lar library committee, as has been supposed by
some. 1t could not fall into better hands than
those Of the joint select committee. The men,
bers, all Of them, are not only earnest advocates
of a new building, but they are willing workers
in the cause. The Senate members are Messrs.
Voorhees, chairman, Butler, and Morrill,; House
members, Messrs. Rice, of Massachusetts, CHAIR
MANI; Farwell, Humphrey. Geddes and Gibson.
The committee lost no time in getting to work
after the bill was recommitted, and they are now
preparing their report, and will soonb be ready to
submit it to the House. The instructions of the
House will be adhered to. The question of
site Is receiving careful consideration. Lafay-
cite square has been suggested for one; another
suggestion is to locate the library in the vicinity
of the Smithsonian institution and the National
museum. The suggestion, however. which seems
to meet most favor is that the new library shall
occupy the present site of the Baltimore and
Potomac depot; that the depot grounds shall be
vacated by the railroad company and the
library building shall be constructed on that
spot 1t is urged that the railroad company has
had the free use of the ground long enough,
and that, what is more to the point.
THIS SITE WOULD BE
one of the most central and most advantage
that could be selected. The library would be
accessible to the whole people, and conveniently
located for members of Congress. The COM
nittee are anxious to get something done at
this session. They appreciate the great import
ance OF getting an appropriation this winter for
new building. While the matter of providing
proper accommodation for the library stands still
members of Congress should remember that the
accumulation of books never stands still. 1t is
mistake to say, as has been said by some. sub
stantially. that Congress owes nothing to the
American people in the direction of literature
ana art. since it was by its own legislation,
dating back many years that it eXacted copies
OF every book. periodical. engraving and musi-
cal composition protected by copyright, for pre-
servation i'll the national archives. Congress
got national liabrary by it's own act The
library has grown to magnificent proportions.
and all that is lacking is building adapted to
its uses and cOmmodious enough to make all
the contents available. The vast collection
piled up in that part Of the Capitol set apart for
the Congressional library belongs to the nation.
1T is representative of the literary, dramatic.
musical and artistic genius of the American
people. There is piled up In heaps
UNDER LOCK AND KEY
an assemblage of engravings, photographs and
maps which would fill the existing library from
end to end if any attempt were made to exhibit
them. These productions of graphic art are lit
orally buried from view and utterly useless so
long as Congress negIects to provide room for
their proper arrangement and exhibition. These
vast and valuable Accommodations. under the
copyright law, have not cost the government
one dollar. while their value. if computed in
dollars and cents extending as they do to
many hundreds of thousands of copies and vol
umes, would astonsh the public, as very few
have any idea of the rich stores gathered
through the silent and inexpensive operation of
the copyright laws.
Letter of William =. Wood to Lieut..
EcklOff.
WASHINGTON, Dec. IA. Ecklof. Lieu
tenant of Police-in-charge Of Metropolitan De-
tectlves-jSr:-I notice I'm the National Repui-
hcdn OF this date a paragraph in which you are
reported as stating my having become bond for
O'Leary and Murphy, and had aided in the es-
cape OF criminals. As all bonds should be of
record In some court, and your failure to furnish
the reporter with the date or the court before
whom such bond was executed, it becomes a
questionable assertion, especially as l have no
knowledge of ever having given bond for
O'Leary or Murphy, or either with any conDec-
ton OF the monte business, and never bonded
for OLeary under any charge; have known
Murphy from boyhood. He is native Of Wash
ington; his parentage. kindred, and their asso-
ciates are as respectable and conscientious as
yours ever We're. fully expected detective in
situations when | undertook to save Murphy
and OLeary from the penitentary, and to save
them have undertaken to aid i'm the exposures
OF the practices Of professional thieves and de-
tectives, the details of which are expressed I'm a
communication over my signature dated No
VemDer ID, 1882. addressed to John W. ThOmp-
son, esq, president of the Metropolitan bank of
this city. Commissioner West has been furn-
ished with copy. desire that he will permit
you to peruse it.
You appear to take some official pride in
causing the arrest of the youth, fhe son of Dr.
HanlltOn), boy untutOred in crime who was
sacrificed and sent to the penitentiary solely
to shield the Metropolitan detective force OF
Washington. two of whom received a mart of
the money fieeced from the Canadian at Airing
ton, OF which Ol.eary truthfully states that $50
was counted out at saloon near the Baltimore
and Ohio depot, which the detectives received
as their share
In undertaking the exposure Of the associa-
ton of the Washington detective force with
professional thieves, and their protection of the
latter. knew the undertaking would be very
troublesome, the greatest regret (personaD of
the undertaking was because believe there was
at least one good man who went on the force an
whatever decentralization has befallen him is the
result OF association with an imported vapabond
from Baltimore named Flinders, whom the de-
tectives know has repeatedly invited profess
slonal thieves from other cities to ply their yo-
cation in Washington-the various professional
robberles which has occurred in this CITY since
you have had charge of the detective force,
during which time no arrests of professional
thieves has been made, and no returns of the
proceeds of the robberies, except through COM
promise through Flinders, will be matter for
you TO explain very soon. l am fully satisfied
that much of this thleving and detective infamy
is the results of your incompetency.
When you discover the fact that / am not on
trial, but yourself and the detectives associated
with you, you will comprehend that all the anti
tude you possess will be required to prevent
your disgrace.
You should know that when a court accents
any citizen as sufficient bond, whether for sena-
tor or thief that is all the law requires as it is the
of every citizen to bond for him whom he
chooses, and am unfamiliar with any American
law that excludes this right from any citizen.
The motive for such expressions as appears in
your printed statement is easy of comprehension.
but it establishes neither your truthfulness, sim
cerlty or honesty.
have purposely written this tauntingly and