New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-31
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS-.
IMPERATIVE NEEDS OF A NEW BUILDING

K
STRONG EFFORTS TO BE MADE TO INDUCE CON
! GRrss TO Acr-A PAMPHLETEEE IN THE FIELD
| IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIDusr.i
w.suIxGToN March 80. The bill for new bullolhs
forthc library of Congress is special order ior con-
sideration by the House Tuesday and IT'S friends
will do their best TO prevent il from being crowded
ont by other business That efforts will be made 10
] that end there is nc doubt Messrs. Randall ana
Holman ere bitterly hostile to the measure
| and 10 their persistent opposition was mHnn9
/ due its defeat in the last Congress Al,
| though more than twO-thirds of the member Vi
( the present House favor the bill, the conan on
| of Legislative business is such that unless ns
friends succeed in obtaining early action the P'o'
poets of its passage will not be good
| A NATIONAL LIBRARY or A MAusoLEpM.
| An elaborate and effective statement OF the con-
dtion and necessities Of the Library appeared yes
| terAav in the form of brochure OF some forty
| punes. entitled "A National Library not Mauso-
| lerna" II is understood that copy of this PAM
| ahlet will he placed in the hands of every Repre-
sentative and it is 10 be hoped that all OF them VIII
| find timeto examine it. The anonymous auth0f
| must have spe ut years in the library about Which
he writes with such keenness and discrimination
He quotes from Mr.. spoltord's report for 1874 the
estimate that III less than twenty years from mat
time the library would contain 100000 volumes
and in fifty years more than l,OoO,oOO volumes
Mr. Spofford's report for 1883 showed that III nine
years the number of books had swelled to 5l3,44l.
NECESSITY OF ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS.
The author presents tables showing the accessions
to the Library under the copyright laws during the
last thirteen years and he quotes from Mr.. Spot
fords reports of the last ten years, in which the
librarian has earnestly sci forth the necessity OF
additional accommodations fo the preservation anu
proper arrangement and classification of the liter
airy treasures of the Government. The library mas
twice been visited by fire. The first time was III
1914 when British General ordered the destrnc-
ton of the "harbor for Yankee books" AT that
time Patrick Magruder, clerk OF the House. was
keeper of the library and he was formally CEN
sured fer criminal neglect and carcessness, an III
vestigation having shown that he received warning
and might have removed the books and papers to
place of safety. Mr.. Magruder resigned his Office
after the vote of censure.
In 1855 the library again suffered by fire, which
DESTROYED tho greater portion of its contents. 1t
is ex posed 90 the same danger now, f0r allhougn
the main rooms are supposed TO be hre-pfOoi
thousands of feet of temporary pine shelving, dIy
as finder have been introduced. and the loft III
which are stored the priceless flies Of American
newspapers, dating back $50 years or more, y not
only not iTe-prOOf, but IL communicates WIN me
main rocG, Of the library proper. And II IRE ,
should break out in the loft it would inevitably
spread 10 the main library and do irreparaDie
iniurv, if il did not wholly destroy the vast
collections gathered at snch expense of time and
money and illustrating tie intellectual grown
and literary activity of America during the last
twenty-five years.
THE INDIFFERENCE OF CONGRESS.
The author of the pamphlet comments upon the
indifference with which Congress has regarded The
warnings ana appeals OF the librarian, as follows:
II impossible 10 read these reports In the light OF ex
perlance without euspeCng that they were deemed ana
he'd tae perfuuc9ry perf0rmanf2 81 duty on me
part the person WHO made thcm Gnd mat the b0y
10 whom Trey addressed received them With
The came careless mccncCT with which squire weston
received the eXhorta,ions - Parson Aworhy, wb0ar-
raiciaa him point Of tbs minor morals. Yet the zen
ing fact the pitn Of the argument Is there, ana II is
backed WITH such energy of renonsrgnce and such si
ceriy If conviction TINT exoration could eiect any
thing the library had been built before now gen
nine interest and pride ~ anything begois care ana
thought that thing. Hence, II body cared anything
for bous ,oud naturally for their housing ana
preservation. This cardinal point has been neglected ny
Con arcss and the country is left 10 draw It's own conc
sons Does Congress then, represent the country Ia 10
attitude toward literature amt sciences Or toward books
which their record ana depository Let the country
answer for that