New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-11
ruF LIBRARY or CONGRESS.

r1oro soop,s reason to hope that Congress
will during its present session find tune 10 hi'lNe
odeouote provision for It's library. senator
Morrill, has brought forward his bill OF last Sea-
sion and il has been made the special order Tor
nevt Tuesday. In introducing the measure the
Senator made an explanatory statement show
ing the facts of the situation. There Is not
shelf-room for more than one half the books
and pamphlets on hand at present; there are no
reading-rooms, map-rooms, or even proper
offices for the librarian and his assistants. And
to crown ALL the building in which the BOOKS
are kept is not GrepIOOf, and this invaluable
collection of over half a million books Is con-
stantly in danger of destruction. 1t seems
hardly credible that Congress, after creating
the machinery by which the library has been
made. and which inSures its steady enlarge
ment. and at the same time gives to the cohec-
ton n, unigue value and interest, should nave
so obstinately neglected the measure which Its
own initial action rendered Indispensable. In
point of fact, it brought the child into the
world. vet il has ever since refused to PROVIDE
for and rear it. Congressman ought to see that
their past indifference to the fate of the Library
of Congress Is not at all crcditable to their
intelligence for even though the majority OF
them NAV possess but slender acquaintance
with literature, all of them should be aware
that this library possesses strictly cohhercI'i
Importance by reason of its being the sole rc-
pository of all contemporaneous puohca''ohs
which are entered for copyright.
The uses of such library are, OF course, VAR
Gus. When properly arranged and classlled II
will no doubt prove valuable to Congress ltselI'
Int il should be the aim and pride OF that body
IN make it 4 great National collection lit to
ronl, not unworthily with the noble puoIlc
libraries of England and France and Austria
and Germany and Italy. That, however, may
he hoped for in the future. AT present the
friends of the library are far less exacting IN
their demands. They require only that 1t shall
be given sufficient house-rOom, and that 1t shall
he protected against fire. The estimates made
nv tbe architect, as stated by Senator NORTH,
call for an expenditure of $2,325,OC0 for a
buildina caDable of housing one million volumes.
This would probably be large enough ior the
next ten years, and as the original plan oil the
building contemplates subsequent adullonS'
new alcoves can be constructed as faSt as inc
Growth of the collection calls for them. Inc
sum required is not large when the Importance
of the object is considered and we are Satis-
fed that the American people will not glumOle
at such an expenditure. All that seems neces-
sary further is proper examination by competent
persons, that is by persons familiar with library
buildings, of the architects plans, for 1t womb
not do to commit the blunder of sacrificing IN
ternal accommodation to external show, as has
sometimes been DONE Such precautions being
4oI-o, tha hill OUGHT to Dass Congress without
needless delay, for in any case considerable
time must elapse before the library can Dc
properly and safely housed.