Morning journal and courier., 1884-05-30
Committee on Public Library.

Committee on Public Library.
 Hearing m the AIdermen's Chamber POstponement Of Solicitations Agreed Upon Election and RGrd Times the Cause.-The Work to be ReAumed Next Fall.
 A meeting of the committee on public I library was held in the AIdermen's chamber | last evening, His Honor Mayor Lewis pre- siding and n. Attwater Barnes acting as sec | retary.
 l Previous to the meeting of the general committee the committee of thirteen held l meeting in the Mayors office and adopted the 1 following resolution:
 Inasmuch as tAsebest friends of the library project, from whom not only encouragement, but substantial aid is expected, advise the | postponement of the public solicitation. this 1 committee hereby recommend postponement \ subject to call, and that the organization of ! the general committee meanwhile be held l intact.
 When the committee of thirteen reported l the resolution to the general committee \ Alderman Barker explained why the com
 mittee had reached their conclusion. He 1 said it was evident that the coming centen-
 niai celebration and the presidential election 1 and the staenation in business which would this as ia all presidential years probably fol- | low appeared to make it necessary that this 1 action should be taken. He said there was no l stronger friend of the public library than I himself, but if delay was necessary, as it ! appeared to him, then he must sacrifice his personal feelings. T.ox hnn nhf ho mi. hnd l reached conclusion after mature delibera- l tion that was wise He said that he would be ever ready to devote his time in the interest of public library whene yer it shoald seem best that this much needed beneficiary should be pushed to conclusion.
 Alderman Benton said: That we are right there is no doubt. But whether we had bet ter go ahead at present am undecided. It seems to me that we had better wait a while. B. s. Wheeler said: The stoppage of this public discussion did not stop the scheme for public library. He thought if delay was had until after the summer months it would be better. A presidential election is com- ing; times may be dull and would it not be well to wait six months or year longer. Eli Whitney, jr., agreed that it were well to postpone this matter. He thought there would be no abatement of interest when the subject came up again.
 R. P. Oowles said that when thirteen men favored 8 postponement of this matter he should probably agree with them, although
 he regretted to do so. He said hs could not see that the city was in such terribly de- pressed condition. He suggested that the
 committee of thirteen keep this thing intact
 until next spring and then renew the matter as ain.
 T. Attwater Barnes thought if solicitations do fohI rfh h,1HSr might be obtained, but after further con-
 sideration he had thought that perhaps it
 would be better to let the matter go over.
 Alexander Foote thought it would be well to let the matter go over for one year, say May or June, 1885. .- Lawyer Hamilton urged that solicitors keep in mind that the subject of public H-
 brary was not dead; but that it would be
 brought up again at no distant day.
 s. Harrison Wagner thought the matter should not go over later than next fall, say October or November, when the committee
 could meet and again renew their labors for the success of the library.
 A. W. Minor said he regretted the commit
 tee had reached their decision, although per-
 haps it WAS necessary under the circumstan ces. He advertised 8 meeting of the con-
 mittee early in the fall.
 Principal Camp, of the Dwight school, said
 he was in favor of the public library, yet under the circumstances he did not know
 but that it was hest to defer the solicitation
 of funds unAif next fall. .
 Maier Zunder said he hoped the public li-
 brary enterprise would succeed, but yet he
 would not under the circumstances object to @ postponement until next October
 Alderman Barker said there was no doubt but that times were dull in the various man.
 ufacturing interests and there was no gues- tion but that there should be delay in push ing this matter.
 John 0. Gallagher, president of the Board of Councilmen, said that as we were about entering upon presidential contest and the country was to be in a state of commotion for many months, he thought it would be better to postpone the matter until next fall.
 Mir. Burton, principal of the Washington school, took similar view to those who had previously spoken, as did also Aide rman Townsend.
 Deputy Collector Kellar said that he thought under all the circumstances an ad- journment should be had, but he would be ready at any time to cooperate with any committee in the furtherence of the objects of free public library. On motion of R. P. Cowles it was voted that the adjournment of the committee be until the first Tuesday of October next.
 Major Edward c. Beecher offered a reso- lution that the sub b-committee will continue their organization intact, and they will not flag in their interest until their work is acA complished and 8 free public library secured. This was made part of the first resolution and as amended it was passed. The com- mittee then adjourned.