Wichita eagle., 1890-01-28
THE BAR ASSOCIATION.


to discuss the expediency, desirability and
the means of obtaining an association law
| library. AT o'clock quorum was pres
ent and President E. W. Moore called the
| meeting TO order and stated its object. Mr..
Dean Gordon was absent, suffering from
the fashionable complaint, and Mr.. Rohr-
| baugh acted as secretary pro tenn. Mr..
Eckstein was the first speaker and said he
felt the necessity OF an extensive law
library, available to all members of the
association. He did not like the stock
company plan but thought thata good
library might be started by each member
subscribing stated sum. The payments
might be made in installments, which
would make il easier. He did not like the
idea of each member contributing books
as he aud probably many others had no
books that could be spared
Mr. Douglass was strongly in favor of a
library He thought it ought to be COM
prehensiye at the outset as then il
would interest all the lawyers. He did not
like the cash subscription plan because it
would not furnish sufficient money at the
outset. II fifty lawyers were to contribute
$50 each the amount would only be about
to get the reports of five different states.
He favored each lawyer donating say $50
in books and the duplicates could be ex-
changed with TIE dealers for others that
were needed This work could be done by
a committee appointed for the purpose.
He for one would like to part with a shelf
of books if he knew that by so doing he
could have easy access to fifty sEelYes of
books. He further thought that each
member contributing should be furnished
with certificate Of membership which
could be sold in case the lawyer wanted to
leave the city. The certificate plan would
also give man quid pro quo for his in
vestment. He knew of one lawyer who
preferred to make cash subscription, but
all of these matters could be adj
justed and equalized by
committee appointed for the purpose.
Then yearly fee might be charged atUor-
neys who had neither money or books to
contribute and then all classes could be
accommodated. In all events his idea was
that any plan adopted must be one that
would secure a large library at the outset.
TWAS suggested that in Bloomington a
law library had been started on the plan
of subscribing books aud it had worked
very successfully.
Mr.. Fred Bentley said he thought it was
an inopportune moment to start library
but that if one was started he would do his
share He thought that the English re-
ports should be had. The main objection
to the book plain was that there would
be too many duplicates and the dealers
would take advantage or the situation and
sinch them. He recommended the crea-
ton of library fund which should be al
lowed to increase by interest and subscrlp-
ton until sufficient amount had been Sc
cured to start library. He saw no OBJ
ject in having a library. while one could
borrow and he knew just what every
library in the city contained.
Mr. Rauch favored library and thought
it good plan to tax the members. He
believed that one hundred men could be
found who would contribute so each, thus
creating 81 900 fund at the outset; He
knew of an instance when the county conf
missioners had become SO enthused with
the prospect of a law library that they had
donated 500 of the counry's money for the
purpose. He though perhaps the county
commissioners here might emulate that
example [smiiesl.
Mr.. Rohrbaugh thought the lawyers
might club together and build library
building that would furnish room for an
office for each lawyer in the city. The
building could be mortgaged and the rent
paid would go to liquidatins this mort
gage or purchasing books. The joint
stock plan would work in this instance.
Out of all the suggestions for library he
thought some one could be chosen that
would be practicable. He thought it was
to be deprecated that there were no English
reports in the city and library was the
only practicable way to get them.
The chair suggested that a general
library while it would be more complete
than any private library could possible be
it would be cheaper in the long run. AT
present several lawyers would buy the
the same reports, whereas one set would
be sufficient as soon as library was es-
tablished. The. plans already suggested
were discussed in turn by all present and
amended and simplified according to the
ideas of each speaker.
On motion it was agreed that the chair
should appoint a committee of five with
power to act, whose duty it should be to
consult the different lawyers privately and
then formulate plan for creating a
library. The chair appointed the follow
ing committee: Messrs. Sluss Eckstein,
Helm, Sankey and Douglass.
The library being disposed of for the
moment the banquet subject came up and
on motion committee was appointed to
make arrangements for banquet in Feb
ruary. The chair appointed the following
committee, when the meeting adjourned
sine die: Messrs. Eckstein, Kos Harris,
A. W. Holt, Rohrbaugh and Fred Bentley.