San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-07-29
A SAN ANTONIO NEED.

q record for herself, in many things,
of which she need not be ashamed
Her municipal improvements promise
to become a credit to the city at nc
distant day. The question Of rapid
transit has been discussed until the
period of agitation is past, and the
era of practical construction has been
ushered in. Manufacturing indus
tries have been so pressed home upon
public notice during the past three
years that public indifference is
yielding to public interest, and men
look hopefully for the planting of
paying Industries in this city at no
remote period. The city begins to at
tract attention as a cotton market as
well as q wool and hide and live
stock market, and gins and COM
presses will find growing employment
from year to year. Real es-
tate operations grow larger month
by month, suburban properties
are being laid out, improved and con-
nected with the center of the city by
lines of rapid transit, and in every
quarter building activities are in
creased. Side by side with these evil
dences of material progress our pri-
vate and public institutions of learn
ing are developing increased eficien-
cy; our churches are reaching out for
more commodious quarters; u chart
ties and philanthropies awaken new
benevolence and meet q richer and
more liberal patronage.
While all these things mark and
somewhat measure u progress, 1t is
much to be regretted that no system
attic measures have been taken to pro-
vide this city with a free public
library and reading room. Every
year sees a large influx of homeless
strangers into this city, and the num-
Der is increased from year to year.
OF these a very considerable proper
ton are young men, and the priv
ileges of a good library and free
reading room would be keenly appre-
ciated by them. The work of the
Young Mems Christian association is
to be recommended IS far as it goes,
but 1t does not and cannot fill the bill. |
A public library, literally endowed,
and a reading room open at all reason
able hours to welcome the young men
without homes, and the reading pub
lie of all kinds, is a necessity of the
city in its present condition. There
is wealth enough in this city TO endow
such a library without feeling the ex-
pense, the city should and probably
would provide for its current expen-
SEES, and there should be Christian
liberality and liberal skepticism
enough to take the matter up and
push it to an issue. No greater min
istry of good. no more effective anti
dote to the dissipating influence of
evenings about town could be put
into operation than this; and, 1t would
be as good an advertisement for the
city as could we'll be put forth.
There are wealthy ladies in this city,
without encumbrances, who could do
this thing and leave behind a name
more precious than rubies and q
monument to their virtues more en-
during than brass. The LIGHT COM
mends to serious consideration, theirs
and others, the work here indicated.
Practical sense directing the financial
means required would very 500 &C
ccmplish good results. This city is
issolated, far from great municipal
centers, is destined to be the leading
winter resort of the continent, and it
needs for the use of these winter Wis.,
itors, no less than tor its own citizens,
a good, we'll endowed public library
and reading room. Let the beginning
be made, and there will not be
wanting among the wealthy who
come here to spend the cold season
some generous souls. who will gladly
aid in carrying on a work of this
character once it is we'll begun.
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