The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-07
GorHAM's FREE LIBRARY.
Ex-President Cleveland One OF the
Speakers at Meeting.


New YORK, March CA mass meeting
to advance the interests Of the New York
free circulating library was held this after
noon In Chiokering hall One of the
speakers was ex-President Grover Cleve-
land. Benjamin H. Field presided, and
introduced Mr.. Cleveland, who was the
second speaker, amid loud applause. Mr.
Cleveland said, in part:
gladly join. with the enthusiasm Of q new
convert, in the Fluctuations of those who have
done noble and effective work in the establish
ment and maintenance in our city of free cir
culating library; and it seems to me they have
abundant cause for congratulation in a review
Of the good which has already been accom-
plished through their efforts aud In the contem-
platton OF the further usefulness which awaits
their continued endeavor.
In every enlightened country the value of
popular education is fully recognized, not only
as direct benefit to its recipients, but as an
element of strength and safety in organized
society. Considered in these aspects it should
nowhere be better appreciated than in this land
OF free institutions, consecrated to the welfare
and happiness of its citizens, and deriving its
sanction and its power from the people Here
the character of the people Is inevitably i'm
pressed upon the government, and here our
public life can no more be higher and purer
rise above its fountain, or be purer than the
spring in which it has its source.
THE CONDITIONS REALIZED
That we have not failed to realize these con-
ditions is demonstrated by the establishment of
free public schools on every side. where chill
dren are not only invited but often obliged to
submit themselves to such instruction as will
better their situation in life and fit them to take
part intelligently in the conduct OF the govern
ment.
Thus in our schools the young are taught to
read, and in this manner the seed is sown from
which we expect profitable return TO the
state, when its beneticiaries shall repay the ed
ucational advances made TO them by an intei-
gent and patriotic performance Of their social
and political duties.
The husbandman who expects TO gain a
profitable return from his orchards not only
carefully tends and cultivates the young trees
in his nurseries as they grow TO maturity. but
he generously enriches and cares for those
already in bearing and upon which he must
rely tor ripened fruit.
THE FIRST STEP.
Teaching the children of our land to read is
but the first step in the scheme of creating good
citizens by means of free instruction. We teach
the young to read SO that both as children and
as men and women they may read. Our teach
ing must lead to the habit and the desire of
reading to be useful; and only as this result is
reached can the work in our free schools be
logically supplemented and made valuable.
Another branch of this question should not be
overlooked. 1t is not only of great Importance
that our youth and our men and women should
have the ability, the desire and the opportunity
TO read, but the kind of books they read is no
less important. Without guidance and without
the invitation and encouragement to read pub
lications which will improve as well as interest,"
there is danger that people will have in their
hands books whose influence and tendency are
of negative sort, if not positively bad and mis-
chievous. Like other good things the ability
and opportunity to read may be used so as to
defeat their benehcent purposes.
TRASHY LITERATuRE.
The boy who greedily devours the vicious tales
ofimaginary daring and bloodcurdling advent
ure, which in these days arc 'er too accessible
to the young, will have his brain filed with
notions of life and standards of manliness
which, If they do not make him q menace to
peace and good order, will certainly not tend to
make him useful member of society.
The man who devotes himself TO the flash lit
erature now much too common, will, instead of
increasing his value as a citizen, almost surely
degenerate in his ideas of public duty and grow
dull in his appreciation of the obligations he
owes his country.
SO too. the young woman who seeks recrea-
tion and entertainment in reading silly and
frivolous books often of doubtful moral ten
dency is herself in the way Of becoming frivol-
GUS and silly, if not of weak morality. If she
escapes this latter condition she is almost GER
tain to become utterly untitled to bear pa
tiently the burden of self-support or to assume
the sacred duties of wife and mother.
Other speakers were Joseph H. Choate,
Henry E. Rowland, and President Lowe of
Columbia college.