St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-09-18
The PUBLIC LIBRARY.
What Have We a Right TO Ex-
peeI of ST. Paul IN This
Regard?
The One Particular in Which
the City Is Behind the
Times.
False Economy Which Die
tated a Postponement Of
the Plan.
Gen. Andrews Contributes
Gen. Andrews Contributes
Some Interesting Data on
a Library.

" hat nave We Z right TO expect OF st.
Paul in regard 10 a public library? 0uI
city Is the political capital OF z great
state and il ought 10 he its intellectual
capital. The permanent school fund of
Minnesota, arising from the sale OF
lands donated by congress 10 our state
for schools, now amounts 10 over SIO,-
000.000. and II viii ultimately amount Il
$4,000, O0o. The capital city OF a state
that has been SO generously dealt with
by the federal government ought. In
the matter OF a public library, 10 acl
with such public spirit as Will command
the good viii and respect OF the entire
state. Tie city Of St Paul is the seat
Of government. It Is the seat OF
legislation and Of Jurisprudence. 1t is
frequented by legislators and by the bar
Of the state: and. although there is a
good law library supported by the state
IN the capitol. still z good miscellaneous
library Is OF great bsReat 10 the mam-
beTS Of the legislature and 10 the legal
profession; and our city IS morally
bound 10 have tie best library in the
state. But there IS still stronger r6a-
son for lis having such library. The
great mass Of wOrking people ana people
il general cannot. like the rieh. 70 10
Europe, or travel elsewhere for recrea-
ton and instruction. but must find their
means Of diversion right here at home.
There Is no better means for this than &
good public library, and The city govern
lent ought 10 let The working people
realize that in respect 10 Suen diversion
the best Is none TOO good Tor them.
The year after the war l CHANGED. in
New York, 10 visit al his Office the then
editor OF the World Who told NE that
his habit was every day on coming
down 10 his Office 10 spend an hour in
The AstOr library. l have myself sev-
eral times visited that library, and have
often thought what a splendid Oppor-
tunIty for research Il afforded u editors
and literary people in that city. The
main hall Of the AstoT library is pro-
vided with tables and chairs So mat
people desiring 10 investigate any sub
lect can freely have the best editions Of
Is many books before them a. they de-
sire, and where, in perfect silence and
without interruption. ethey can pursue
their studies. The Boston library. built
nearly forty years ago, has similar
hall richly stocked with books. Where
authors. edIJ0Is and others can quietly
carry on theiT researches. The lower
1oOr contains the Uooks 10 loan and the
vari0ps reading rooms provided with
periodicals and Hewspa Ders.
Now, any new pablic library TO be es-
tabilshed il this city should have. Ike
the Boston library the lower floor de-
voted TO The circulating department and
reading room while The second floor
should be devoted 10 a library for aiet
research and which would be frequent
ed by members Of the learned profess
sions = cler-y1nen, lawyers. editors,
IeacheTs-by all who wish to thoroughly
Investigate any particular subject. And
this Shows that a public library re-
Qulres q building exclusively fer Itself
Chapter JOG of the Laws Of Minnesota
Of 1873, on public libraries. authorizes
the city council OF any city OF ever
thirty thousand inhabitants To levy a
tax not TO exceed one-half CT one mill
annually Of the taxable property for The
library fund. The taxable Variation Of
property IN st. Pau Is Sl23. 0GO. O98: and
Il The full library tax were levied It
would yield an annual income fer the
library fund Of SCI. eco. Cur city gov
ernment mas not levied any such TAX,
but has merely appropriated out of the
general funds less than quarter part
OF such tax. namely. the sum OF $4,000
per annun- which, after paving the ex-
Denses OF The library administration. has
left about 5000 for the purchase OF
books. IN contrast with this lei il
be noticed that that the amount annu-
ally expended fer our police depart
ment Is S170. 600. A large amount Is
also spent for the administration Of
criminal Justice 1t is Interesting 10
nOuct also thai the city receives an MI
ally s3;777, 900 for liquor licenses. Wheth-
ct, under all the circumstances. the city
government has been sufficiently lib
eral and publlc-spirited in respect To
the public library, leave others TO de-
eide.
People frequently inquire with refer
enee 10 the Henry hale bequesf, as if
that might become available for z
library building Il VIII be 1wenty-fOnr
years before ire income from that viii
become available and then the annual
income only Of certain improved real
estate ii ST. Paul VIII be available The
IS invIoiable, and cannot be
The annual income may
prove to be $50, GOA or, If the city pro-
crosses and pTospers, considerably
more.
The public library has for several
years been on The upper floor OF the
court house IN quarters which II has
outgrOWn- It Is Acknowledged gener-
ally than, although respectable, the
library Is Tar from filing the need OF a
city ike 81 Paul Assuming that a site
we're already procured. il ought 10 take
several months 10 obtain 2 satisfa Glory
plan ana specifications for model fire.
proof library building Two years
would then be required IoT its eonstrue-
ton.
Feb. 4, 1889. the chamber of commerce
recOmn4en the issue OF S50.D0O of
city bonds for the purchase Of library
site. In less than a month afterward.
namely Feb. &c, 1889. the legislature
the Issue Of the bonds.
and during a period OF over two wears
thereafter II Was competent for the city
council any day TO have negotiated me
bonds, ana turned the money into the
library fund. 1t would have done so
had tie board OF directors so requested.
Nothing. however. was done, and. On
grounds OF economy, the legislative del
egatlol OF tins city had an act passed
by the last legislature posIponing the
issue Of the bopds till May i. 1893. At
that date the city viii have the power
10 issue is bonds 10 the amount Of
$50, 600 TO pay Tor q site for q library.
The board OF directors OF the public
library. appointed by the mayor. and
consisting OF Alexander Ramsey. Henry
z. Z pham. B. F. Wright, o. o. Cullen
D 4. MonIOrt, j. q. Pyle, Maurice
Auerbach, II. I. Carver and z. ". Peet
being the order in which they are
named IN the printed report have, by
law. full power, when approved BY the
council, 10 purchase ground and erect
thereon q suitable building for the use
Of said library" In such an undertake
ing the aforementioned board would
have the implicit confidence of the pub
lie. While IL cannot make al absolute
purchase of a site until next May. II
can now make conditional purchase
of site. and can probably in the same
way employ an arehiseet 10 prepare
plans and specifications With q site
procured ana good and attractive plans
prepared II ought not then 70 be very
difficult 10 procure means for the build
Ing