Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-10-26
Division of Documents.
THE THOUSANDS OF VOLUMES
HELD IN RESERVE by THE
GOVERNMENT TO BE
DISTRIBUTED.
humorous speech Of Hon. Champ
Clark, Whose Amendment Means
The Distribution Of The hooks
Within Thirty Days.

hithih IhirtY pays.
Hon. Champ Clark has made an
other speech in the House of Repre-
sentatives. This is his third speech
since the House began work in Au-
gust. This time he wanted the
hundreds of thousands of volumes
held in reserve in the government
vaults to be made available for dis
tribution in thirty days after the
passage Of Richardson's printing
bill, which was under discussion in
the House Wednesday last. He got
what he went after, as the amend
ment he introduced was agreed to.
We clip the following from Thurs
days Congressional Record:
Mr.. Clark, of Missouri. l move
to amend section 50 of the substi-
tute as printed by adding what l
send to the desk.
The Clerk read as follows:
at shall be the duty of the SUI
perintendent of documents within
thirty days after the approval of this
act to prepare a catalogue OF the
hundreds of thousands of volumes
now held in reserve and unavailable
for distribution, and which catalogue
| shall be acceptable to all Senators,
Representatives and Delegates; and
he shall apportion each and every
sort of book and document equally
among Senators, Representatives
and Delegates"
Mr.. Clark, of Missouri. Mr..
Chairman, this amendment provides
that all books and documents shall
be divided equally among Senators,
Representatives, and Delegates; be,
cause l do not believe that Senators
are any better than Representatives
and Delegates. [Applause.l They
do not know the people half SO well
as we do; and only those whose
terms expire on the 4th of March,
1895, have as much use for these
documents as we have. Laughter
The remainder of them can afford to
wait until the next distribution OF
the reserve books. Laughter. ]
The whole theory of distribution
hitherto has been absolutely ridicu.
lous. 1t makes one Senator OF the
State of New York equal to seven
teen Representatives.; one Repre-
sentative in Nevada equal to two
Senators; and one Representative ir
Colorado equal to one Senator
[Laughter]. This amendment es'
tablishes an equality of ratios among
the Senators, Representatives and
Delegates. Laughter
Mr.. Bryan. Restores the parity.
So 10 speak. [Laughter.l
Mr.. Clark, of Missouri. Yes
that is it. What l want is a squar.
deal and a fair ''divy" all around
Laughter. This suggestion o
mine is in the nature of what th,
logiciaus would call an argumentum
ad hominem, and it ought to pas
mem. CON. Laughter This ii
but the beginning of a salutary re
form. Laughter.
If, as the gentleman from Ten
nessee [Mr. richardson claims
this bill will enable the Govern
ment to save 5000, 900 annually or
its printing alone, it is a mos
meritorious measure and certainly
ought to be enacted into a law. l
it will rescue from their molderins
grave a million books and docu
ments, or even half of that number
and to that extent furnish winter
reading and entertainment for tht
people, it will accomplish grea'
good, although the text thereof may
not be quite SO thrilling as that O.
Tom Jones, The Mayor of Castor
bridge, Ben Hur, or King Solomon's
Mines. Laughter
We were told the other day that
these volumes range in value from
$25 down to 10 cents. l was very
much impressed with the great
usefulness [laughterl and deep
s%oulfulness [laughter] with which
the gentleman from Maine Mr.
Reed propounded his pertinent
and far-reaching interrogatory to
the chairman of the committee.
GLOW many of these volumes are
worth $25 each?" Laughter. ]
There was no cynicism, mystery,
or metaphysics in that query. 1t
went straight to the core of the
question, and to the hearts of the
members, and vas very suggestive
of Col. Sellers famous declaration
that "there's millions in il. "[Laugh-
ter.
In my Districts no doubt in
others-there are colleges, acade-
mics, high schools, and individuals,
whose libraries would be both
ornamented and improved by the
addition of some of these o
valuable books. l want my share.
Laughter.
/ introduced this amendment
because human nature in Congress,
like human nature outside these
Halls, is possessed of a very strong