Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-10
The Time Occupied in Discussing
the Free Library Bill.
Mr.. HEARD EXPLAINS THE MEASURE
Representative Everett Makes an
Eloquent Plea for It.
THE OPPOSTTION'S TACTICS

| 1nlS was DlStrlct DAY IN the House, ana
Chairman Heard Vas on hand early with a
| calendar OF District business for consid-
GRAFTON. The attendance was smaller than
| 1t has been any day this session, row after
| row of chairs being vacant, and where a
| lonely figure did fill a seat it looked all the
| lonelier for the solitude surrounding 1t. 1t
| was observed, however, that the men
whose only interest in District affairs
seems to lie la their desire to obstruct and
| criticise District legislation were present
| in full force.
| The Free Library Bill.
| The first measure called up was the free
library bill. Mr.. Dockery demanded the
| reading Of the bill in full.
| This bill, which has been frequently pub
| lished in The Star, provi les for the estab-
lishment in the new city post office build
| ing of free public and departmental IL
brary and reading room for the use of the
citizens of the District and employees Of
| the departments. 1t is provided that
whenever provisions for the library are
completed such books periodicals and pa
| pers in the existing libraries of the sew
eral executive departments and offices OF
the government in this city in the judg-
ment of the head of the department are
not required for the special official use Of
that department shall be transferred to
the free library and reading room for its
use. and ii is made the duty of the head Of
each department to deliver such literature
| without delay to the free library and
thereafter no general circulating library
of miscellaneous books, but only such
library as Is required for its special official
use. shall be established or maintained by
any department. The joint committee on
the library, upon report by the librarian
of Congress, Is directed to turn over 20 the
free library such duplicate copies of books
In his charge as are not required for the
use OF the library of Congress.
All citizens of the District Of Columbia,
and all officers, clerks and other employees
Of the government on duty in the city of
Washington shall be entitled to the privi-
leges of the free public and departmental
library and reading room, free of all charge.
including the use of the books contained
therein lending or circulating library,
under such rules and regulations as shall
be prescribed by the board of trustees:
| Provided, that the library and reading room
shall be kept open from o'clock am. to
10 O'Clock pm. each day excepting Sun
days and holidays on which days said
library and reading room shall be kept
open from o'clock pm. to 10 o'clock pm.
One-half the expenses of the library are
to be borne by the District of Columbia.
and the management shall be vested in q
board Of trustees consisting of eleven citi-
zens appointed by the President.
DOckery and Sayers object.
Mr.. Dockery asked to be informed upon
the parliamentary status of the bill. Mr..
Heard replied that as this bill had been
freely debated at the last session of Con-
gress he would ask to close general debate
within ten minutes. Mr. Sayers of Texas
objected. Thereupon Mr.. Heard outlined
the main features of the bill, published
above. Referring to the division of the
cost of conducting the library, Mr.. Heard
said the provision is only in accordance
with the general plan for the support Of
oil nr hnr 10 Tir.al ffotp ha l.ls
schools, for Instance, and the library would
be a proper adjunct and supplement to the
public school system. Even if the people
of this city should raise a sum by popular
subscription they could not originate the
library without this bill. He asked the
House to proceed to the consideration Ct
the bill in spirit of fairness.
A member interrupted Mr.. Heard with
the suggestion that the people should de-
pend upon the Congressional Library. Mr..
Heard explained that the public is abso-
lutely debarred from taking books from the
Congressional Library. The beneiiciaries
are few in number and are specified 10y
law. A Congressman cannot even extend
the privilege of the library to his own Sec
retary.
Mr. Heard insisted that IL the division Of
the expenses of the District between the
government and the District is unjust, 1t
would be better for Congress to proceed to
readjust the basis of the whole division,
and not to select individual cases of legis-
lation upon which to base a recasting Of
the proportion.
Mr. SnOdgrass' InterrOgntOry.
Mr.. Snodgrass Of Tennessee asked why
the United States should furnish library
for the District, when the people here had
not contributed a cent to the new Congress
sional Library building.
Mr. Heard vigorously denied this state
ment. lie said that building has been
constructed out of the general taxes upon
the people, and the residents of the District
had contributed the same proportion the
people in MIR. Snodgrass' district
Mr.. Heard said il would be better to give
the authority for the library without the
appropriation, than to let the appeal Of the
people go unheeded, but that 1t would re-
fleet little credit upon the House to draw
the line against this worthy object in the
division OF the expenses of the District.
Mr. Heard closed in a vigorous and earn
est appeal for the bill.
MIR. CnnnOn's Proposed Amendment
Mr.. Cannon Of Illinois suggested an
amendment that the District Commission
ers shall provide room for the library, to
accommodate not less than $4,000 volumes.
He said he would oppose granting room for
this library In the new post Office building,
because the District has not contributed
anything to the cost of that building. He
would also oppose accommodating this pro-
posed library in the new Congressional
Library building. further reason for
not using the new city post office, he said,
is tNdt II Is purpose 10 use tEit SuI piuS
space In that structure to accommodate
certain government bureaus, which are
now occupying rented quarters such IS the
sixth auditors Office, the geological survey
and many others.
Mr.. COombs Defends the IhlI.
Mr. Coombs of New York was the next
to discuss the bill He said the value to
the community of a free public library cam
not be overestimated. Mr.. Coombs thought
the United States has no right to complain
of the present arrangement as to the d.
vision of expenses. If there is any cause
of complaint II lies with the District. 1t
will be an absolute economy TO the gov
ernment to concentrate in one place, as
provided by this bill, the books now scat
tered throughout the various departments.
1t would save space and salaries.
II do not believe in any cheese-parinR
policy with regard to the District" said
Mr.Coombs. THE government should stand
by the District and deal fairly and generous
ly" He favored the bill with the amend-
ment suggested by Mr.. Cannon.
Mr.. SnOdgrass Again.
Mr. Snodgrass of Tennessee opposed
sharing the expenses of the library between
the District and the government. No other