Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-14
THE PUBLIC BENEFIT
Discussion in the House Yesterday
on the Free Library Bill.
ABLE ADVOCATES OF THE MEASURE
The Manifest Duty Of Congress
Plainly Pointed Out.
THE CHA SSES BENEFITED
THE CLASSES BENEFITED

Partnental library ana reading room in the
District, which was interrupted, as stated
in The Star, to hear the report of the COM
mittee on rules, extended over a wide range
Not only was the general benefits which
flow from the existence of a free library in
the community ably presented, but the local
necessity was brought out. The speeches
of Messrs. Heard, Grosvenor and Hender-
son were especially able in their presenta-
ton of the merits of this measure as the
| readers of The Star learned from the report
or the debate which appeared In last night
Issue. 1t was evident from the general tone
Oh the discussion that the sentiment in the
House is strongly in favor of this measure.
In the course of the debate Mr.. Cooper of
Florida said that the bill excited his earnest
sympathy, and although he was aware of
the Jealousy that exists in the House
against anything which looked like local
appropriations or local expenditure in the
city or Washington. he was surprised that
TINS measure has not met with more SYM
pathy inan has been manifested in the de-
pate He had vivid recollection of the
time when he was a boy, when the war had
destroyed the opportunities for school and
the materials for reading, that he considered
IL great boon when he could get hold
of some old odd volume. In opposition to
the statement made by Mr.. Bartlett of
New York that great library should be
| Simply collection of works of reference or
OF rare volumes, Mr.. Cooper maintained
| that the function of books is to be read and
TO be read by many people as can be
reached by them. He said that Mr.. Bart
lett has evidently no sympathy with a IL
brary opened at convenient hours, making
IL accessible to the working people, to those
who are confined during business hours and
TO the schoolboys and girls.
Available Volumes.
Mr.. Cooper went ON to say that there is
In this city public school system-and a
good one-and free public library As a sup
plement to the public school system 1t is
the poor mans college. He thought that it
was better plan to establish libraries than
TO build tails. and ne thought that taste
Tor reading and an access to books is one of
the greatest benefits that can be put in The
way OF the masses. He stated that there
are in the Congressional Library about
lJOOO volumes which, the librarian saws.
are worse than useless. Mr.. Spofford is also
of the opinion that to combine free
library with the Congressional Library
which is one of reference, would be emba =
RAISING. Mr. Cooper said that here there
are l5,OOO volumes that are of no service in
the present library and can be applied to
the purpose contemplated by this bill. He
said that this was not peculiar privilege
Every progressive city throughout the
country either had established public Ii
braries or are establishing them.
Nj. Bartlett interposed an objection at
this point by asking by what right has Con-
gress to give these surplus volumes in the
Congressional Library to the District of
Columbia when they are due to the town of
Beaufort in South Carolina.
In response, Mr.. Cooper said that such a
proposition was simply to pay the claims
or the town of Beaufort not in money for
the books taken and destroyed, not by re-
placing them with others, but by taking
the books now in the library here and send
ing them down. there, which, in his opin-
lon, was system of robbing Peter TO pay
Paul. Mr.. Cooper then spoke of the 1000
"a a hEzrNl vft, n
brartes which We're established and are
maintained at public expense and to which
no one has access except the clerks in
the several departments.
This bill, he said, does not touch n single
technical book in those collections. 1t pro-
poses to take the general circulating books
and put them in some place that they
can be accessible to the people He re-
ferred to the small portion of the great
SPACE available in the new post Office build
ing which this library would occupy. Only
600 square feet out of the 10000 square
feet. In his opinion this location was the
most desirable, but if the House was op-
posed to the location he would not combat
an amendment to put the library in the new
library building.
Congress and the City.
Mr.. Cooper spoke of the 1900 children of
school age In the District and said that
over $1,000 of these were over twelve years
of age. They are at that time of life, he
said when access to a free library and to
such sources of knowledge will assist them
in the forming of a literary taste and keep
them frcm forming other tastes that are
injurious. He said that there We're in the
District about $1,000 adults engaged in
lines of work clasSed as manufacturers
emitting all the other numerous forms of
labor. 1t was important that this class
should have access to a public library He
then added: But, gentlemen, say why
should the United States do this? Why
should the United States have fire de-
Iartment here? Why should the United
States have public schools here? Why
should the United States have anything
else that belongs to a city?
I'VE should have 1t because the Congress
of the United States is the city govern
rent of this city, and because this city is
set apart as the capital of the United States
under peculiar conditions. 1t has no local
government. We should have it because
should do for Washington what every
progressive local government does for every
progressive city in this land.
1T Is said that the United States should
not make any approprfa tons for libra ries
here. How many of you on this floor have
school systems aided by the United States
How many of you have agricultural COL
leges? The United States has granted eight
million acres to the states for public
schools, one million five hundred thousand
acres for state universities, and this is
peoples university that We are asking this
House to provide. The United States has
given nearly ten million acres of land for
agricultural colleges"
Mr.. Dockery expressed the opinion that
as the United States is now and has been
for a long time paying half of the expenses
OF maintaining the public school system of
this District, that was something of an off
set against the donation of lands to the
states.
Cheap Political Capital.
Mr.. Cooper did not agree with this view,
as he said the United States is simply con-
tributing its part of the taxes when II pays
half the cost of the schools in the District;
but the United States gave away to the
states these millions of acres He went on
to say that the idea of opposing govern
mental aid to an educational institution
like the one proposed in this bill is lust as
much a mosS-back prejudice as ever was
the prejudice against public schools He
said he knew II was a cheap form of SUM-
posed political capital to object to every ex-
penditure made for public purposes in the
District of which the United States would
pay a portion. He did not believe that the
constituents of the gentlemen who fol-
lowed this line of procedure approved their
course. He believed that the people of this
SPECIAL NOTICES.
Take Care of YOURSELF