The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-22
SEVEN NOT SOLID.
One of the Trustees Was
on the Edge.
WILL SON TO ASK A HEARING.
The Deposed Librarian Has
Friends.
WILSON TO ASK A HEARING.
TO CALL FOR A SPECIAL MEETING
Affairs at the Mechanics Institute
Are Not so Peaceful as They
Used to Be.

War clouds are lowering in the heavens
| in the vicinity of the usually quiet Me-
! chanics' Institute. The action of the
| board of trustees in dismissing Librarian
Wilson has. more than likely. from present
indications, put mountain into labor.
| There is opposition 10 it that may take the
more formidable front OF rebellion, and
once it does there is no telling where it
may all end.
There were just few members of the
institute less than 1900 who were in entire
ignorance of what had happened until they
read it yesterday morning. Since then
many of them have put in their spare mo-
ments discussing the matter-some of
them being outspoken in their conviction
that the members Of the board of trustees
that is, the seven of them who voted TO
GUST the librarian took something sus-
piciously like snap judgment.
Mr.. Wilson was somewhat surprised at
| it himself. and most of yesterday received
assurances from his friends that they
would do all in their power to compel the
board to give him hearing.
~ do not care to discuss the matter"
| said the librarian last night to a reporter
| for The CALL, but l shall demand an
| investigation and ask the board to show
!
| Mr.. Wilson's letter containing the re-
| Quest for a special meeting of the board of
| trustees 10 consider his case will be mailed
to President Hallidie some time to-day.
and, il is presumed, will fully give the
| librarians views on the matter Consider
ing the fact that Mr.. Hallidie voted against
the resolution and has been regarded as
| strong personal friend of the depOsed
librarian it is more than likely that he
| will accede to the request and call the
special meeting.
The executive session, at which The reso-
| luton was passed was good deal stOTmier
| than the routine report given out sug-
| gested. In the first place some objection
| was made to the trustees taking any action
on the dismissal on the ground of retrench-
ment, as, in that case, it would be clearly
the duty OF the finance committee TO inyes-
tigate and report. The solid seven rod
that down by taking the bull by the horns,
| amid vigorous protests from President
Halldie, Oscar Lewis not voting. These
protests had their effect almost imme-
diately, and the sOlidity of the seven was
viSibly shaken when one of them, name
not discovered, said be guessed he would
| recall his vote. 1t was only for moment,
however, for the united six Immediately
| declared that 1t was too late, and the seven
went down on the record as solid as the
everlasting hills.
A. Ii. Truman, who has been member
of the Institute since 1878, gave vent to his
views on the action of the board of trus-
tees last night to reporter for THE CALL.
He voiced The sentiment of many others
| seen, and sta ed that he had found all the
members to whom be had spoken of the
matter of the same way of thinking.
at is looked upon," he said, "as a sort
| of stigma cast by the board upon the good
name of the instltute-that is, their hasty
meth cd. l think they should have given
greater notice and brought up the matter
before the whole institute. l don't like
the manner in which it was DONE"
Zone of the reasons assigned by those
Of the board in favor of the resolution"
said another, sounds very foolish to me-
They say that Mr.. Wilson, while thor
Oughly competent to handle large library.
knew very little concerning the literature
| of mechanical arts.
Suppose he didn't. what would that
matterp Because the name of the library
| is the Mechanics Institute it doesn't
necessarily imply that mons but mechanics
are members. On the contrary, the fact is
| that there are very, very few mechanics
! among the members. Even if they were
all mechanics, and even if Mr.. Wilson had
only an ordinary knowledge of the litera-
| ture of mechanical arts, which | deny.
that would bot have incapacitated him in
the least from holding the position. l hold
| that mechanic who joins a library has
sense enough to know what he wishes to
read and voice enough to ask for 1t. If he
| HhSu u THEN u6 udo very llLll6 business In
| the search for knowledge.
! Again. the reason assigned that re-
| t:encbment was necessary is hardly borne
| out by the facts. There are more mem
bers than there were year ago, and they
| pay up just as regularly. Ii these are
! hard times, | am sure the library does not
and will not feel them.
Yes, rather think these reasons are
! rather flimsY."
| II is expected that if President Hallidie
calls the special meeting the trustees may
meet and reconsider their action before
July /, which was the time set for Mr..
| Wilson TO step down and out.