The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-09-06
YES. III LUXURY. BUT TO POOR
people,

Mr.. Carter objects TO voting 1920 Of
the city's money 10 paying the salary o.
a librarian TO keep the State Lib ary
open until II o'clock at night for all
Corners, upon the ground that the library
is a luxury. The dictionaries define a
luxury 10 be anything delightful or
grateful 20 the senses" The State Ii
brary is undoubtedly then luxury, for
any place more delightful 10 the senses
Of any man. whether rich or poor. than
our State Library, we do not know.
There are treasures Of art and gems Of
history. The man Of leisure can go to
the library when he pleases and enjoy
these delightful things, but the poo.
man, condemned to life of toll, can
never see them because the State pays n
one TO keep the library open in the
evening. the only time that he can visit
II. But Richmonds Cnterprising mem
bers Of the Legislature got a bill through
the last session Of the LEGISLATURE. by
which the State agreed to let our popula-
ton have access to this library at all
hours. If only the city of Richmond would
pay the salary Of a Librarian to attend
erty. Here was an effort 10 bring this
luxury within the reach of the poor as
well as the rich. Here was an attempt
to bring grateful and delightful thing
within reach Of the senses of the poor
But We find those who set themselves
UP as the especial representatives of the
poor refusing to allow the well-to-dO to
tax themselves with this paitry sum that
the senses Of the poor may become
familiar with this grateful and delight
full thing" because forsooth 1t is lux
uryl Is the man whose hard lot con
dennis him to perpetual toll to know no
Injuries? Are all the luXuTies II b.
reserved for the rich? Is a mans power
~ to bar his senses from the enjoyment
Of everything grateful and delightful" t.
them?
We thank Mr. Garter for the word
luxury" In one sense the library is a
luxury, and IT is The Times earnest hope
that this luxury may lie brought within
the reach Of all our poor and working
people Their LIT is hard enough at best.
For Heavens sake let them have any
luxury like this that we can secure to
tnem as easily as we can get them tnlS.
But the library would not be alone a
luxury TO poor people. Many son Of a
poor man longs for an opportunity to
have access to books that he may qualify
himself for career that he knows IS
before him If he could only get books.
He is now unable to get them to read.
If the library were kept open in the
evenings he could indulge himself 10
his fullest bent But Messrs. Carter an
Epps and Seay and Trower and - n
cont and Mcdowell and Blanks, who
claim that they are especially the repre-
sentauves Of the poor and the working
men. say their boys shall not have the
opportunities that the State has now SO
generously offered to them.
Every negro in the Council voted for
this appropriation. Ii makes us blush to
think of these negroes approaching the
inestimable value Of this donation 10
us by the State. while our white repre- en-
tatives east a gem away richer than
all their tribe"
We cannot believe that the gent emen
who have opposed this appropriation will
continue their opposition when they
think over the matter