The herald., 1894-08-27
"Quos Deus yult Psrdere, Prius De-
mental"


"Quos Deus vult Perdere, Prius De-
mental"
EDITORS HERALD Far be it from me
to intimate in the above quotation that
deity has it in mind to destroy our fair
city librarian, or that Miss Kelso has
ever been deprived of her senses. but it
| certainly would seem, to any reasonable
person, that the notoriety gained some
months ago in the famous junketing
cases, in which that lady and some men,
bers of the school board figured SO con-
spicuously, ought to have satisfed any
reasonable person.
We, and l mean by that the large ma
jority of those who are the patrons OF
the city library, desire that none but
pure and healthy books be placed in the
reach of our children, and we were con-
grktulating ourselves on the timely and
most commendaDle work of the HERALD
in exposing the official carelessness, to
use mild term, OF the city library man
sgement, and that of those who. in the
pulpit. 30 ably seconded your efforts in
this direction, when 10! up jumps a
Jack in the box. in the shape of $5-
900 libel suit, and we find that we are
altogether wrong, and that moral teach
ing from pure and healthy books, are
not at all essential factors in the make
up OF that public benefit, If I may 30
term it.
In the complaint. in which Miss Kelso
prays for $4,000 from the Rev. DR.. Camp
bell of the NJ. E. church, to repair the
damages to her character brought about
by the prayer from the pulpit, in which
that reverend gentleman asked that "The
Lord would vouchesie His saving grace
to the librarian of the city library" etc.
She says: Whenever any person ia
prayed for the congregation understands
it to be charge made by such praying
person against the moral character of
the person prayed for" Well, now this
is indeed new Interpretation of
pulpit prayer. We must understand
then that when in the church of Englan
prayers are offered for the queen, as they
are at every service, the minister is
praying against the moral character of
shat eminent lady, and when in the SER
vice in this country the clergyman offers
his PRAYERS "for the president of the
United States and all others in author
ity" (not excepting the librarian of the
city library OF Los Angeles), they are
merely praying against the moral char
acter OF these individuals. At first
might be some truth in it as regards the
present national administration, but on
the whole | hardly think the proposition
will hold water.
The plea Of ignorance set forth in one
article of the complaint is one that the
Rev. Campbell can hardly be responsible
for, but that, | think, reflects more on
the appointing power than on the ap-
pointee. The office of librarian is one OF
the most responsible in that department
OF the city work, and there are many,
doubtless, who are educationally quail.
fed to decide on the fitness of book, be
it French or English, and do not need
to make junketing trips at the expense
of the city to qualify themselves. How
ever, it is but fsir to say that tho blame
should fall principally upon the heads
of the committee whose duty it is to
exercise proper censorship in the selec-
tion of books.
Tho fact is the HERALD has been doing
some good work, and the more it wielde
1t potent pen in exposing the DoDineon-
ian fraud and corruption in the city IL
brary management, the more it will re-
ceive the hearty Communications OF its
numerous readers. In the meantime. it
will be charity to believe that Mes
Kelso has been led to do very foolish
thing by evil couneelors, who are really
the guilty parties. but who are too shrewd
to embark in any such foolish enterprise
themselves, and that her good sense will
prompt her to get out of it at the earliest
possible movement. Il. "A. @.
Los Angeles, August 25 1894.