Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-14

country appreciate and take pride In this
beautiful city-this Paris of America.
In conclusion he said:
This is the capital of our country. I be-
lieve the people of the country desire to
make proper expenditures for all that the
government should do here; and do not
believe that they desire to have this city
without free public library such as every
second and third-rate progressive city of
the land Is establishing under government
agencies for the development OF the city
and the enlightenment of its people and the
perfection of Its citizenship. This is a ques-
ton of educating our citizens, giving them
habits of reading, and s.eeplng them out of
Objectionable places. This is in the line OF
progress, Of good government; and 1 trust
the bill may pass"
Must Come to Congress.
Mr.. Hull of Iowa expressed surprise at
the course the debate had taken. He sup
posed that there would be absolutely no
dissent to the general proposition of estab-
fishing a free public library. He said that
if any city of the United States with one
tenth the population of this city was
charged with being entirely without free
circulating library it would be considered
a disgrace to the city. He said that in his
state city of 1,500 inhabitants without a
free library is considered an anomaly. In
cities of o,OOO and over, by an act of the
general assembly, they are authorized to
vote taxes to support one. He said that the
reason that Washington is without free
library is because that Washington has not
the means that every village, town and city
OF the United States has to establish one
Tor itself. 1t must come to Congress. He
said that some gentlemen talk as though
1t was an unheard of proposition for the
government to pay half the expenses of this
library. The government pays half of all
taxes here and owns more than half of
the property. L will say to my friend from
South Carolina, who suggested that the en-
ployes were drawing salaries such that
nr1 sf,l1 lick. sIr,. g
their own, that the Congressional Library
spends thousands and thousands of dollars
practically for the benefit of members of
Congress and judges of the Supreme Court
FOR the law library, as | understand that is
a part OF the Congressional Library, and
for few people with abundant leisure who
can come to the Congressional Library and
read
He spoke of the necessity of the library
being opened at night, in order that it
should be of the greatest benefit to the poor
boys and the poor girls and the working
people of the District.
In Pnrtnership.
Objection made by Mr. Talbert of
South Carolina on the ground that the peo-
pie OF the District ought to provide this
library just as people in other towns do.
In reply to this Mr.. Hull said: IF we
were legislatinS for the gentleman's dis
trict, If the government of the United
States owned one-half the property in his
district, If we were in partnership with his
constituents in their public schools. in their
street improvements, in all their public i'm
proVements, then it would be entirely proper
that we should be in partnership with them
In their library, but we have no such con-
nection with them.
This proposed librsry, as was well stated
by the gentleman from Florida (Air. Coop
err. is really TO be an extension of the com
mon school system, to bring within the
reach of every child and every family the
literary In ind,
1t is disgrace to this nation that Washing
ton, with nearly 100000 people. has not a Ii
brary for the common people of the District.
Now, II is wrong to take a part of this
new post office building for this purpose
let gentlemen who are opposed TO that fea-
ture OF the bill move to substitute some
thing else. If this library should be put in
the Congressional Library building an
amendment will carry it there.
SO FAR as l am concerned, | believe that
II should be nearer the center of the city,
ana should be kept open at right for the
accommodation of the people OF this Dis
trict AS l have already said, more space
Will be gained in the departments than is
proposed to be given to this library in the
new post office building. We d. not trench
uIon any purpose for which the building is
berg erected. We take G.V1 square feet
less than one-fiftieth part of the space in
the building, space which will not be
needed ct present, and before il is needed
for other purposes l trust that the District
of Columbia will have building where
this library can be kept.
And | wish to say to my friend from Hi
nois CMr. Smith that If We will establish
this library, We will do as we ought to
have done ten years ago, inaugarate free
library for ,he District OF Columbia there
will be many wealthy people who will con-
tribute to build it up ana make it a library
that the people of the United States can
have pride in.
The Duty of Congress.
Mr.. Grout then took the floor and spoke
Of 10 yrbN
Congress sional Library is not generally ac-
cessible, owing to the fact that it is opened
from . to daily. He then read list of
the people who are allowed to take books
from the library, and he argued that these
facts show that the Congressional Library
ces not serve the purpose OF a popular Ii
brary.
Continuing he said:
Mr. Chairman, we should remember our
relations TO the District of Columbia 1t
is objected to this bill that by it the United
States go into partnership. But the TACT
is the United States has already taken this
District into partnership in everything per-
tanning to District affairs-everything, the
police department, the fire department, the
public schools, etc.-and the measure now
proposed is only another step in the pro-
cess of education.
ut seems to me the judgment of every
candid man will say that there should be
some place provided for wor<ingmen and
ton of this kind in the evenings. You Ii
cense saloons all over the District, but you
provide no places that may afford health
full and elevating counter attraction 1t is
true there are the theaters. but they are
only a sort Of midway plaisance.
1t is the duty of the American Congress
to establish a free reading room, and have
IL omen during the evening hours, to which
men with their daily labor completed may
repair and enjoy the companionShip of
books You should do this for the benefit
of the young working men and women of
the District. You should at least place
over against the saloons which you have
licensed and tolerate as legal establish
ments and on account of which you have
received the cash, the competition of a free
reading room, the antiGote for ignorance
and dissipation. How can we do less and
do our duty? On reelection, all will agree
that the people of this District ought to
hs We the library provided by this bill.
Just a word as to where this library
should be housed. Objection has been made
to the place designated in the hill-the new
post office building. This objection was first
suggested by my friend, the gentleman
from Illinois (Mr. CanrcnC but when he
undertook to state the objection it was APP
parent to all that it was sentimental rather
than substantial.
THE objection, AS stated by the gentleman,
is because this building was dedica Ted in
ms a q he