Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-19
The House Committees Report.


The appendix to the report of the library
committee is the report of the House Dis
trict committee of the last Congress, of
which the part bearing on the national obli-
cations toward the library project may be
quoted as Of special interest:
IF this library We're proposed as a general
departmental collection, solely for the gov
eminent employees its creation would be
justifable not only as a measure for the
public welfare, but as a stroke of economy.
A fraction Of the 20OO0 government en-
ployes, namely, those employed in the In
terror, War and Treasury Departments,
have already been provided at the govern
mentS expense with inadequate and unequal
circulating libraries. Other departments
and bureaus of the government have APP
piled or are preparing to apply for similar
privileges. The government printing Office
is among the recent applicants. Those bur
reaus without circulating libraries
much entitled to their use as the favored
ones which now enjoy them. The creation
Of a general Department. library would
give to the smaller number of clerks who
are now favored with the limited library
facilities, which have described much finer
circulating library, and 1t would supply to
a great body Of government employees priv
ileges of which they are now entirely de-
prived.
THE general library would not only re-
lieve for other uses the room space now &C.
cupied by the 10000 books to be transferred
to it from the departments. but it would
serve as an economical substitute for the
score or more of small libraries which must
In justice and consistency be scattered
among the different departments and bu-
reaus, each with its librarians it's duplicate
standard works, and it's wasteful duplica-
ton of occupied space for book room and
FOR administration purposes. This CONSOLE
dation and systema tization of departmental
libraries in a corner of the new city post
office would, in many obvious ways, save
money Tor the government even though as
in the case of the existing departmental Ii
braries, the nation should bear the entire
expense Of its creation and maintenance.
But If the departmental libraries were
not taken into consideration at all, and If
the new library were viewed solely as
supplement of the public schools for the
benefit of the 5000 school children, and
as peoples university. open at night for
the local workingmen, its crea ton would
still be justifiable, as an essential part Of
the capitals educational system. The cost
OF its creation and maintenance would be
a proper municipal expense, borne under
the law in equal parts by nation and city,
like other municipal outlays. In it's national
capacity ard without regard to the peculiar
relation which 1t bears to the capital, Con-
sress has steadily pursued the policy Of
fostering educational efforts, and has given
millions of acres of public land and
millions of dollars to the states for edu-
cational purposes. Among these donations
may be mentioned the grant of over 3d.
schools, 100000 acres for state UNIVERSE
ties, nearly 100000 acres for agricultural
colleges. and numerous cash gifts. mainly
from the proceeds of public lands. aggre-
eating many millions.
Not foot of public land has ever been
donated to the District for educational
purposes 1t is now proposed that the ma
ton, which has widely lavished millions Of
acres of land and millions of dollars upon
state universities and agricultural colleges,
shall donate the use of 6,0O0 square feet Of
space in the new post Office building for q
peoples university at The national capt.
tai.
1T Is believed to be wise for Congress to
place the capital city, with its quarter Of a
million of people, in respect to whom 1t ex-
ercises exclusive power Of legislation, at
least upon an equal footing in free library
facilities with other intelligent and pro-
gressive municipalities.