Evening star., 1896-12-11

Der OF employees as shall be found necessa-
ry TO meet the large demand that would
be. sure to be made upon their services
There can. however. be no serious objec-
tion raised to this increased expenditure II
II be The purpose of Congress TO make the
library In ehe largest degree useful IL
would seem that no more satisfactory ap-
preparation could be made than that which
should be demanded by this enlarged use
of this great library. IL Is maintained not
for ornament. but Tor service, and what
ever can be done to make IL subserve tho
needs and convenience of the entire peopls
should be attempted.
A Liberal Policy of Equipment.
Every increase In It's patronage. from
however remote a section of the country.
should be hailed with satisfaction by those
in charge. as indicating a growing appre-
ciation OF the advantages afforded by tho
institution. A liberal policy In providing
ali necessary equipment will be found In
the end to be the wisest and the most eco
nom1cal: a niggardly policy In this direction
would be almost fatal to the development
of the utility OF the library along the lines
suggested. There should therefore be no
hest .ation on the part of Congress I'm pro-
Nlding adequately for all assistant libra
rians. cataloguers. photographers and as
slstants. SO that the library may at the
earliest possible day be put into the best
condition for practical use. and be able TO
respond punctually to all the new require
" II Will ne subject. Its
moval to new quarters may well be signal
lzed by the preparation of a new catalogue
IN accordance with the most approved mod
ern system Such a catalogue would al
most seem 10 Toe necessary In order TO meet
the changed conditions m which the library
VIII IND Esclf placed.
III may not be improper in This connsc-
tlon TO oner a suggestion regarding the fu-
ture administration of tN library IL IL
taken for granted there must he some su
pervising body, it will not be possible
Tor the librarian to discharge fully his du-
ties as such and at the same time he bur-
uehed with the administrative duties or
lne institution; neither does il seem prac
ticabie for the joint committee of the Ii
prary Oh the two houses of Congress sub
Ject as this committee Is 10 reneata
changes, and absent from the city as its
members frequently are for protracted me-
rlods, to satisfactorily exercise this ofrtc.
III is, therefore. suggested that a board nf
control-call ii. If you please board of ra
sehts-be provided for. of which the chair
man OF the Senate committee of tbs. library
the chairman of the House committee the
secretary OF the Smithsonian Institution
ana The commissioner of education he ex
ofhcio members: and that these four o,,i =
GERS, together with the librarian he an
tnoflzed TO select. say, seven additionsl
persohS from among the leading librarians
anu schoiars of the country who togptb.r
with the four officers above named sbonii
constitute the first board of regents va :
cahSies thereafter to be filled by the board
user. ot the board of regents the libra
l nan shouid be the secretary. and to this
pvaIa should be committed the selection of
aii the employees of the library. under sucn
rules and regulations as they NAV no
Pieased 10 adopt. 1t would be most de.
pioraole II 1t should be found that the Ma
.lohaI Library had afforded the final ref
use TO the spoils" idea. Ii is the yerl, 10 st
place in which the application of the
spolls system should be. for a moment.
tolerated.
Let this great library be hereafter ad-
Hinistereu on the very best possible pIan
ana 10y the wisest methods and lei its
functions be so enlarged that its influence
snail be felt in every section of the land
ana It's advantages be brought within the
Vi every ciliZeh y. Y. u.