The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-06

Mr. wellington, from the House District
Committee, has submitted the following
favorable report on the bill TO provide free
public library for Washington:
Great interest has been manifested by
the people of the District in project OF a
| free pubic library ana reading room in The
! city OF Washington. The library bill has
lilri commissioners ana inaoraed by The
trustees OF the pubic schools, by The Beard
/ OF Trade, by the Federation oi Labor. by hc
press OF the District ana by the publlC-Spirited
! citizens generally. The sentiment for its
adoption seems to be universal. The Senate
has already passed the bill by unanimons
| vote and there can h" no quest ION is TO the
! expectancy Of the measure.
! The city OF Washington is he capital of
our nation. and within The last quarter OF a
century there seems toi yea Weakened among
/ its citizens a desire 10 mai K" tia city worthy
/ Of The American people. Much has been
/ done towards the characterization and beau
! trying OF II public buildings and streets. and
/ thc upbulldug of such institutions as are
! Necessary FOR The education ana comfort
! OF the citizens.
ONE SERIOUS NEGLECT.
But the matter OF u nee library TO lie
/ conducted al the public expense has been
neglected and there is not public
/ library III the city OF WaShmgton accessible
/ TO lis citizens for their use, saving only
| the Washington free city library which
has been in existence for about a year
| and Is dependent upon contributions and
voluntary subscriptions.
| ii has been WCll SAID hat in the matter OF
hooks there Is want in the midst OF plenty
/ In the National Capital The Congress
! siOnal library and the departmental Ii
/ brdrleS and other private libraries have
! hundreds OF thousands OF volumes. but they
cannot be used in such manner and 20 such
/ advantage as Is desirable for tie general
/ public. Therefore Tree library, such as is
| contemplated in the bill, IS a manifest
necessity.
over thirty thousand school children
! IN the District VINO have reached the age
| when books, if not a necessity, are ct
| least Il great advantage, demand such Il
! library. Twenty thousand government
employees demand such a library and
twenty-five thousand working men OF the
District are in hC same position.
From information in the hands OF the
committee there is not in The United States
a city having half tie population Of Wash
ington that has not free public library,
and on the other hand hundreds or cities
towns and villages have free public Ii
brariCs, supported 10y local taxat 81.
CITIES AHEAD OF Us.
The neighborins city Of Baltimore has a
library which was established by the lib
erality and public spirit of Enoch Pratt,
one OF its citizens, but the city contributes
literally from its taxes for the mainten-
ance thereof. The cities of Boston, Chi
caEo, Cincinnati, st. Louis and many Others
| in this country give large appropriations for
these purposes, and review OF the work
Of these public libraries leads TO the con
clusion that no money expended by a city
or public corporation gives better results
than that which is invested in the eStab-
lishment and maintenance OF free public
Libraries.
The Washington city free library stands
ready upon III. passage OF this bill and the
establishment OF the library TO merge its
books and properties into the free public
library so established, and doubtless when
The citizens OF the District find the gov
eminent and municipal powers have ere
aetd a library they VIII give IL financial
aid and we may look forward in the near
future 10 a splendid library, having such
success as a project so prdIseworjhy Is
eminently entitled to-
The committee submitted with the re
port an extensive appendix.