Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-05
THE FREE LIBRARY BILL
Report From the House District Committee
Submitted Today.
Washington Alone Among Cities-Has
No Public LfbrNry-PassnEc of the
Pending Measure Urged.

Mr.. Wellington of Maryland today SUBJ
mitted to the House the report of the Dis
trict committee on the library bill. The bill
will be called up for action in the House
next Monday which will be District day.
The report says:
Great interest has been manifested by
the people of the District in the project of a
free public library and reading room in the
city of Washington. The library bill has
been recommended for passage by the Dis
trict Commissioners and indorsed by the
trustees of the public schools, by the board
of trade, by the Federation of Labor by the
press of the District and by public-spirited
citizens generally. The sentiment for its
adoption seems to be universal. The Senate
mas already passed the bill by unanimous
vote. and there can be no question as to the
expediency of the measure. The city of
Washing Ton is the capital of our nation and
within the last quarter of century there
seems to have awakened among it's citizens
the desire to make it city worthy Of the
American people. Much has been done to-
ward the ornamentation and beautifying of
Its public buildings and streets and the up
building of such public institutions as are
receSSary for the education and comfort OF
the citizens.
But the matter OF free library to be
conducted at tie public expense has been
neglected and there is not a public library
In the city of Washington accessible to its
citizens, for their use, saving only the Wash
ington free city library which has been in
existence for about a year and is dependent
upon free contributions and voluntary sub
scriptions. 1t has been we'll said that in
the matter of books there is want in the
midst Of plenty in the national capital. The
Congressional Library and the departmental
libraries and other private libraries have
hundreds of thousands of volumes, but they
cannot be used in such manner and to such
ADVANTAGE 10 for fho
public. Therefore free library, such as is
contemplated in the bill. is manifest nee
essity. Over 10000 school children in the
District who have reached the age when
books, If not a necessity, are at least great
advantage, demand such library. Twenty
thousand government employees demand sucn
library and 25,OOO working men of the
District are in the sans position.
From information in the hands of the
committee there is not in the United
States city having the population of
Washington that has not a free public IL
brary, and on the other nand hundreds of
libraries, supported by local taxation. The
neighborirS city of Baltimore has a free
library which was established by the lib
eraGty and public spirit of Enoch Pratt,
one of its citizens. but the city contributes
literally from it's taxes for the main-
tenance thereof. The cities of Boston, Chi
cago Cincinnati. st. Louis and many 9TH
ers In this country give large appropria-
tionS Ior tneSa purposes and review of
the work of these public libraries leads to
the conclusion that no money expended
by city or public corporation gives bet
ter results than that which is invested in
the establishment and maintenance of free
public libraries. The Washington city free
library stands ready upon the passage of
this bill, and the establishment of the Ii
brary to marZe it's books and properties
into the free public library so establish
ed, and doubtless when the citizens of the
District find the government and municipal
powers have created library they will
give it financial aid and we may look for
ward in the near future to a splendid Ii
orary, having such success as project so
praiseworthy is eminently entitled to-"
The committee submitted with the report
an extensive appendix.