The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-19

which can only - known when It Is
properly arranged and classified"
But there must be 8 great deal OF
trash in such stuff. Mr.. Young" said L
NO. think not" was the reply. Al
mos; every bjt OF II Is valuable in one
sense or another. You know the trash
Of one century becomes the classics q
the next. Old pamphlets which are
thought worthless often become very
valuable The American ones are espe-
ciaily so. The library is the copyright
record Of what the great American brain
IS doing Il is the great brain reservoir
% the United States. and IL should con-
tain everything published"
But does it do this?" I asked.
Yes. I think so as far as the United
States Is concerned. The law requires
that two COPIES Of each book copyrighted
must be deposited IN the National Ii
brary. We also get every foreign book
registered under the International copy
right law. and our additions 10 the IL
brary from copyrights alone amount 10
tens Of thousands a year. Last year
there were over 70.D00 books. pictures and
other things copyrighted. and the In
crease OF copyrights seems TO be steady
from year TO year"
Enough Room for the Next Century.
win not the library soon become fun
at this rate OF fncrease%' asked
NO. I think not" replied the librarian.
I'VE can put all the books IN one wing
or stack Of the new building. We have
shelving for years 70 come. The library
covers about three acres. There are
three stories which gives nine acres for
books. machinery. Offices and reading
rooms. Nine acres is a great deal Of
space. There are already miles Of shelly
ing. and. If necessary. room could be
made Tor more than 40m000 books
doubt whether We viii fiji the library
building within the next 100 years The
greatest library Of the world today is
that Of Paris It has 900 90 volumes.
but the books are badly housed. The
British Museum Library Is next. with
more than 10000 and | think that st.
Petersburg follows As for US. We stand
about eleventh IN number; hut If con-
gress is as liberal in providing books as
1t has been in putting UP this hook pal
ace. We VIII soon become third in rank.
and We may eventually be first"
Our speciaIfies
In what features Is the library espe-
cislly strong. Mr.. Young2" l asked
1T has a fine collection Of American
pamphlets and books published in Amer
lea. II is vsry strong in law. political
economy and history There are how
ever. many gaps In our collection Of
French, German and Spanish literature.
and also in other things. l want 10 see
the gaps filled up. I hope that congress
Will give as a big enough appropriation
20 buy the things which we have not.
8ir. Spofl0rd aad myself are now watcn-
Ing the catalogues of sales all over the
world IN order to supply our deficiencies.
Congress ought 10 give a good appropri-
alton 10 the library. and ] think the
building will cause IL TO do better as 10
the book fund than IL has In the past.
Heretofore the library has had about
sll0o a year, and one-third Of this has
gone 10 the supreme court. The new
library building cost s. 0100o0 The in
tereet on the investment at per cent.
is $26o.0Q0 q year. As long as the United
States IS paying S36o 01A a year for its
library Il ought 10 add the small sum
~ SO 0o0 or $4,000 more for the purchase
of books, which would keep II abreast Of
the great libraries of the world. As IL is
We have q great many good nuggets in
the library We have for instance. the
first folio edition OF ShakeSpeare a vol
ume which Is worth from $1,000 10 s. On.
] think We should have not only every
hook but all the editions Of the greater
writers that can be found"
4 Chance for Rich Men.
There is one idea that 7 would like 70
see grow in The minds Of the rich men
Of the United States" continued Mr.