Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-18

Nashinston's Public Library.
THE law is inimicaI to the general libra
~ interests of this city SO said Mr.
Dockery in the House on Thursday refer
ring 10 the act of June 3, 1S.,6. creating
public library in this city Il supplement
Of the public educational system of the Dis
trict.
The enactment of this law was bitterly
opposed by Mr.. Dochery, and ever since
Congress approved the measure in spite of
Lis opposition he has .obstructed the project
with Il venCmOus hostility that is inexplica-
bic. At the second session of the last Con-
gress he succeeded in causing the failure
in conference of the modest appropria ton
proposed for The maintenance of the libra
~. but on the other hand the House voted
Gcwn the proposition of himself and his
ccadjutors that this municipal expense in
violation Of the act of 1878 should be levied
exclusively upon the local tax payers In
the pending District estimates a small ap-
preparation is recommended by the Com
missioners for the maintenance of this in
s,itution which Congress has created and
ordered to be maintained. And MIR. Dock
cry responds with proposition for the re-
peal of tie law
The library act of 1896 is the only piece
of legislation ever enacted by Congress for
the purpose of giving the wOrkin gmen the
school children and the government en-
ployes of the capital the circulating library
and night reading facilities. which are en-
joyed by nearly every little New England
village. 1t was demanded by the labor or
PLANTATIONS. the school authorities the
Board OF Trade. the citizens associations
by every organized representative of local
public sentiment. and Congress in granting
1t corrected a legislative omission, which
was shame and disgrace to ii as the local
legislature of the District.
To meet the absolute necessity of books
as working adjuncts in the public schools.
small libraries had been formed in some
of the buildings. but to complete and per-
feet Its educational system, already So adj
mirabie, by adding the peoples free uni
versity TO the free school. Washington
soreiy needed the proposed library Its
creation was demanded in the name of the
'E'.oDO children of school age in the Dis
trlct. and especially in the name of the
5J.VS OF this number who were over twelve
years of age.
Investigation of the departmental libra
r1eS showed that very large percentage
Of their volumes. exceeding slightly 3OO,OUo
III number mot $4,000 as stated in the
recent House debate). was composed of
technical books and books of reference
which had direct bearing on the work
OF the department which possessed them;
that there were only between $1,000 and
$1,000 volumes suitable for a general cir
culatins library, and that these were con-
fined mainly to three departments the
Interior, War and Treasury The clerks in
the departments which had no libraries
needed them, and the favored departments
1al
than the small collection at the disposal
of each provided. There were in round
numbers about 10000 persons residing in
Washington who drew salaries from the
government. Many of these represented
families, and the number of readers in
this government constituency could be es-
timated only by the customary multiplied
ton of the number of government en-
plOyes.
Last but not least, came a powerful ap-
peal from the District workingmen. The
census of $500 disclosed the fact that,
while It is the policy of the capital to
courage only light and clean manufactur-
Ing. like that of Paris, over 1900 adults
were engaged in the District in lines of
work which are classed as manufactures.
emitting from consideration entirely all
the other numerous forms of labor
MIR. Dockery calls law drawn on the
approved lines of library legislation all
over the country. and meeting this urgent
local need 'inimical to the library inter-
ests of this city," and will not consent to
the opening of the Congressional Library
at night. unless this law Is repealed and
unless the 10000 WORKOUT duplicates that
constitute the miscellaneous books in the
departmental libraries are taken from the
clerks and IN he esio paI
Library.
OF course if Congress, even at this late
day. will make genuine free circulating IL
brary of the great national collection as
closely in touch with the schools. for in
stance. as that of Worcester Mass, Is with
the local educational system. and will also
enlarge the reference usefulness of the Con-
gressional Library by night opening the ne
cessity Of a city public library will be re-
moved But night opening alone will not
suffice. nor will a stringently restricted
and obviously temporary circulating fea-
ture- As the Congressional Library's scope
is enlarged, that of the city library will
diminish. but there is no reasonable pros
pect of any circulating use of the national
collection which will deprive the city H.
brary, as an adjunct of the schools. of all
reason for being.
II is unnecessary, therefore, for Congress
to undo the most creditable piece of local
legislation which II has enacted for years
in order 10 perform it's duty in wisely and
properly charging the usefulness of the
Congressional Library; and it should not
do so merely to crafty Mr.. Dockery In the
indulgence of his unfortunate habit of con-
stantly prodding the unhappy District and
the wretched clerks with the long sbarp
stick of his displeasure
The leadership OF the marine band is a