Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-17
BOOKS FOR THE PEOPLE,

Mf. DOckery Wants the Congressional
Library Volumes More Accessible.
The efforts in behalf Of night opening of
the Congressional Library were resumed in
the House yesterday by Mr. Handy, who
said:
Mr.. Chairman, the amendment which
offered yesterday was as follows: For adj
ditional expense involved in keeping the H.
brary open daily from am. to 10 pm,
$4,000"
He declared that he appeared with an
amendment strictly in accordance with the
provisions of the law-not requiring the Ii
Drarian to make any change and not die
tating to him what changes he shall make,
but giving him the money to make such
changes under the provisions of law he
may desire to make. He went on:
He has expressed that desire in an off,
cial report to Congress. 1t follows that my
amendment is not inconsistent with any
law whatsoever"
The chair, in reply to Mr.. Handys argu-
ment, said:
THE amendment as offered yesterday Is,
in the judgment of the chair, new legisla-
ton, iii this, that under existing law the IL
brarian Of Congress has the power to regu-
late the hours when the library shall be
kept open, and if the amendment of the
gentleman from Delaware is adopted it will
operate as a restriction upon the discretion
which the librarian of Congress now pos
sesses under existing law. Hence it would
be new legislation and subject to the point
of order. The chair adheres to his ruling
upon that point"
In the course of the discussion Mr.. Dock
cry of Missouri made the following signif-
cant statement:
II favor the proposition Of the gentleman
from Delaware. but desire to do something
more, and l an. quite certain that 1t Will
be accomplished on an appropriation bill
that will follow this after the holidays.
want to do what the gentleman from Della
ware does-that Is. to open the library TO
the people of the United States at night
but l desire to do more. l want to accom-
pish two purposes. l desire to call in the
miscellaneous books from the departments
and put them in the new library building,
and then repeal the law authorizing this
city to erect or rent a building for a public
library. We have nearly 100000 volumes
in the Congressional Library now, and per-
haps $50, 900 more in the departments.
These volumes should be available to the
people of this city, under proper regulations
for their care and safety, and also to the
people of the United States who sojourn
here In connection with the proposition or
the gentleman from Delaware, which is a
most worthy one, would repeal, as have
heretofore stated. the statute authorizing
a public library in this city. Now. then, n
YOU open the Congressional Library at this
time-and l sympathiZe with the enthusl-
asm of the distinguished gentleman from
DeIaware-if YOU do this now, the result
will be to leave on the statute DOCKS the
that law, but Congress has repeatediy-by
a close vote, it Is true-refused to appro-
pirate the money to execute it.
THE law is inimical to the general IL
brary interests of this city. Therefore l
ask to ;oin the repeal proposition with that
of the gentleman from Delaware. Call In
the miscellaneous books, and then we Will
have the library interests in this splendld
capital city on a proper basis. l am quite
SIRE that a proposition embodying this Idea
will be placed III some bill after the holi-
days If | did not so believe would favor
the pending proposition