The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-28


library board was Henry P. Upham. He has
served continuously until the present year.
This year. 1887, abecomes memorable by reason
of a change of 9policy, and for the first time
in the history iof the library political con-
siderations have come in to demand that
Mr.. Upham be dropped from the board. Mr..
Upham has been it's financial adviser from
the beginning, when good counsel was need
| ed, and his knowledge of books, of where
they can be most advantageousy purchased
and of what Is essential in the economical
| by that of any sother man in st. Paul. This
| Is the testimony OF his colleagues on the
| board, four of whom have said to me that
any other member might better have been
spared than Mr.. Upham.
| have BEEN associated with Mr.. Upham
| for six years on the library committee OF the
| now have over s59, 600 volumes, and l venture
| the assertion that of that vast number OF
| books there are net 500 the authors, SUD-
1 1ects and general contents of which are not
familiar to Mr. Upham This is not surpr1s-
| ing when we consider the fact that for near
| ly forty years Mr.. Upham has,. with few
that library and the city library-a period
Of time aggregating nearly seven years OF the
time Of business That such a man
should be dropped from the b,s ooaG1 10
is that he has some political influence, is
blow at our library which ought not 10
have been dealt. A member OF the library
board has characterized it as public cal
amity. With this policy inaugurated, we
may reasonably expect that the two efficient
non-political members of the board, whose
| terms of Office will expire on April 81 next
will be superseded by incompetent men, VINO
will accept the honors of the office In can
collation. Of political debts.
| If library board appointments are 10 De
used as political levers for the benefit OF any
man or any political party, and If men ap-
pointed under such conditions are to control
| the library funds, then it is pertinent TO
| inquire whether some other mode of appoint
ment may not be provided in our new char.
| ter. With the expiration Of the terms OF
office of the old members OF the Doaro . VINO
were selected with special reference to their
| fitness, and who have not sought these posi-
tons, and whose services the city is 1oTtu-
nate in securing the library, II TINS Pollcy
| is pursued, will soon drift to the point Wnere
| it will suffer more from inefficient manage
ment than from lack Of funds for Its main.
tenance. We would better have our present
half mill levy controlled by incompetent
trustees or politicians. The friends OF the
| library throughout the city cannot render II
a greater service than by insisting that our
| successful business men and men who are
familiar with current literature (and not po-
liticians who possess neither OF these guam
cations shall manage us aIairs, ~, nS s,'nGs
| the appointments on the board nor the 1unus
| appropriated for the maintenance OF the
library are to be considered as political sPolis.
In closing, Mr.. Langford said he hoPeo tne
| majority report of the committee would pre-
| vail, as he thought it would work considera-
| BILE hardship to increase the tax levy.
Mai. Espy followed Mr.. Langford,
saying that the City of st. Louis had
a half-dozen endowed libraries, and
the public library was only one or
many in that city. He thought the
! charter commission could do nothing
which would benefit the city more than
by providing for a suitable library. No
| tax levy could be diverted towards a
project which would have better in
fuence on the poorer classes, and
would make st. Paul an educational
center. He believed in retrenchment,
but he thought this was false economy.
E. w. Peet the author of the reSolu-
ton, explained his position at length.
He said: l am opposed to increase in
should be made in other city depart
ments. Our library accommodations
are wholly inadequate. st. Paul's IL
brary compares unfavorably with 9TH
! er cities, in it's library accommoda-
lions, in number of volumes and in
come, but compares favorably with
other cities in the number of readers
| and the circulation of books Addi-
! tlonal rooms have been allotted to the
library, and there is not such a crying
necessity and immediate need for
new library building as to make it ad-
visable for the city, in it's present con-
dition,a to largely increase it's debt by
taxation in order to erect one. The
time will come, and not in the distant
! future, when some arrangement can
| be made, to utilize the market house
| property, or obtain the use of the pres
ent postoff1ce building. My proposition
was to increase the tax levy by frac
ton, which would enable the library
board to establish distributing sta
lions in several parts of the city, where
orders could be left for books to be de-
| livered the next day, which would save
much inconvenience to people not re-
siding down town, and is, l think, the
| most practicable solution to the Ii
| brary question. An additional appro-
priation would enable the library board
| to put in shelves over the present ones.
| which could be reached by ladders and
galleries, and would make room for
additional books. AS to the recon-
| mendation of. the committee that the
resolution fixing the limit of the tax
| levy be indefinitely postponed, and that
the charter commission take into con-
| sideration the advisability of increas-
ing the levy for library purposes, if
the chamber took any action it Should
be definite, and an increase from $15,-
600 to a minimum of $23, 900, which
| probably would be the amount apDro-
| priated, could be safely recommended
| Action was deferred.
Secretary Talnfadge received a COM
munication from the American Hoist
and Derrick company. saying that the
mortar carriages would be completed
soon after the first Of the year, when
| they would be glad to have the cham
| Der visit their foundry in a body.
| A letter was received from Congress
| man Stevens asking the chamber for
their views of the proposition to es-
| TO icp frno OF 01,e
He said there did not seem to be much
chance Of the bill passing, as a similar
bill affecting st. Paul was defeated in
congress last year. Referred to the
committee on state affairs. Congre'
man Stevens also advised the chamber
| that he would take up the matter of
better mail accommodations for Fort
Smelling Immediately with the proper
authorities at Washington.
| A communication was received from
the Philadelphia museum, which was
referred to the proper committee with
out reading.
| The members Of the chamber of COM
merce will gather around the festive
board Jan. IA and celebrate the thirty
| first anniversary of the organization
Of the chamber. The occasion will be
made a memorable one as it has been
ten years since the last anniversary
celebration, and the only two surviv-
ing incorporators of the chamber will
be present and make addresses. The
committee having charge report the
arrangements we'll under way. Presi-
dent J. j. Hill and S. C. Stickney will
respond to toasts, while Secretary of
Agriculture James Wilson and Comp
t1oller of Currency Eckels have also
been invited to be present and the COM
mittee expect to receive their replies in
a few days. Outside Of the members of
| tho oh q thara rIrill "a for