Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-08
Appropriation PassedIbP the Senate
Without DiEssi6h.
OBJECTION BY mr.. CHltfQt OF TEXAS
Answered by Messrs-AIGson, Teller,
Hale and Others.
SKETCH OF THE DEBATE

The appropriation in the District appro-
priation bill for free public library, which
had been passed over under objection by
Mr.. Chiffon earlier in the afternoon, was
taken up in the Senate yesterday afternoon
after The Stars report closed. Senator
Chiffon opposed the appropriation, saying
the government had provided the Congress
sional Library at an enormous cost and he
thought that was all that should be expect
ed of the government. Action was to be
taken to keep the library open at night for
the people Of the District. While the ap-
preparation for the free public library was
only $3.50, he anticipated that this amount
would be increased from year to year.
Mr.. Chilton's remarks called a large num-
Der of the senators to their feet in defen: :,
of the appropriation.
An Educational Measure.
This free circulating library" said Mr..
Allison, lis one that was authorized by an
act Of Congress some years ago with prac-
tlcal unafifmity to be established in the
District of Columbia. 1t has no relation tn
or connection with the Library of Congress.
which Is an institution established for the
people of the United States. No book in If
can be taken from the library excent NV
members of Congress or specially desie-
mated persons. There is in the District T
am told, quite number Of libraries which
can be united and the aggregate nut into
one, provided the District of Columbia will
furnish portion of the means necessary
10 Iurnlsh room and the necessary assist
anus. librarians, etc. This is a matter ne
GUITAR 10 the District and pertaining to It,
II is an educational instrumentality in the
Distrlct just as much as the public
school is.
we have IN this very dill, and the sena-
tcr from Texas makes no comment about
Orfa tir,,, Q "a f.fkn
chase OF school books for the people of tha
District. We have item after item here
as respects the schools of the District ag-
sregatlhg more than $l.2OoOO0. 1 venture
the statement that this public circulating
library, for the money il costs, is a better
lnSti umentality for the education of the
people of the District or as good. as what
results from the expenditure of any Dor
ton OF the large sums already in the bill
SO L hope the senator from Texas and
other senators will agree that the spirit
and essence of the statute shall ne carried
out by a small appropriation for the pur-
pose"
Mr.. Stewart said he regarded the circu-
hat1ng library of as great benefit as the
school house in the education. of the peo-
pie. lie said Congress was given sole jul
rsdiction in the District of Columbia, and
he thought 1t should not neglect to provide
for this community so important an edu-
catlonal element as free public library
Mr.. Bacon made a strong defense of the
appropriation. ,a4s
Not n Government Contribution.
1T is an injustice" he said, Ito this,
Community to represent this as a con-
tribution solely by the generaisgovernment
Half OF it is paid by the people Of the Dis
trict They have 70 means, rs other COM
munities have, of devottns.i their public
funds TO an institution ofrthis kind except
through the agency of Congress: and while.
wien this discussion first began, before /
bad opportunity to confef wifi otfferf mem
bers. OF the District committee as to what
had been done. was in doubt, l think
there ought to be in this community cir
culating library. AS stated by the senator
from Nevada. the Congressional Library
Is not open as circulating library. Peo-
pie can go there and sit down and read;
but very few can take advantage of such
an arrangement, even at night In every
community it is important that there
should be circulating libraries There can
be none in the District supported by pub
lie funds except through act Of Congress-
and while | lepreo ate the prospect of an
increased appropriation, l think proper
appropriation ought not to be denied Il on
that ground. When the increase is de-
handed. that is the time to deal with it,"
Value of Circulating Libraries.
Mr.. Teller defended the project for a
free library. saying: Il think in these days
all cities of the usual culture in this coun-
try are expected to have one or more free
circulating Libraries, and some of them a
good many. The present system on this
subject in the best organized cities is to
have a central depot for the books and a
large number of stations where the books
can be sent. so to be easy of access.
The Congressional Library is of no value
whatever to very large class of the peo-
pie OF this city who do not have the time
to go there during the day or at night and
books and take them to their homes.
There is great deal in family who
have books to be read in the family. They
cannot go to the library to read them.
They should have the opportunity to read
them at home. The father, or the mother
or some older member of the family will
read to the other members of the family.
The government of the United States has
in each of its departments books that cir
culate, but the use of the books is con-
flied entirely to the employees Of the par
ticular department. That does not meet
the demand from the mechanic and the
laborer and the people who are unable to
buy books. and I think myself that the
government of the United States in the
District has been very reniss with refer
ence to the subject Of a circulating library.
II think we will be able to take this lit
tie library, which has been started without
the aid of the government, except that
we have given 1t creation by law.
There has been no money paid for 1t,
although we have made an effort two or
three times in that direction. 1 think that
little library will be the nucleus of the
union of the government libraries outside
of the Congressional Library, and there Is
a magnificent place for the books in the
big library where the librarian assures
us they can be put, and under proper regu-
lations. which will have to be made here
after, there can be a very large and valu-
able library without any very great eX-
pense, in the character of IA circulating
library, so that the people cannot only go
there and read, but unaar, proper restric-
ticns can take the books ia their homes.
81 wish to repeat that no library answers
the purpose of a librarys5haI does not al
low the people to take the books into their
ZONES. 1t is great tHnG to have the
Congressional Library. There are about
700 people in this city who are entitled To
take books out of the library. the building
for which alone has costiovtq 6,O00,000. l
think with governni ento-which boasts of
teing the richest eovernti1ntnin the world,
having the most intelligeAtnpopularion In
the world, having a system,1f government
that is based absolutely upon the intelli-
gence Of the people, no man In this cham
Der ought to object to o3SHfhg the little
money provided in this btlks or ten times as
much, OF a hundred times As much, If 1t
were necessary. to establish "a decent cir
cuiating library fer the benefit of the peo-
pie of the District" 1 lEttfs