Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-06-30
The Free Public Library to Be Prop
erly Maintained.
HALF AND-HALF PRINCIPLE INVIOLATE
House and Senate Differences
Were Adjusted Satisfactorily.
A LONG, HARD FIG HI

rriation for the maintenance of this insti-
tuition. which, though small, is yet sufficient
10 effect a beginning of the work and 10
insure continuance of the library upon
the proper financial basis In accordance
with the spirit and the letter of the organic
act of 1878, which divides all the municipal
expenditures equally between the general
government and the District. This end was
finally accomplished on Monday. when the
conferees on the District bill reported to
their respective houses a failure 10 agree
upon the amendment it stood in issue.
The Senate insisted upon its original
amendment providing for the library, and
upon its disagreement to the action of the
House Incorporating in the amendment a
provision for the consolidation of the de-
partmental libraries with the free public Ii
brary. To this action the House later as
scented, Withdrawing its amendment rela-
tive to the departmental libraries, and thus
the matter was permitted to pass from The
field of conference into the text of the bill
soon to become law.
In its present shape the appropriation pro-
vision reads as follows:
Free Public Library: For librarian,
$1,000: first assistant librarian, 500; second
assistant librarian, $40; and for rent, fuel,
light, fitting up rooms and other contin-
gent expenses, $500; in ALL 81, TO-
Vital Principle Involved
iHlS Il d Slildu iltIll 10 cause the con-
iIovarsy that has ragged about 1t Tor three
entire sessions of Congress- yet 1t has in
volved a principle so vitality affecting the
welfare of the District of Columbia that
the success attending its accomplishment
has been we'll worth the labor, time and
thought expended upon IT. As il stands il
Is a victory for the fundamental principle
or the governments fiscal relations to the
national capital. Had this principle been
hy he n6r Of
hrary the measure establishing that insti-
tuition and providing for it in an ample
manner would long ago have become law
But throughout the effort to secure the
creating law and the maintaining appro-
priation there has bsen no suggestion of
withdrawal by the friends of She plan from
their high plane of fidelity to the organic
act and thus the securing of the apprcpril-
uon, small though il is and in some re-
spects insufficient for the best purposes of
the library. is most satisfactory vindicd-
ton OF the steadfast opposition of the Ii
brdry'S friends 10 all suggestions of A COM
promise quitting all the expense upon the
District, in violation of the Organic act
Started by the Board of Trade.
The movement for the creation Of the Ii
brary was begun by communications and
editorials in The Star, and was continued
by the board of trade, to which organiza-
ton belongs much of the credit of CARRYING
through the fight for the municipal book
collection, which the capital mas ALWAYS
lacked and demanded. In the winner OF
1871 a special committee of the board OF
trade was appointed to take this subject in
charge This committee made report at a
meeting of the board held March - 1891
signed by Theodore W. Noyes chairman;
James I. Dubois, Daniel Murray John G.
AmeS, Fred arick Mcclure George r E.m-
mons and Simon Wolf. In tire course of
thdt report, which was unanimously adopt
ed, the lack of a municipal library was
noted with emphasis. attention beln; di-
rected TO the fact that in this respect
Nashington the capital city OF a nation re-
nowned for its love of education and Its de-
Votion 10 the best interests OF the people of
all Classes. was without such book collec-
ton as was TO be found IN Il ma jori:y of
'he small cities and towns OF such states
as Massachusetts and others OF the COM
mcrwealths. Pointing out the evident adj
Vantdges of the municipal library the report
continued:
What Carlyle sought for each English
county town. and what manyl,nglish and
American villages now enjoy. the national
capital lacks and seeks TO obtain. 1t is
last becoming the republics educat ional
center. Universities are founded in rand
succession within its limits. But the great
free library university, for those whom
Lincoln lovingly called the common peo-
pie, is yet to be created According IN
the statistics there are much more than a
million books in the semi-public libraries OF
Washlngton-about a twentieth of all in
the republic; and when these have been
al porticned among the citizens after the
methods Of statisticians it appears thar
the District workingman has fourteen
times as many public books as the average
American And the only difficulty is that
he cannot possibly make any use of them
whatsoever.
The resident in the more elevated sec
uons of Washington who could get no wa
Ter on the upper floors of his house. and
Very little on any floor. saw countless gal
lens wasted in the departments in foun-
tains and otherwise. and learned from sta
ustcs that he and the other citizens were
IN per capita average of gallons daily
USED. among the largest consumers OF wa
ter in the country. The population of the
capital. credited with fourteen times their
que proportion of books. and without "a
Sill gle available lending library. with read
ing rooms open at night. without even the
command OF books enjoyed by the working
people Of little northern and western
towns, detect a similar mockery in the
tute either for actual water or actual
books is furnished by complimentary sta
tstics.
Want Amidst Plenty.
THE department libraries at the capital
certain nearly 10000 volumes, accessible
only to a few employees of the government.
and closed to them early in the afternoon
The vast wealth OF reading matter in the
Ccngre ssional Library is practically out of
dren, owing to the hours of opening and
eiosing and the conditions placed upon the
enjoyment of its privileges. Not one of
the great government collections is open
IN the evening. when alone the great mass
of the people can use the books There are
nfty-two libraries in the District, each con-
tanning over 1000 volumes, and not one Of
them is 4 free lending library, with a read
ing room open at night for the benefit of
the general public. Such an institution is
the most urgent need OF the national cap
ftal Viewing this ocean of more than a
million books, spread tantalizingly before
them, the workingmen, the school chill
oren. the government clerks, the great
mass OF the citizens Of Washington, thirs-
~ for the knowledge which comes from
reading. may well exclaim with the An
Gent Mariner:
Water. water everywhere. nor any drop
to drink
"A great national reference library for
the worlds scholars does not prevent in
other capitals the existence of numerous
popular libraries. and should not in Wash
ington- In London, where the British
Museum, with its vast library of over two
million volumes, is still sacred to scholars
there are thirty local libraries in addition
to many special libraries. open to various
classes OF students. In Paris, where the
great national library is only open 10 read
ers well armed with credentials there are