The record-union., 1899-07-16
THE FREE LIBRARY OF SACRA-
MENTO.

By his will Governor Samuel j. Til
den OF New York intended to devote
over seven millions of dollars tolthe up
building of free libraries in the city Of
New York. The trustee body he created
for that purpose was held to be in
valid, and HIS estate went to his heirs.
One of these. Mrs. Peyton, his sister.
who takes half the estate, wishes TO
see. the desire of her brother carried out.
She therefore relinauishes her interest
except as TO $1,O00,OO0 in favor of the
endowment and thus gives nearly three
millions of dollars to library founda-
tion and expansion in New York. This,
however, is about 100000 less than
Governor Tilden intended to devote to
such uses. Mrs. Peyton has, however,
done her full duty, and is entitled to the
grateful Acknowledgements of the people
of the chief city of the Union.
This ssplendid endowment Of great
thoughts concerning the Free Library
in Sacramento. There is no more use
full Institution in the city. Its influence
is confessed on all sides to be that Of
expanding good. But the library is in
adequate to meet the demand upon it.
1t is crowded for room. it has not by
half the volumes that should be ready
to call 1t needs more and better read
ing-rooms as well as more and wider
field of books. In short it needs many
fhippS xxrhi1 only Sunn1V
Wealth has never endowed it; it has
struggled along and grown upon tho
mere pittance allotted it in the annual
tax budget. The City Trustees do the
best that they can for it when the
financial ability of the city is taken
into consideration. but it is trifie
after an.
The library ought to have down
right gift of So, 900 to put it upon the
plane it deserves to occupy. for it is not
level with the dignity and Importance
of the city, nor the demand of the peo-
pie upon it, We could easily name five
people of this city who could endow the
library with $1,000 each and not feel
the giving. They would raise monu-
ments thereby to their memories as en-
during as the city itself. and they would
have the proud satisfaction of knowing
that they had contributed to one of the
greatest beneficences of the day. Of
course these people cannot be solicited
to make these gifts. To do so would
be indelicate and deprive the endow-
- 1T xrirf,
gifts to public benefactions must come
freely and unsought. They should
spring from the generosity of the giver
and be in the fullest sense free will
offerings.
But while we await such benefcenee
to be showered upon the library, what
can be done to enlarge it's usefulness
and equip it as it should be? 1t is now
hampered by lack of funds. 1t has to
squeeze along in way, but 1T has not
free action. What it needs most it can
not procure with the means at the COM
1nand of it's administration.
So great and general is the useful
ness of our Free Library that it is
scarcely possible to indicate by words
the extent of it's beneficence. That
there should be arbitrary limits to it's
mission is humiliating. Other towns
and cities of the State are more for
tunate regarding their libraries. some
of them have been endowed by generous
wealth; several of them are housed In
beautiful structures with appropriate
ground environment and far better
adapted to the needs of the institution
than is that which the sacramento
Library occupies. Several of them in
cities of not greater Importance sur
pass the Sacramento Library in the
number of and varied Importance OF the
volumes upon the shelves, and the facil--
tiles for adding the best books as rap
idly as they appear.
What we want here is such equipment
OF the Free Library as will enable 1T
to keep pace along all lines with the
demand upon it. This demand Is
constantly increasing one. The library