New-York tribune., 1899-06-04
A WIDE FIELD COVERED.
DREYFUs LITERATURE AT THE PUBLIC
LIBRARY

DREYFUS LITERATURE AT THE PUBLIC
LIBRARY.
Any who makes even an occasional Of
the NewYork Public Library cannot fail to be i'm
pressed with the wel-directed and successful ef-
forts that are being put forth make It as COM
plete. useful and many-sided possible. While
many Of its collections complete as TO fur
nish the material for special students. yet so broad
is It's scope. comprehensive the interests OF
the administration. that the library furnishes
means for study TO almost every conner and on
almost any subject. The population OF the city
is cosmopolitan and the interests so diverse
that to satisfy all the range OF the library
must be wenigh all-incusve. Effort Is made TO
satisfy every proper and reasonable demand.
Take. for example. the literature Of the Dreyfus
case, now perhaps reaching favorable tern1inn-
ton AT time" said Dr. Billings. the director
to reporter In search Of Dreyfus's history, this
vexed question seemed lkelv 20 prove great
turning point in French history. II not indeed to
imper the life OF the French Republic. In the
amount of literature 1t has produced, at least II
has resembed somewhat the condition OF France
in 1870 the pamphlet literature Of which is now
and Of the utmost Importance in the study OF
that period"
One consulting the card catalogue under the
heading "Dreyfus Affair" will find only just short
OF one hundred cards wkich guide the reader 10
the books pamphlets and magazine articles In the
library on Dreyfus Zoa, Picquart. Esterhazy. etc
matter in French. German English and Dutch
and published at Paris Berlin. London. Lausanne
Haarlem, New-York. Boston, 81. Louis, Lurlch
Gravenhage and Algiers. Orders were placed Ioi
all this material early IN the history OF tue case
and a most interesting collection OF books pam
phets broadsides. placards. street dodgers street
songs. etc. is the result II includes all shades OF
opnions-serious. scofing, satrical. hbellous ana
scurrilous Cartoons, paper mechanical toys OF
what-not are all carefully preserved and the least
of these has been cataogued with the same care
and precision that the most serious books receive.
Among this great collection one of the most re-
cent and fullest expositons Of those noted is
book in English. by George Barlow, entitled his
tory of the Dreyfus Case from the Arrest OF cap
tain Dreyfus In October. 1884, Up TO the Flight OF
Esterhazy in September. 1888" II Is book OF 4N
pages and was published In London IN 1873
Another new and interesting feature noted at the
library is the Russian section. or. rather, the
Slavonic section. for Dr. Billings Is trying 10 Dnlu
up all these sides to satisfy the demands maze
upon him by people in this city OF those races
Some time ago ne received request signed by
sixty Russians for books and periodicals in their
mother tongue He at once set about trying TO
crafty their request. When it was announced In
the press that such his determination ne re-
ceived protesting letter from another Russian IN
the city-an ardent supporter OF the Russian En-
pire-who maintained that most OF the petition
ers were OF anarchistc socalistic tend ncies 10
crafty them the library would have TO burden Its
shelves with what he thought perncious literature
Dr. Billings replied 10 this that II II were
possible 10 get such literature from Russia past
the censor ne would welcome it to the ibrary-for
an institution OF this sort cannot be respecter OF
persons or OF opinions. But he also Informed the
protester that In building up the Russian library
he was applying directly to the Russian Govern
ment for its official documents and for aid on It's
part IN the selection OF works-because OF the
ignorance OF Russian books on this side OF the
water.
DR. Billings explained the condition Of scientific
study In Russia and the mode Of publishing In that
country THE Russians" he said. excel In finance
and economics and have made wonderful strides
ia the natural sciences, especially in biology For
nerly &c, print a scientific work IN Russian was not
the case that Others made discoveries a1,Sr arc ,ie ne
Fuases and nd VET the man who used tongue of
wider acceptance IN the scientific world got the
slams later took 10 publishing their in French
in French and Russian on transverse pages , But
and desire - further the interests ot their Ian
be considered reactionary step; they are kicking
] against the pricks but they are persevering Now
! Russian 10 keep in touch with their advances"
Already many OF the periodicals In this language
consienment eSHf nfsSH Of books is expected soon.
The director also mentioned the fact that the
library is giving considerable attention 70 acquir-
ing modern books In Hebrew and Yddish: Id Ihese es
J activity in this department was also in response
! TO a demand from the large Hebrew population OF
| the city Said he: There two branches OF this
literature the product OF the two divisions OF the
! Hebrew region-that OF the Old orthodox Jews
and that Of the newer or liberal Jews The first
class includes among other works. nnespun COM
mentares on the Old Testament and the Talmud
r1ystca disquisitions. incantations etc The peo-
/ pie who produce this literature and those who
/ seek II either comparatively recent I'M
migrants their descendants. From the nat
Of things It's production and its use will be
| OF comparatively short duration As time goes
on its interest will be largely folk
lore. The other class Of Hebrew works is chiefly
that Of higher criticism and ranks well with tnat
OF Or. Briggs and other foremost Biblical schol-
II Is limited In quantity. as most modern He
braic scholars prefer 10 publish their works In Eng
! ish French German IN order that they may
| gain wider reading. DR. Gottheil takes great In
| terest in this department Of the library and has
! given considerable assistance in building II up
! These few instances only specimens of the ef-
forts that are being put forth 70 make the library
/ I'M L. H. ocrr1a a.nat mn nhnr ~ rnnd