Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-17


| the attention of Horace Greeley with the
| result that in 1866 Young became manap-
ing ea'tor OF the paper with which Greeley
nad been so long associated. AT that time
1oong was only twenty-five years old His
| Ieisufe tlme he devoted to study of the law
| ana III 1867 he was admitted to tine har IN,
,,;, sm .1rh CITY In 1910 he again tried the
| estapiishment of newspaper of his own
! thls tine the Standard. About this time
however, Secretary Boutwell, who was at
me mead CT the Treasury Department in
| ireslueht Grants cabinet, induced Young
| TO go abroad to look into financial AFFAIRS
| Whlie abroad on this mission the awful
| uays or the Paris commune occurred and
| MT 1oung's account Of the rise and fan OF
| the commune, and of the stirring daye
through which the French capital passed
| Is regarded as one of the best examples of
| Ehsiish descriptive writing
| Work Done Abroad.
IN lS'2 he became the European repre-
sentative of the New York Herald and
spent two years in London and Paris. and
! another year in work and travel on the
continent In 1877 Gen. Grant started upon
MS memorable trip around the world. and
oh MS invitation Mr.. Young joined the
| party. This made him for two years almost
member of the family of the great gem
erai' and a warm friendship sprung up be-
tween them. After the return Mr.. Young
wrote Around the World With Gen.
| Grant"
During this trip Mr.. Young was specially
| interested In China. to which country Pres
iaent Arthur sent him in 1882 as United
sia,es ~ res minister He remained in China un-
| III the opening of the first Cleveland ad-
mlmsiration when he returned to this
| country and engaged in literary and bus
| ineSS pursuits.
| When the new Library of Conpress xuas
| completed attention was directed to the
| choice of librarian, embodying literary
aoiilty and executive management and
| president Mckinley named Mr. Young on
| July l, 1897. He entered upon his Duties
while the library was still in its cramped
| quarters al the Capitol. and saw il expand
| into the classic temple of the arts and lit
! erature which 1t now occupies The transi-
ton involved not only a removal of vast
stores Of precious volumes but the COM
| pletc reorganization of the library staff
| Mr.. Young directed all of this bringing
| about the change from the Old to the new
| with smoothness and success. 1t is said
that his time has been spent in part on a
| Cohtfioutloh TO literature which he had
! hoped TO complete as the chief literary
| achievement of his life.
| His Appointment Approved.
When Mr.. Young was selected to fla the
| vacancy created by the retirement of Ii
| brarian Spofford to his position emeritus
| In the library men in Congress who were
familiar with the requirements of a IL
| brarian and who knew his capabilities felt
| that the President had been peculiarly for
| tunate iii picking out Mr. Young There
| was general congratuIation over the ap-
| polntment, and the prediction was unani-
| nous that he would make an exceptionally
| capable official in the position
| Even the. brief space of time which has
] elapsed since Mr.. Young assumed control
OF the library has sufced TO show that this
! confidence was not misplaced. and 10 fulfill
| the predictions made about him Congress
| watches with peculiarly jealous eye the
| library, especially since it has gone into
| the new quarters provided at such liberal
| expenditure of money, The approximations
! committee of the TWO houses and the Joint
| committee on the library have keDf in
| touch with the institution constantly. Not
ohiy mas there never been the slightest
| trace of criticism of Mr.. Young's manage
| ment. out, on the contrary, he has con-
! scantly received the utmost praise and en-
| enlargement, and senators and represe..a-
tives have followed with appreciation and
| satisfaction everything which he has done
Executive Capacity.
| At the outset Mr. Young manifested q
| high degree of executive ability He soon
demonstrated that he had every detail of
| the vast institution at his fingers ends and
was interested in every department and
branch Of the work. From the first he be-
gan to inaugurate new features of the L.
| brary. showing originality of ideas. all
tending to improve the service to widen
the scope of the library and to bring the
greatest benefit to the public out of the
within it.
He was enthusiastically in favor of the
plan for opening the library at nights and
followed the subject untiringly until Con-
gress gave the authority and the necessary
appropriations. He originated the denart-
ment for the blind, which has proven such
an instructive feature, and will be one of |
the fixtures of the institution hereafter
Al lhe time he was taken sick he was put- |
ting in reading room for juveniles and |
lad olher improvements in contempla ton. |
In separating the collection of literary pro- |
auctions which found their WAY to the L. |
brary into departments and appointinp- |
competent men at the head of the new /
branches, he made Improvement which |
proval.
Every one who was acquainted with Mr.. |
houns work. his plans and ambitions
knew that his life was being centered in |
the library, and that his brain was con-
stantly working upon and evolving ideas
which would add to the grandeur the dig |
nlty and the usefulness of the Institution of |
winch he was in charge.
Presidents Deep Regret.
Ainsworth r. Spofford. assistant librarian
CT the Congressional Library, announced |
the death of John Russell Young to Pres
iaehe NICK niey today. The news was re-
celVed with expressions of the deepest re-
gret, the President having the highest onin-
ion of Mr. Young
After consulting with the President Mr.
Spoford said that the library would not he
closed except during Mr.. Young's funeral
Mr.. Ihos II. Clark, superintendent of the
Law Library of Congress, said in gpeakine
OF MI Young: His death came as a great |
shock to every one in the library though |
we knew he was quite i'll. He had entered |
with such deep earnestness upon what he |
considered the crowning work of his life. !
ne was so watchful and keen to build mn |
and make greater in every way the insti-
tut1on IN his charge, that he hardly seemed
4 proper mark for death. MIR. Young
brought to the discharge of his duties IS
lprarlan a wide experience with men and
affairs, and in time would undoubtedly have |
put the Library of Congress where it ought
TO be- In the very first rank among the
great collections of the world
In manner Mr.. Young had a noticeable |
gent!eness, but he could be as infiexible as
IRON
Tributes to His Worth and Work.
Members of the joint committee on the
library, who were much in contact with
Mr. Young, have followed his course with
|