St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-06-27
PARIS LETTER.
From our regular correspondent
Paris, France, June IL, 1900

OldHSC as IL may SSSlHi
best place to study the United States
at the present time is in the Paris
Universal Exposition. When yor
are very close to a big thing you can
not see it. Perspection is necessary
in measuring its scope. | have just
returned from a visit to the building
where many International Con
crosses, Sociologic, Scientific, Phil
anthropic, Educational and Re-
ligious are held. The Congresses sit
in the large upper halls where many
eminent specialists from all parts OF
the world are met to confer and dis
cuss. In the lower halls are exhibits
of various countries, and the exhibit
of the United States is in the second
room to the right. In all the rooms
of these buildings are displayed pic
lures, tables, maps, and models of
hospitals, schools, reformatory in
stitutions, libraries etc. tits interest
ing to know that our country is
ahead of all others in circulating
libraries, and surprising to learn
that Italy comes next. We have not
nearly such large libraries as some
other countries, but the difference is
that ours are mobile and useful
while these old country libraries
are stagnant. The great libraries of
Europe are for savants, ours are for
the people. If you doubt this try to
get into one OF the old world libra
ries and see what a mesh of obstruc-
ton and red tape you will have to
struggle through. You will need to
present written order before you
can enter and the man from whom
you get it is more inaccessible than a
United States cabinet minister. You
can enter the National Library at
Washington, and think any library
in the United States, and read without
formality or card any book on the
shelves. Mr.. Melville Dewey of the
State of New York has done more
for the improvement of the circula-
ting library than any other man.
The idea which possessed him was
that a library should not be a mere
reservoir or museum for rare and
curious books but a reservoir with
pipes leading into every household. In
other words dissemination, rather
than accumulation, has been his aim
and accomplishment. The broad
casting of wholesome chaste liter
allure by means of the travelling
country libraries of recent invention
is bound to have a most Statutory
effect upon the intelligence of the
and will doubtless do much
to neutralize the food of cheap bad
books and debasing journalism.
DO you know" said Ruskin, "if
you read that book you cannot read
this one?" When we reflect that
only small proportion of the really
good books can be read in a lifetime
It is literally true that in reading
trashy book we are losing forever
the time to read a good one.
1t is suspicious for the future intel
igence of the citizens of the United
States and especially of Italy that
.hese two countries lead all others
n the circulation of wholesome
literature. 1t means for Italy COM
'letion of her emancipation which
vas only partially accomplished
when Garabaldi entered Rome and
'verthrew the temporal power ofthe
Pope. Yesterday | saw on one of
he most crowded boulevards of
Paris a long procession of boys of
rom eight to twelve years old,
narshaled by two men who were in
itizen's clothes and not as in former
lays the long domino of priests. 1
Isked one of the leaders if they were
'ublic school children. The reply
vas: "Oui Monsieur, garcons de
e'cole Rationale" l could not help
aging "vive le'cole publique!" for
he future of France is more depend.
mt on the education Of the youth of
ne country than it's great army.
l shall have more to say about this
'alais of Congresses aid the cues.
ions considered by the eminent
peclalists who are now here, To
~ mind this, while the least fran.
ant, is really the most important
art OF the Exposition. 1t means
1ore for human amelioration than
he latest thing in plows, automo-
lies or electricity, though l must