Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1900-11-17
cry LIBRARY
criticism &C the Action % az. MoMiiicn,
Agent for Mr.. Eaynaids.


CRITICISM &C the Action ef mf. MoMnien.
Agent for Mr. Reynolds.
We have been requested rs one of
our citizens 90 publish the following as
his statement Of the status OF the D.
brary controversy between the city
council and Mr.. McMiien. which We DO
with pleasure. No that the public may
be fully advised
A. ! understand Il. the situation a.
20 Mr. Reynolds gifl to the city OF a
building for library purposes. can be-
very briefly stated Mr. Reynolds cx-
ecuted a deed to the city conveying the
property upon condition that Il should
be used for the maintenance o. free
public library, ana that the city should
raise not less than 81 900 20 b. cSpend
81 for books and repairs on the build
ing. A committee ~ citizens obtained
subscriptions 20 an amount consider
ably larger than the 1900 required The
deed was then delivered 20 and accept
ed by the city. The title passed and
the property could not legally be- taken
away from the city unless II fs3ei 90
perform the conditions upon which the
gift was made. and even then only -hy
some proceeding instituted by Mr..
Reynolds, Mr., Reynolds Is 1000 miles
away and knows nothing of what T.
going on In Albuquerque. A difference
Of opinion having arisen Netween the
city council and Mr.. McMiilen. who as
sumes 90 act for Mr. Reynolds. as TO
how ;ae library shall be managed. Mr.
McMllieu obtained possession OF the
deC1 from the mayor OF the city upon
the claim that u was necessary for him
20 have Il In connection with the pay
rnent or insurance ON the property.
Having thus obtained possession OF IN
deed he declares his Intention 10 keep
II unless the city council submits 90 hts
dictation az 10 the way the city H.
brary shall be conducted.
IL IA obvious that the city council
must employ some one to manage the
library. There II in existence In rho
city library association made up %
public spirited women who have for ten
year successfully maintained free
public library and have acquired books
and other property 10 the value OF six
or seven thousand dollars They have
demonstrated their ability and the city
council proposes 10 make use % the
agency OF this association 20 manage
the city library under some arrange
meRta which Will be fair 10 the asso-
citation and az the same time preserve
It's own power OF control And propgie-
tOrship IN harmony with the spirit OF
the conditions imposed by Mr. Reynolds
In his deed. A. l am informed. Mr.
MeMillen insists that the library asso-
citation shall not be permitted 20 have
anything TO do with the management
OF the library and that 4 must uncon-
dltioDally ccavey 20 the city an the
property which Il owna. or the gift &
not effective. The city council does
nothlnk Il just or fair TO the ladies OF
the association 20 ask that they shall
commit corporate suicide upon the de-
mand OF Mr.. McMillen and does not be-
iieve that Mr.. Reynolds ever desired
anything Of the kind. l am sure that
al that Mr.. Reynolds would ask IN that
the building be used for library purpo.
ses ana that the library shall be free.
public library under the control OF the
city authorities, and that the details OF
management must necessarily be- LEFT to
the discretion OF those city authorities.
There IL entire harmony and good
feeling between the city council aud
the " rary association and Il liz aim
cult To understand why there should be
any hostility to the association on the
part Of Mr McMilicn or any one else.
n Il were proposed by che city lo trans.
fer any ownership 10 the library ass0.
citation that would certainly be- obiec-
tionahle, bat as already stated moth.
Ing of the kind II contemplated The
matter ought and u ~ 10 be- hoped.
win soon be- adjusted without further
friction
since writing the above ! have seen
the Issue Of The Citizen % the 18th
inst, which contains some comments
indicating the existence % erroneous
beliefs as TO the library association. II
seems TO be the idea Of some persons
that the association has ohstructed or
prevented the acquisition by the clty
Of the building offered By Mr. Ray
nolds. ! have heard Il even asserted
that the association has demanded that
the building be turned over 20 a.
AZ matter OF fact. the lauies % the
association have done nothing OF the
kind. They have demanded nothing.
they have objected 70 nothing. and
they have not even had a chance to OBJ
jeot 20 anything or TO take any action
whatever about the new library.
The only thing they have done has
been TO write letter on October 20, 10
the mayor asking for some information.
This was In response 20 a letter from
him written a few days earlier in
which he stated that the city had re-
ceived the building and asked cooper
alton 90 the association. The sub
stance OF the letter from the ladies
wan published last Tuesday In the
morning paper. II contained no hint
OF objection. unwililngness. obstruction
or do,nand. No answer has ever been
made 70 a. but u has been understood
that this was because the mayor was
40 closely occupied with other matters
that he had no time 10 give 20 this
subject until after November 9Th Last
Monday night be laid the letter before
the council and that body directed him
20 answer u and 10 communicate the
wishes Of the council embodied in a
resolution then adopted. THIS he has
not Done. but only because on Tuesday
the present dihieulty developed ana
everything came 90 a stands,iil
u 10 quite certain that no one. siihsr
IN the council or IN the association
ever imagined that the city could trAns.
Ter the building 90 the association or
pAFt With its own ownership ana con-
troll.