The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-12-14
The Public Library.


money, sometimes considerable
amount of the taxpayers money too,
and they cost something besides money.
Especially will the latter be true in
Owosso where if a public library is
secured 1t will cost the continued, push
Ing efforts of some earnest friend or
friends to bring the matter about. But
the library, once established, would be
worth all the money and all the effort
which it cost, and il is certainly to be
hoped that the individual energy and
interest necessary to push the matter to
successful termination will not be
lacking.
If any person thinks that the ex-
penditure of public money for public
library would be burden which would
be benefit to the few but would be
only burden to the small taxpayer
and wage Garner, here is fact for him
to consider: In Massachusetts, where
there are three hundred hfty-seven
cities and towns, there are only four
which do not have public libraries and
these four are not without such
privileges entirely for they have
libraries of a semi-public nature to
which access can be had by the public
within certain limits. The same state,
which by the way also spends more
money per capita for education than
does any other state in the union, pays
out more money each year for its
libraries in proportion to Its populatio n
than does any other state in the union.
Now if any person is not satisfied with
q consideration of the expenditure of
money unless he can see where 1t Is
going to bring back returns of the same
kind, returns that can be in a measure
at least be expressed in dollars and
cents, let him consider, in connection
with the above, the recognized fact that
In the state of Massachusetts the
average daily wages paid to its entire
working population are larger than
those paid in any other state in the
union.
Libraries educate. Does it pay to
have an educated population in this
country' Will it be worth while, even
from commercial basis, which must
ever be one of the lower considerations,
to put forth the hardest kind of efforts
70 oac,ra fov. nxuoceo tho a a ~ m 7, = a rya of a
public library? The TINES believes
that it will not only be worth while,
but that the man or set of men and
women who can carry this work
through will be deserving of the thanks
of the present generation and of those
who will in the years to come cap
Owosso their home.
The work of the committee which re.
ported to the common council last
week furnishes good starting point
as it may be seen by any one from the
report itself which is printed in this issue
of The TIMES. The communications from
different public spitited citizens which
have appeared in the city papers this
week show that the Importance of the
matter is thoroughly realized by the
writers and presumably by many more
who have not taken that way of express.
ing themselves, but as said by one of
the writer's, 1.-The way to establish a free
public library Is to establish it," A
heavy expense need not be incurred at
once, but let the library be gotten under
way The work done SO far has been
good, but the library has not been
established yet.
1t seems to be the nature of things in
this country that after all the reports of
committees are made, aud all of the
articles contributed to the papers in
favor of a project have seen the light,
and all the editorials written, and print
ed. in relation to it, the services of
good live lobbyist or two are re
quired to see the matter thr ough to a
successful finish. The lobbyist, as the
term is used here, does not mean neces-
sarily someone who is to receive money
in consideration for the work which he
is to do, but it does mean some person
or persons who will take the same
close, personal interest in putting the
matter through by personal work that
the lobbyist takes in putting through
the measures for which he is paid to
work. So now. after all that has al.
ready been accomplished, unless some
person, or persons, take the time and
expend the energy and effort which
all such institutions cost, but which they
are undeniably worth, the public libra
ry in this city will never be reality.
There is disposition all around to
commend and approve any move made
for the establishment of the library, but
some one will probably have to sacri-
fee even more effort than has been
spent yetsby any one before the estab-
lishment of the library will be fact in
this city. To that person, or to those
persons. who do expend their personal
efforts in that line until the library
shall have become fact, will be In re-