The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-29
THE LIBRARY INDEBTEDNESS.


THE LIBRARY INDEBTEDNESS.
At first thought the announcement that
the old library board had incurred over
$50 900 of Indebtedness without any re-
! sources from which to meet it ap-
pears startling. A little reflection and a
little knowledge of actual conditions,
| suffice, however, to place the matter in
wholly different light. Every dollar
of the Indebtedness has been incurred in
connection with the new library build
ing, its preparation and equipment Every
dollar of it has been expended with the
fullest authority of law, and in the full
fil!ment Of policy which rendered such
expenditure unavoidable and which, if
pursued, would ultimately remove the
financial burden of it from the shoulders
of the public
The people of St Paul In the aggre-
gate are. ands have always been ready to
assume all the obligation of the estab-
lishment of an adequate public library.
They have not been permitted to do So
The old charter prohibited the expendi-
ture of more than a given amount, and
the limitation continuing it is very easily
understood that it would be impossible
ever to establish suitable public library
or to relieve the city and its people
from the discredit which attaches to both
by reason of our backward situation in
this respect
The expense Of preparing the present
building for library purposes must be
met Had We undertaken to proceed en-
the lines of the establishment Of new
library building the cost would reach Up
into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
AS it is we have all the facilities we
could need for some years for housing
cur public library and have secured them,
at a cost which is comparatively small;
while in part, as a result of such ex-
penditure, We will receive settled an
nual income for the sustainment Of the
library
The report of the committee is not en-
couraging in certain of it's features. But
the situation oh it reveals might
easily be more discouraging than it is The
amount due must be met The plans,
however they might have evenluated by
which it was expected that the BOARD
would have been able to carry along it's
Indebtedness until such time as perma-
nent provision was made under the new
charter for the establishment and main
tenance of the library facilities which the
mass of our people have been looking
for, are now ended. and the taxpayers
must look the matter s4uarely In the
face.
There is nothing tangible on which
any hope or expectation can be basel
that private muniiicenca will sep into
the breach either now or in The future
to aid in the work of providing the city
with a public library The work must
be done by the people themselves and
the expense borne by. them. What has
been done in the, past few months repre-
sents virtually all that has ever been
done or attempted, and those who under
took it are entitled to encouragement
and thanks rather than to blame or crit
icism. 1t appears to have been deter
mined that they sould not be allowed to
carry their plans 70 fru;tion, and the
immediate consequences must now be
met.
We are now provided with all the facil-
tiles which the reading public look for
ward to for some time to come We
have been provided at comparatively
small cost. The library board is charg-
ed with the work Of administering The
affairs of the public library. II that
body thinks proper to carry out the
plans outlined by Mr.. FeIdhauser looking
toward making the upper story Of the
library building productive, we'll and
upon the present indebtedness and any
deficit which the present members of
the library board foresee must be pro-
vided for
Mr.. Feldhauser says well when he de-
clares his belief that there is not a man
In either branch of the city council who
will hesitate toWotea to have the amount
necessary to the payment of the present
Indebtedness appropriated. This should
be done promptly. No doubt those con-
tractors who agreed 10 defer payment Of
their claims will be willing now to give
discount on the figures they charged
i'll the event of immediate payment But
whether or no, the city cannot afford to
have this Indebtedness outstanding, nor
to have 1T made a subject of public dis
cussion one moment longer than can be
avoided. The whole matter should be
settled up at once and the subject crop
ped from public consideration.
THERE is IMPERIALISM.
The Republicans declare that there is