The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-30
LOGIC AND LIBRARIES.

The argument is being employed by
some esteemed citizens of Richmond
shat The city ought not to accept Mr.
Ga1ne.ie-s offer TO give us 4 Sloo.eeo
library because the city needs The
money that vii! be required TO main-
tain il from Year to year TO improve
its streets. 10 obtain clear water and
so Oh.
That reminds us OF n story. as the
stump-spcallcr would SAY. Two friends
We're pasSin. along the street and one
of them was smoking a cigar The
other lchuked him FOR his eNti;,va.
.gancc and asked him il he had ever
made a calculation 10 see how much
money he had expended during his
life on tobacco. The smoker said that
he had hot done SO. and so the two
friends made Il rough estimate. show
ing that the smoker had consumed L
considerable sum Of money in this in
du.gcnce Said The economical man:
You have burned up in tobacco
enough money to have bought YOU y
house and home.
The smoker was quite thoughtful for
a moment. and then asked: do You
smelse:''
-aCertainly not said the economical
man. Il never indulgc in any such cA-
1rayasanees.
Then where is Your house and
homeg demanded The smoker.
Now mark the prediction. II the
City Council Shall decline the Carnegie
offer on the plea that all the cityss
revenues are needed for the purposes
above suggested. there will be go more
Work on the streets than has been and
it will be just as long before we get
clear water. II the City Council does
accept tho Carnegie offer and estsb-
lish a library here. just as much work
as ever Will be done on The streets and
we shall get clear water Just as soon
in other words. The Times does not
believe that abe city Will be benefited
one whit by not building this library.
nor Goes ii believe that any city inter
est will suffer if Mr.. Garnc~ie's offer
is accepted.
Ne are opposed to stin,ing any de-
l,ai1menl of city government for the
sake of having this library. and if it
We're a question between the library
and clear wafer. we should say. give
us clear water FIRST. But The city of
Richmond can afford 10 spend $4,000
n wear on public library and never
feel il, and we give warning that if
The people require lie Council TO ee-
cline Mr.. Carnesie's offer upon The
ground that the community is going 10
be benefited. The people Will he sadly
disappointed. SO far as the general
public is concerned and 50 far as city
improvements are concerned. in our
opinion. ii Will make no difference
whether the offer is declined or whe,h-
er st is not.
For our Fart we believe that the
library would help the general i,n-
proTement Of The city. What has made
The demand for pure water and drain
age and clean streets and public parks
and all 1heses Edrcation. There WAS
time when the people did not pay
SO much attention TO these things and
there are communities to-day where
public sanitation receives no attention.
But as the people become better and
better educated, the cause of public
cleanliness and public ornamentation
advances step by step. a public library
IS a public ednc:stor and Ut is a per-
+ fse*ly logical conclusion that any ln-
stdtution which tends 10 educate the
Il people Will aid, rather than hinder.
cdpal Improvement.