The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-12-03
CoNGREssIoNAL LlBRARY.

! CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY.
Perhaps the most characteristic educa-
| tional movement Of the past fifty years IS
| that which has created the modern pubic
| library ana developed IL into broad and
! active service. There are now over 5000
| public Libraries in the United states. the
| product OF this period. I'm addition 70
! accumuIating material they are also
| striving by organization, by Improvement
| in method. and by cooperation. 10 give
| greater efficiency to the ma terial they
| hold TO make IN more widely useful. and
! by avoidance of unnecessary duplication
| in process 10 reduce the cost OF It's adj
minist ration.
| In these efforts they naturally look for
| assistance 10 the Federal library. which
though still the Library Of Congress. ana
so entitled, IS the one national library of
single collection OF books on the Western
hemisphere, and certain 20 Increase more
rapidly than any other through purchase.
| exchange. aud the operation OF The COPY
right law. this library has n unique op-
portunity 10 render 10 the Libraries OF this
country--to American scholnrshp-ser-
vice of the highest importance II il
housed in building which Is the largest
and most magnificent yet erected for IL
brary uses.
Resources are now being provided which
will develop the collection properly, equip
II with the apparatus and service ncces-
sary 10 its effective use. render its bib
lioEraphic work widely available. and en-
able II to become. not merely centre
OF research. but the chief factor in great
knowledge and the advancement OF learn
For the sake of good administration;
sound economy. and the advancement ot
science. the census Office as now consti-
tuted should be made a permanent gov
ernment bureau. This would insure bet
ter cheaper, and more satisfactory WORK,
i'm the interest not only of our business,
but of statistic, economic ana social SCI
encc.
GROWTH OF POSTAL SERVICE.
The remarkable growth of the postal
service Is shown i'm the fact that It's rev
enues have doubled. and its expenditures
have nearly doubled within twelve years
It's progressive development compels cJu-
stantlv increasing outlay, but IN this pc
riod OF business energy ana prosperi,E
its receipts grow SO much faster than us
expenses that the annual deficit has Detii
steadily reduced from $ll,ill.19 IN lS9i u,,
Sc 923. .T27 IN 1891. Among recent postal
advances The success of free rural delivery
wherever established has been so marx
ed. and actual experience has made i.s ~
benefits so plain, that the demand LOT Its
extension is general and urgent,
IT is just that the great agricultural pop.
ulation should share IN the improNene.nll. NJ
of the service The number OF rural routes,
now I'm opcration is bec, pracucally al
established within three years and there
are 900 applications awaiting acton. II ~
is expected that the numocr IN optrdll2!,,i ~,
az rho close of the current iiscai year VIII
reach St0O The mail viii then De udlIg
carried 10 the doors OF 5,iVl,Wn or OUT peo. p'.
~
nnon distant offices. and one-thlrd OF az
thnt norton OF the country whlch II
adapted to it will be covered by TINS Alhu
THE fun measure % postal progress
which might be realized has long oeeh
hammered and obstructed by the hedVN
burden imposed on the soVerhinell'
through the intrenched and weH-uhoel
stood abuses which have grown up III
connection with second-class mail matter'
rho extent OF this burden appears wheh
II is stated that while the second-ciass
matter makes nearly thrce-hfths OF the
weight OF all the mail. it paid for the iast
fiscal year only 81, 445 OF the aggregate
postal revenue OF Slll,68l'ls5.
n the pound rate OF postage, which pro-
| d,,ces The large loss thus entailed, ana
| which was fixed by the congress with the
purposc Of encouraging the dissemination
/ Of public Information, were limited 10
! the legitimate newspapers and peTouCdl -
! actually contemplated by the law, no just
| execution could be taken. That expense
| would be the recognized and accepted cost
of "A liberal public policy dehDerately
| adopted for n iustiiable end. But much OF
| the matter which enjoys the privileged
| rate is wholly outside OF the intent OF the
| law. and has secured admission only
| through an evasion OF its requirements
! or through lax construction. me proper
! iion OF such wrongly included matter IL
! estimated by postal experts 10 be one-halt
/ OF the whole volume OF second-class mail
If IL be only one-third or one-quarter'
/ the magnitude OF the burden is apparent
| The postoffice department has now un-
| dertskcn TO remove the abuses so Tar az
Is possible by stricter application OF the
law: and IL should be sustained In its ef-
! fort.
CHINESE QUESTION.
| owing 10 the rapid growth Of our power
4 q
| happens I'm China must be Of the keenes'
] national concern to Ms.
The general terms OF the settlement ot
| tho questions growing out of the antifor-
| eigu uprisings I'm china OF 80 having
! been formulated iu joint note addressed
| to China by the representatives OF the IN
| jurod powers in December last were
| promptly accepted by the Chinese govern
| mcnt. After protractod conferences the
plenipotcntiaries OF the several powers
| were able 90 sign final protocol with the
| Chinese plenipotcntiaries on the 'th oi
| faef Goptcunbgr setting forth the measures