The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-01-09
Books TOBE THROWN AWAY
The British Nuseum Likely to Set
Bad Example.

Bad Example.
The British museum. which possesses
the largest collections Of books in the
world, usually estimated II 2,uOo,oVO vol
umes, and owns besides $4,000 volumes
Of manuscripts. finds Itself crampeo toc
room or threatened with such condl-
ton, and s bill has passed SECOND Feso'
ing in the house OF lords authorizing the
trustees Of the museum 10 distribute lne
bound volumes OF newspapers and to oe-
strov such books and pamphlets as they
shall deem useless.
L is needless 10 say that the PROPOSE
ton 10 sequestrate or destroy any por'
ton Of the British museum meets with
strong and immediate opposition. 1t IS
urged that the example and precedent set
would be very bad ones, since every
great and growing museum, lnc4uolnS
a library, may reach the present conol-
ton Of the British museum. The library
OF congress, for instance, which receives
copvrichted books, as does the library o.
the British museum, may some time
reach what somebody may believe the
necessity Of an enlargement OF us
premises or the reduction OF Its stores.
For this reason the British museum cannot
afford to set the precedent OF destruction.
While it is not proposed 10 destroy the
bound files Of newspapers ID the British
museum, but to distribute them to rarI-
Gus localities, it is claimed that to take
ANYTHING out Of London is, IN the British
islands, equivalent TO hiding 1t, and
thing hidden is thing lost. If II IS de-
sirable to preserve these newspapers for
the public use forever, London, which Is
the center and capital Of the British en-
pire in greater and wider sense than
Washington is the capital Of the United
States, should be the place Of their pres
ervation and keeping.
1t is urged that there exists no sum
cient reason for the destruction or dis
tribution Of any portion Of its collections;
that the museum has not yet occupied all
Of the IS acres on which it stands; that
a separate building or buildings might be
erected for the reception Of the art col
lections, for instance, but IN any event
the library should be kept intact forever.
However the question may be decided
in the case Of the British museum, the
present is the time to say that no colIec-
lion Of newspapers, once made for the
public use, ought to be destroyed or MADE
unavailable.
The State Historical society Of Kan.
sas has made great collection Of the
newspapers OF the state. The news
papers mailed to the society BY the pub
fishers are carefully preserved and bound
in volumes and kept in what are hoped
to be hreproof receptacles, where they
are open to the inspection and reference
Of all. The point is sought to be made
that the newspaper volumes constitute to
the state well nigh priceless possession,
which should on no account be lost, fr!t-
tered away, scattered or destroyed.
Singular IS it may seem, the preserTa-
ton of file Of new papers IS work re-
curing such care, patience and attention
that it is seldom attempted except by
those whose special business it is. OF
many leading newspapers no files exist
except those kept in the Office Of publica-
ton. OF the hundreds Of thousands OF
people who subscribe, pay for and regu-
larly read newspapers not one II many
thousands attempts their preservation.
When, therefore, any public library IN
dertakes the daily and weekly preServa-
ton and arrangement Of any newspaper
and the binding Of the same at suitable
intervals into volumes, it has undertaken
a most useful work. the result Of which
should be kept forever.
Such bound volume is book; in fact.
it is book Of books. It is such history
and picture Of its own time and locality,
Of manners and men, in its own place and
corner Of this world, as is not and cannot
be found elsewhere. 1t embodies not the
labors Of one historian, but Of hundreds
Of chroniclers, story tellers and artists
who work every day to note down what
they see and hear aud discover and ap-
prehend. 1t is a perpetuaily proceeding
narrative which enlarges, explains, ampli-
fes and corrects itself as it goes along.
The difference between a newspaper and
the historical or other narrative in the
shape of bvok is the difference between
an oil painting. made perchance from the
scene by the imagination or the broken
memory Of the artist, and kodak snap
shot or other picture drawn in al instant
by the sun and on the spot.
What would be given now for daily
newspaper pictures of the building Of the
pyramids, drawn as the progress Of Con-
vention hall is recorded now? A con-
sidecation Of the value Of the bound news
paper volume shows that all the rest Of
the museum could be more easily spared.
Kansas City Star.