The Jersey City news., 1901-07-22
MONDAY, JULY %, 1901.
7his paper is Democratic in principles
and i iadependent,in in its vie,cs on all local
questtoas.


The journal" is victim of the 'silly
season. 20 a deplorable extent. 1t has a
double outbreak of folly. First it Is maxi
ing an ass of itself over the Soldiers
Monument in the City Hall Park, and
secondly over the Free Public Library
telephone.
Ths main facts regarding the beautiful
statue which adorns the City Hall green
ere well known. Its approval by the
highest artistic authorities in the country
have not sufficed to protect it from the
Cheap wits, like those of the journal"
think any old thing they choose to say
about it will always pass for joke with
a certain section of the public. The
Journal" however, has taken a new
tack, that of fake defence of the statue
against the vandalism" of Custodian
Datz,s who has put a railing and few
flowers and shrubs about 1t. We are will
ing to concede that the horticultural en-
ing 10 an absolute necessity, The statue
and its pedestal had TO be protected from
certain class of persons who can only
be described as beasts on two legs. 1t Is
not possible here 10 give details of the
outrageous abuse 10 which the monument
was subjected; but If the Journal had
ha atn of in re
position, Il might In two minutes have
ascerteined the facts and thus escaped a
very unnecessary and wanton onslaught.
Mr.. Datz does not think the railing i'm
proves the statue nobody thinks so; but
the railing is an absolute necessity
The silly season attack on the Library
is because the telephone in that building
Is not open for general use by the public.
The argument Is that as the public pay
the rent of the telephone. they ought to
be allowed to use It. If the Journal"
had made any sort of inquiry. 1t would
have been saved from making this idiotic
break. 1t preferred to make itself the
vehicle of somebody's cheap spite.
The people pay for the Librarians
private room and desk: they pay for the
stack room; they pay for the boiler room;
yet they are absolutely excluded from all
these portions Of the Library building.
They pay for the horse and wagon used
by the Library, yet they cannot have 1t
esap at their houses to deliver books.
They pay for everything about the
Library. and they get the full return for
their money; they get it in the appro-
pirate and orderly way. Everything in
and about the Library is administered for
the benefit Of the public. and there is not
.prtYate snap in 1t from roof to cellar.
Each unit in. the system Is put to its ap-
propriate use with view to carrying out
the purposes of the Library as public
institution. The telephone is Used for the
business Of the Library as an institution.
II il used for communication with the out
lying stations and with the numerous
business houses with which the Library
has transactions,
10 open the telephone to general public
use would be equivalent to turning it over
10 private business or convenience. and
public interests would seriously suffer.
Experience hae proven that it would take
the time of two or three employees from
QA.lM. to eP. u. to attend to the tele~
phoae calls and their ramifications, And
sa legitimate public need would be met
~ Ainety.nine per cent. Of the work. It
would be the mere qualification OF indo.
lenee, cayelessAesa aud caprice The
Tvussees Of the Library are mos. anxious
10 make the Library popular, They have
succeeded ia deins 30 to an amazing es-
tent. Its popularity and its ass are atili
sspwinr. When anyone finds q restric-
Hon upon anythiag connected with the
building aud iss privileges. he may be per-
feetly sure there is the best Of reason for
II az ii weasd rot exist,
81 N@waShs 0ad 0reaH.
q - - y. .Aorr