Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-07-19

~ t'htr way. Inc scnO0fs undertake |
to give mental food to the young;
but r. is for the young ana not the
mature, and most of them are com
PEELED to leave 1t early. The church
cares for many, but many also never
come within the scope of its influence,
and its formative power over the secu-
lar mind leaves very much material
untouched. To fill the gaps thus re-
naming has taxed the endeavors Of
many philanthropic agencies. Among
these the public library performs a
most useful function. 1t tends to es-
tablish that high average intelligence
which makes of a man q good neigh
Dor, an upright citizen, skillful
workman, a sagacious man OF affairs
and a fnr-seeing legislator 1t ac-
quaints it's patron with the illustrious
example Of men who, under the be-
nign influence of free institutions, have
attained to fame and fortune through
their own self-respecting efforts, and
thus $ an incentive to that laudable
ambition of every man to mount one
rung higher on the ladder of circum-
stances than his father was before
him. 1t aids its readers to apply
l 20 Ia
terprise to the workman's craft; and,
as the resultant Of ALL to make their
labor more valuable and place them
selves in the line of promotion, thus
finally helping to make the conditions
of life in our republic surprisingly
equable--neither very high nor very
low for any, which is the ideal state
of government Of, by, and for. the
people--a condition begetting that
contcntment which Is the handmaid
of prosperity.
"The finding of your Able Man."
says Carlyle, lis the business, well
or ill-accomplished. of all social pro-
cedure whatever in this world" A
high and rightly instructed average
intelligence in any community goes
q long way toward finding the cable
Man." And a judiciously chosen and
managed library is great step in the
direction Of his discovery. There is
a profound truth in the saying of
Edmund Burke that books are the
cheap defense of nations" In n high
and very practical sense they are SO:
cheaper than soldiers; cheaper than
. nayies; cheaper than policemen;
a cheaper than forts and the cannon
{ upon them; cheaper than almshouses
and prisons. And they are. better than
D any or all of these.
: When Mr.. Barber sails for Europe
Q next week, whatever plans of bust
: ness enterprise and sagacity he may
: take with him, he can carry nothing
: which can more securely guarantee
: and safeguard. the ends Of representa-
0 tive government and the perpetuity of
Q republican institutions than the fact
s that he has bestowed upon the com
munity bearing his name this bene-
0 faction. And he can urge upon the
t subjects OF a King no stronger argu-
d ment for popular government, Its
; strength and it's obedience to law. II
prime minister of England was
q proud to write beneath, his name
n "Baronet and Cotton spinner" Mr.
), Barber will not shrink from associat.
" ing his own with that of the town
n which has sprung like an exhalatior
n from nothing into existence and manly
n strength.
lie and the people Of Barbertor
e alike are TO be congratulated upor
la the founding of their library The
l. latter receive 1t in no spirit of mendi
"a cancy; the former gives 1t with nc
affectation Of mastery. On the com.
:. mon plane Of the great republic of let.
ters both meet In the use and enjoy.
mcnt Of It's privileges upon the footing
=, OF mutual respect and confidence.