The Savannah morning news., 1902-03-23
CUT AND DRIED PLAN
HISTORICAL SOCIETY MIsREPRE-
SENTED TO sIR. CARNEGIE.
so PRESIDENT MERCER SAYS.
LEFT OUT OF LIBRARY MANAGE
IENT FOR THAT REASON.

Col. Mercer Does Not See why So
ciety should Follow the SuEges-
ton That 1t Turn Over Books to
the Free Library, which Would
BE a COMPLIMENTARY mt
of Free Library, Col. Mercer Says,
VIII Mean Radical Change in the
Historical SOciety-He Likes the
Proposed Location of the Library
on AbercOrn Street-Thinks the
Mayors Statement About "Masses
and Classes Demagogic.
THE Georgia Historical Society has
been left out Of the public library
plans, and I see no reason why it
should be called upon or expected to
donate its books to the library. This
is merely my personal view of the
matter, and, of course, the society
might look at it differently"
Col. George A. Mercer. president of
the society. was asked yesterday about
the suggestion made by Mayor Myers
in the Morning News that the society
might contribute all or many of its
volumes to the prospective free library.
His answer is given above.
1T seems to me-" said Col. Mercer,
that it would be asking and expecting
a good deal of the Historical Society.
The society desired TO be included in
the public library plan, and a COM
mittee to represent it in the negotia-
tons with Mr.. Andrew Carnegie was
appointed. For some reason, however,
the society is now ignored, yet it is
suggested that it might give up it's
books.
THE suggestion seems particularly
unpromising because a free library
would be practically the death of the
Historical SOciety's circulating library.
Certainly the society could not with
stand the competition of a free insti-
tuition. It's members woald leave it.
and they would secure books from the
free library. That is but natural.
Cannot Compete with Free Library
THE establishment of a free library
Will, in my opinion, have to be followed
by radical change in the Historical
Society. l believe that 100 gentlemen
can be found in Savannah who will
each subscribe $40 a year for the main
tenance OF its library. OF course, on
Sl,JUU circulating library could not
be maintained, but 81 900 would paw for
the services of a custodian and a por-
ter and meet the insurance and other
expenses. The 100 members would then
be able to use Hodgson Hall as a.
reading room, and the other work of
the society could be pursued as now.
believe that the Georgia Histori-
cal society has been misrepresented to
Mr.. Carnegie. 1 do not think that he
would ever have adopted the position
indicated in his last letter had il not
been that some influence was brought
10 bear to prejudice him against the
society. I do not say that this ema-
mated from the Mayor and aldermen.
but some one has placed the society
in a false light
In Atlanta the Young Mems Chris
tian Association co-operated with the
city in the establishment Of the library.
for which Mr.. Carnegie provided so
large an amount. The Georgia His
torical Society is certainly Just as cap
able and decidedly more experienced
than Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton might be. If such unity in the
work prevailed in Atlanta, between the
city and the Young Mems Christian
Association, / fail to appreciate the
reason why the city of Savannah and
the Georgia Historical Society could
not have worked in accord.
Politics Suggested.
ITO me it seems that the plan to get
the management of the prospective Ii
brary into the hands of the city was
cut and dried, and political ends are
10 be served. / fear that it will be
but question of a short while, If the
library is established, before it will
nave had its ruin 'compassed through
politics This has been the history of
such institutions that have had their
management vested in political boards,
which are changing every year or so.
The only way to preserve the Ii
brary as it should be preserved, if it is
LETT to the management of the CITY.
would be to appoint trustees to serve
permanently, who might only be re-
moved for cause. That would mean
that such trustees would secure expe-
rlence in the management of the affairs
OF the library, and there would not
be the danger that would fall from
changes that would come, possibly,
with every change in the aldermanic
board
An illustration of the advantage
OF such a board of trustees for the
management of the Society is afforded
in the Board of Education. A con-
trast of the school system of Chatham
county with those of cities wherein
the management is political shows
clearly that permanent board is in
flnitely superior. The Mayor of Sa-
Vannah. by virtue of his office, is a
member of the Board of Education,
but hardly in a year is a meeting at
tended by Mayor. That shows the
interest that is felt by one who is on
the board simply because he is Mayor
! will do Mayor Myers the Justice
however, to admit that he attends
more meetings of the board than have
any of his predecessors whom l can
recall. If mayor of Savannah, sim
ply because he was mayor, was chair
man of a committee to manage the
library, he would show no more inter-
est in such an institution than a
mayor shows in the Board of Educa-
ton"
FavOrs the AbercOrn Street Site.
Col. Mercer was asked what he
thought of the location that has been
agreed upon by the Library Commit
tee of Council as best suited for the
erection of a library building. This
lot fronts on Abercorn street, and is
a part of Colonial Park
Il like the location" Col. Mercer
replied. II do not believe that any bet
ter could be secured. The statement of
the Mayor about the location having
appealed to him because it is better
suited to the masses than to the
classes however, seems to me dema-
gogic. There are no such distinctions
in Savannah. A public library will be
public, and all citizens will be entitled
to its use.
II stn believe that the plan that
was practically agreed upon, whereby
the CITY and tba Gaoropia IIiStO,io a !