Smyrna times., 1902-02-19
LAST ACTIVE DAYS OF THE
FREE LIBRARY CAMPAIGN
ELECTION ON TUESDAY NEXT PROMISES
TO BE AN INTERESTING DAY.
Last Week of Campaign Finds an Increased
Interest Among our Town PeOple-Elec-
ton Will be Held Between 2 and 5.

After a short but exciting campaign
the citizens of this town will settle by
ballot on Tuesday next whether Smyr-
ma shall have Free Public Library or
not. The columns of the TIMES have
been open to free discussion pro and
con and the interest manifested has
been unusually active. Library Elec-
ton Day promises to be an important
one in the history of the town, and
the result of the election will be look
forward to with considerable interest.
The polls will be open at the Alder
mans Office on Tuesday afternoon
next between the hours of two o'clock
and five o'clock. Those favoring the
establishment of Free Library will
vote by ballot, upon which shall be
printed or written the words "For a
Free Library" and those opposing the |
establishment of Free Library will |
vote by ballot upon which shall be |
printed or written the words against |
a Free Library" This closes the last
week for discussion in the TIMES and
we publish below a number of interests
ing papers:
Free Library Advantages Over Subscription.
There are those now in our midst,
who were here at the time that the
Smyrna Library was established; some
of these, if not all, were at one time or
another connected with its manage
ment, and all of them were deeply in
terested in its welfare and progress.
All of these persons, as well as those
who came IN later, to aid in the work
of placing the best literature within
the reach of lis subscribers, will re-
member the trials and the work neces-
sary to keep the library open, to raise
the funds required for its maintenance,
and for the purchase of new books de-
manded by its patrons.
The library certainly did flourish for
some years, and the amount of good it
accomplished, cannot be measured.
1t placed within the reach of its sub
scribers, books and periodicals in
great variety, and was distinct edu-
cational feature of the community.
But its usefulness was circumscribed,
because of the fact that its facilities
were limited to those subscribers. In
other words, the use of the books was
confined to those who were willing to
pay the dues. 1t is true that certain
shareholders were willing to allow per
sons who are not able to pay the 50 pei
year, the privilege of using their stocl
so as to reduce the amount to 81, bu
there were few who availed themselves
of it, probably because they could no
we'll spare the dollar, but more likely
because they did not care to humiliatt
themselves by making the necessar.
statement.
Best Books Can Always Be Purchased.
1t is a ell-known fact, that the in
PRODUCTION, by some of the larger pub
fishing houses, of good literature in
cheap form, has been instrumental /
stimulating other publishers in placin
upon the market in still cheaper form
class of literature that is as pernit
iOus in its influence, as it is attractiv
in appearance to the youth of the couI
try. OF course, the better class {
publishers confined themselves to I'll
standard works, those that are recoE
nized by competent authority, as pr
for bnf,oa or o0hnnI FQQ6InO
this, it is thought, is largely the cau'
of the decadence of the subscriptiC
library everywhere, because the bool
have been made so cheap that person
who could subscribe to library cou
just about as we'll buy the books. B
there is and has been such great al
constantly increasing demand, from
portion of the people, who cannot
either without serious privation, I
the benefits to be arrived from the u
OF books, that the public spirited m
and women in all sections of our cou
try, have given many thousands
dollars for the establishment of il
Libraries, where any resident, rich
q poor, may use them, where his Chi
rem may get the best, and only the b
books to read.
Following out this plan of add
public education, many cities a
towns all over the land have taE
upon themselves the task of Offering
atlibraries supported by all, and hi
added to their assessments su
amounts, as in the judgment of
authorities, the tax payers should ]
ior the support and maintenance of I
libraries.
There are few subscription librai
~ lett, as the best informed of our e
n Gators, recognize the fact that libra
CONTINUED ON FOURTH PAGE.