The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-31
sATuRD AZ, : cEailBEIR 81 1904 100 iL.5

SsSS A9,4DECl1NIf'lIrN{ttt 81,
The, Proposed Library,
8atrho Times Dispatch is proud that the
Financial Comm ttee has come out on 50 SO /
gallantly2Sin favor OF O yearly app'r'o' pria-g
ton for Tho maintenance OF public y ~
&brarys and we hope that Its recommend
$ationSwill sbo 3unanitnou adopted by the
aCouncl and Board OF "A lderm Ell. 3435y 81
We regret that our neighbor, the News
1.eade r, does not concur. Several days
ago 1t seemed % be in favor Of q pu ! bile
library as an annex to the I'll h School
but now opposed to the entire pro-
&jeot. ssE55 III Ii @5Q
Indeed, our con temporary seems 10 g ri
que that library Is not onl y IN unneces-
sary Institution, but an und esirable Inst St
tuition. statistics show, we believe. It
says, "tat where public libraries are
8thickest and most accessible, public mo
#1slllty, aslndlcated blythe records of the
divorce courts, the dockets Of the criminal
courts and3the statistics OF lillegitimacy is
mt its loves t. II. NJ ~ +; 1T Il
public libraries sdebauch the people, & then
the most enlightened 3 and progressive
cities iii the world have X committed u
criminal blunder In establishing and main.
Htaining Them and we OF Richmond should
8sets our faces rel 81 ously against MI pub
$lic2liprarles. and demand that the State,
Library which the News Leader 50 heart
lily cominends shall be 4 remov ed. s55iiJ8 Tho
High School has a small library OF Its
own, and the pupils keep the books IN
active circulation This also, a cordlng TO
the theory Of our contemporary, should be
discontinued. I'll n MA i3 II II
#3#But strangely enough, In spite OF the
wicked statistics, the News Leader COM
plains that Il q 4 yearly II apprc priatlon II q
$1,000 us not adequate to the support OF
"a good library, and argues that = we are
TO have any library, 1t should be a. good
5one, well provided, equipped and kept
~It seems to us that fla public librarysis
demo RAILING, the more extensive Its op-.
@eraton.the greater will be Its influence
&dor evil. We nnnotSundertake to argue
these propositions. Bad books are un-
%doubtedly5 demoralizing. but good books
are uplifting, and the more the people
read them the better they will be. e,
this be not true. then we had better
make bonfires OF all books and prohibit
the children from learning to read.
III Of course the News Leader does not
mean to take amy such absurd position,
$and theref6res its line OF argument is the
moro gperplexlng md nexplicab bic
AS for its other contention the relation
&of better streets to a free library is that
connection which exists between any two
desirable and Important improvements
diving Richmond q library by no means
excludes the paving of her streets, In
deed it should hasten that very result
by awakening a deeper sense 81 civic
pride. -
The News Leader. In crlticisng our
Advocacy of n free library, refers to our
action last spring in opposing an Increase
Mn the pay of the police force, and asks
how we reco ncile that spirit OF economy
with our present support Of tho PROPOSE
3tion to spend $4,000 on a library Tho
answer IS plain that while Richmond
rs paying at present nothing for a IL
brary, which Is needed by the whole city,
+ =
she is paying her policemen as much as
#the average city OF her size pays for like
service. Our neghbor agreed with MS
last spring, and has showed no change OF
heart since, that Richmond cannot af-
ford to oyerpayt any class Of city en-
ployes. but this docs not Imply Rich
i,nond's inability to spend what may be
,ieedful for the advancement In learning.
culture and happiness Of all her citizens
There Is need OF a public library in
Rirhmond, else Richmond isIentircly DIFF
@lerent from other progressive and en-
heightened cities, and she Is amply able e
maintain such an institution. RI as our
contemporary contends, an appropriation
a Of SO, 0p0 "a year 10 Insufficient, the Coun-
Gil will not be bound by a fast rule e
that sum. Give us the library, and II
4Yill aid and not hinder every other civic
INN. al rnr 4