The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-09-25

brought to light that would perhap. never
be discovered In any other way
The preparation OF the publications IL
usually not hurried. Work on them IS
often begun with the expectation OF pub
location far In the future A brief list Is
prepared for one correspondent This Is
added to for another. and as time passes
references t.:rn up accidentally and are
5otted down in index cards. Flies q the
lists are kept on hand. together with car
bon copies ready for mailing 10 other in
Quirers When the demand becomes large
these growing lists are sent TO the print
ing department OF the library. where they
are turned out In quantities as pamphlets
or cloth-bound volumes.
Then copies are sent to all the large
libraries In the country and to colleges
and universiti .s. "a we'll as to writers and
investigators who have manifested an in
terest I'm the subject I'm previous corre-
spondence with the library officials.
AN UNENDISG TASK
Work on the lists is practically perpet-
usI. continuing As before. as no list can
be expected TO be complete without years
Of research. Consequently. new editions
OF the publications are being printed con-
stantly.
some Of those recently Issued bear the
titles. Government Ownership OF Rail-
roads industrial Arbitration Labor
Particularly Relating TO Strikes Fed
eral Control Of Commerce" ''riie Federal
Constitution Tine Negro Question"
Cabinet. Government In the United
Interests and Mercantile Marine Sub
sides" Some OF the more recent publ
atoms are on The Philippine Islands"
and The TrestyMaking Power OF Con-
gres-."
Each IS a photographic compend on
some subject Of vital Importance to the
people To legislators. newspaper men.
students and investigators in general their
t~ratN
is enhanced by their being placed in Ii
brRries and institutions of learning
throughout the country Often they I'M
lock collections Of valuable Information.
storehouses OF written thought, that might
remain valu -less because OF its obscurity.
There are no apparent limits TO this
work OF classifications. Any subject,
however, involved. may, IL Is stated. re-
II public interests demands it. and the
tbOroughness Of research l. hut = matter
OF time, according TO Mr.. Griffin
The force at work on these lists. well
as other tasks that fan TO the lot of the
photographer Of the Congressional Ii
brarv consists OF five persons besides the
chief. Ii Is understood that the force will
be enlarged and tire work OF systematizinY
knowledge ana Information Of the world
will be brought nearer and nearer to per-
lection.
Mr. Griffin Is not yet in the prime Of life,
but Is already regarded rs being without
q rival In his field Of work. Before COM
ing to the Library OF Congress he held the
lie library OF Boston. He came to WASH
ington I'm 1907. before the Division OF
photography was organized, and has re-
manned since. All his life he has been
fond Of the work in which
he II now engaged-the history and CLASH
ncation Of books.
His division of the library was created
by an appropriation act of Congress ef-
Italy 4 Pm 20.
deal with Inquiries involving research too
elaborate for the attendants in the pub
lie reading-room, o. in q form inconveni-
ent for them to handle expeditiously: TO
compile references to topics OF current
interest. especially those which will be
the subject Of proposed legislation: to rep
resent the library in cooperative biblio-
graphical undertakings: to edit all publ
cations OF the library. and to recommend
for acquisition new books discovered miss
ing from the shelves.
II an inquiry be by letter. and can be
answered only by authorities. the division
endeavors to suggest in what institution
nearest the correspondent the authorities
may be found for consultation. To this
end the accommodating OF catalogues Of
other libraries is being given attention.
brary that an inquirer is entitled to the
best authority obtainable. 1t Is the duty OF
the division 10 refer inquiries to any 9TH
er part OF the library. to any other de-
partment OF the government or 10 any IN
stitution OF even person known to II to be
capable OF giving q more adequate answer
than 1t can give alone. In the service of
Congress tbs division makes researches
more extended, lists fuller and more dis
eliminating and longer abstracts.
The Library OF Congress Is regarded as
one OF the best reference libraries In the
world. and by reason OF its location in
Washington II the center Of literary men
and others VINO have occasion to tap the
store OF knowledge contained in the mil
lion Or more volumes within the granite
Hill