The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-20
The Need Of a Library.


The Need Of a Library.
In Sundays paper we published a COM
nunicauon from a correspondent signed
33"Booklover,"s In which lie expressed the
wish that rho Times-Dispat would urge
the establishment in Richmond Of a pub
lie library For himself he said that ne
was able to subscribe to circulating libra
rics and get as many books as no wanted,
but that did not make him indifferent TO
the needs Of people OF very moderate,
needs who could not afford to pay for
books. IA
s,It seems to me-. said ot,r correspond
cnt in conclusion, ..that we area little
iuncivilized In Richmond, not to- have q
public library, and hopo you Will stir
our city fathers UP to proper ea liza
ton or tho public demand for the small
ourselves of Mr.. Carnegie's offer. AZ III
s.We spend hundreds Of thousands tot
dollars on the education of the children
III this community; cannot we, as a ciey.
strain u point and spend q few thousand
dollars annually for the education, I'M
provemerlt and rational enjoyment Of the
'grown-upsa as well as the children? I'm
no demngogue, but l do think we owe
this much to tho so-caped WORKING
Glasses" Isl
Tho Times-Dlspatch needs no Urging"
on this point. We have time and again;
urged the City Council to make the
necessary appropriation for AZ public,
library and the opportunity is nov at.
hand. Mr.. Carnegie offers to give 500, u
900 for a building and 1T is probable that
he can be induced to give more. But he.
requires ana very properly REQUIRES that
We shall do our part; that we shall pro
vide the site and provide the means from
year to year for the maintenance OF the
library. Our correspondent makes q fine
plea In behalf OF a, library as a part OF
the public school system Of Richmond
and says that we can we'll afford to strain
a point to provide the. means. But we
shall not have to- strain q point. An ex-
IRA levy of g cents on the hundred doll
lars will give all the money necessary
for current expenses, and that small ;ld-
ditIon to-, the tax rate would, be- felt by
nobody There seems to he some rreji-
dice against the name Carnegie. but ~
will not be necessary under Mr.. Carne-.S
gio's offer TO give his name to the libra-
~. we may call 1T anything wo7 plea Sc Sc
His only condition is that we shall bear
n part Of the burden. +.
This may not be q popular topic. In
creased taxation is never POPULAR, and We
know that there are men in the CONF
nlunity who are opposed to spending the
,clty's money for such an institution. But
that should not deter those who are in
favor Of the library from advocating it..
1t shall certainly mot deter The Times
Dispatch. The only. question to bescon 4.
sldered is whether or not Richmond needs
a library and whether or not it Is the.
duty Of taxpayers to provide It. There
is no doubt in our mind on either point.
Richmond does need a library and 1t is
to her discredlt that she has none. Other.
progressive cities have gladly accepted
Mr.. Carnegie's offer, and Richmond will
make fatal blunder Il she declines it.
u das4 =-=--==---=. It3gE
a special from washington says that
bids were opened by the Ordnance Depart
mcnt$ OF the army Saturday for large
quantity Of shells for the uae Of the de-
lpartment The lowest bids were as e fol-
lows: XII S4B
The .rredegar Company, Of Richmond,
Va. for 1000 Pinch mortar shells, $50
each; also 500 1o-inch shells atis17.5o each.
Tho Richmond Iron Works, 800 4.72-inch
shells at =. rs each, to DC delivered in four
months. The United States Rapid Fire
scompa,,y's bid for the same shell was
identical in amount, but the delivery was was
to be in six months. The Richmond Iron
Works, $500 1S-pound shells at $l.ES each.
James w. Carr, OF Richmond, Va, 200
s-incl rife shclls at s9.13 each; the Phoe-8
nix iron Works. 300 70 inch shells at s24.94
each.
The Cawdrey Machine Works, Of Massa-
chusetts, 5000 s-nch shells at sl.45! each;
ESQ G-pound shells at AS cents each,
Hurrah Tor Richmond! TWAS q fine
stroke for hersto bag three out OF four
of the contracts. 1t shows what a splen-
did manufacturing center Richmond 49,
:--------=.-.===..-:-----:-------:=--~
In spite Of snow. bad roads and some
5,,nfavorab!c political conditions there
will be great times in old Virginia for
q couple OF. weeks. Hog and honiny,
persimmon9 beer and many other good
things Of old fashioned variety abound
in great quantities, and that happy season
that comes hut once % year VIII be UNI
usually happy all over the old Common
wealth. IT
--::---2--z.--.-.1--1ss
Considering the present price Of eggs
no one can doubt the statement Of Sec
rotary Wilson TINT the hens. OF tho conn-
try can pay the interest on tho national
debt If they will get busy and keep It up
all the year round.
t8af -:-.57,--------- ---==----. a,ge
Uncle Joe Cannon says the new force
bin aimed at the South can't pass, and
that settles 1t ONCE for all; that Is for al!
of this Congress-