Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-08-30
TIE LIBRARY QUESTION

The maintenance % the Carnegie
library has become n very prolific
sonree ut tEssnhle I'm the city council.
The question Is which needs 10
b. settled promptly aud finally. What
are we going To do about il. There l.
one thing which Ne can not domaine.
~ throw Off on the institution. We
have II. We are under both legal
and moral obligation 10 maintain IL.
Certainly the great majority of the
people Of Las Vegas believe In the
institNtion and wish 10 kae II kept up.
But eliminating the question Of our
xiskes In the matter, We have bound
Ourselves 10 keep np this institution.
The only question II how are We going
IN do n. nv having the council approp
pirate $1,000 per year fpm the eity's
funds 20 meet this expense. or by sub
scription such Az II more common In
institutions Of this character?
The citizens n Las Vegas have al
ready pledged themselves 10 the sup
port Of the library for three years 70
the amount of about S550. This list
Is stiiI good for two years. The PEG
pie Who subscribed the money are
good for II, with the exception Of =
few who have left las Vegas perma.
nently. and are willing 10 pay Il. This
Hist should be collected. every three
months, m provided In the agreement.
II would bring In about 500 a year
for the support OF the institution. and
leave only $500 To he paid from the
city's funds. when the time limit Of
three years has expired. the sabscrip'
tion should be renewed. and the bur'
den on the city's treasury thus be
lightened by those who heartily be-
lieve In this most worthy institution
and are able and willing TO give q
small amount annually for its mainten-
ancc.
Granting this to he the proper soiu-
tion Of the difficulty. the only ques*
tion remaining Is: Whose business Ii
II to collect the subscription lis?
There's the rub. apparently. Should
this pleasant task fall on the mayor.
the city clerk, the marshal. a commit
tee of councilmen, or on the ladies'
board which has undertaken 10 aid
In the support Of the library. The
ladies' board has apparently not been
eager TO undertake the task. We
believe. however. that N the city faith
ers had approached them u little more
automatically the ladies would not
have refused. The trouble Is here.
The ladies' board. the members of
the library board appointed by the
council. all friends OF the institution
and most Of the people OF the ON
munity who have given the matter
any thought. resent what appears 10
be a dispositions on the part Of the
council TO throw off on The Institution
and repudtate the obligation which
their predecessors contracted.
There Ia no honorable way out OF II.
Let the council recognize the obltga'
tion and face the situation. Let them
II possible. secure the aid OF the To-
dies board to collect the subscription
and let the council make up the differ
ence. but let them recognize the fact
that the city, through them. Is bound
to keep up this institution and the
people will recognize that the city
needs the help of this amount which
has been pledged I'm good faith by pri
vate citizens. For part, We be
lieve that tho ladies are the proper
ones to collect this subscription. fol
the reason that they a GET III
where a city clerk or marshal. or 4
paid collector might meet with fail
IRE. But let ID he understood thai
they are not undertaking this to save
the library but to help out the city
which really can not afford to take
$1,000 yearly ont of its general fund IL
the present condition Of its finances
The task Of collecting this subscrtl,
ton would not he especially difficult
The amounts are payable quarterly
The ladies' could divide the worl
among four committees, 80 that NJ
member of the board would he called
upon oftener than once a year. Th'
ladies' can get the money. They arr
willing to work for the institution
Here is the most pressing need.
Now, let the honorable mayor. &C
companied by d committee of thu
most eourtiy or portiy councilmen
request the privilege of making a for
mai cali on the ladies' board, lie
them, put On their Sunday clothes. as
sumo their most gracious smile AM
their most courtly manner and pre-
senting themselves before the ladies
ask them. as a great favor, In the in
terests Of the city and OF this YER
worthy institution. 70 please be q
kind as to take this little seven hun
dred dollar subscription list. whic'
the city holds Ms a pledge of her cit
zens, and collect It once every thre'
months. agreeing on their part Il