The Washington herald., 1907-05-26
GARFIELD ABOLISHES LIBRARY
Secretary of Interior Orders Re-
mOval Of Books.
Declares Old Volumes Take Up NaIu-
able Space and Impose Unneces-
sury Expense on Government.

Secretary Garfield, Of the Interior De-
partment has determined 10 abolish the
library that for years has been a part of
that branch of the government. He has
turned the details of the dissolution and
dispersal Of the library over TO his secre-
tary, James l. Parker. who has already
bcglm the work.
The Secretary's decision 10 abolish the
library was received with considerable
surprise by the employees of the depart
ment, inasmuch as they expected that
Mr.. Gardeld's predecessor, Secretary
Hitchcock, had won a permanent victory
in defeating the prospective action of
Congress 10 discontinue it. Mr.. Hitch
cock bent every effort to prevent the con-
templated action, but his successor held
opposite views, and within a few weeks
the volumes will have been removed from
the Patent Office
The reasons advanced by Mr.. Garfield
through Mr.. Parker for the adjustment
OF the library are. briefly summarized
that it does not fulfill its mission as q
/ library takes up valuable space which
may be used for other purposes. and en-
/ tails expense upon the government. as
/ there are two Sl.200 clerks employed en-
/ tirely i'm taking care of the library.
/ These clerks" said Mr.. Parker yeSter-
/ day, "Can render much more effective
/ service 20 the government ~ doing other
work. There Is no reason why the libra
~ should be continued. The Public Ii
/ brary is close at hand, and the Patent
Office can make good use Of the space
now occupied by the books. The Library
/ of Congress viii be offered the collec-
/ ton
/ In opposing the proposition 10 abolish the
/ library, Secretary Hitchcock wrote last
/ January to Representative James A.
Tawnev explaining his views In this
/ letter Mr.. Hitchcock said that the en-
/ ployes of the Interior Department found
/ the library Of great value 10 them. Secre-
/ tary Hitchcock explained in his letter that
no money had been spent for books I'm
/ ten years, and that no work Of fiction or
/ current periodical had been purchased for
| twenty years He explained that the
/ quarters assigned the library were unfit
| for clerical work on account Of darkness.
/ and that no expense was entsiled upon
/ the government in the support Of the
/ library.
He also maintained that the character
I Hl lhe DOCKS was OF the highest, as they
/ had been selected by the late Carl Schurz.
with the assistance OF Or. A r. Sponord.
and that the employees were never allowed
% use the library during working hours.
. thus making groUndless all complaint that
the library interfered with the work Of the
department Mr.. Hitchcock declared that
the books would he Of no value anywhere
else, as they were merely duplicates OF
what already existed in any large library.
and that their removal would only mean
depriving many hundreds Of employees of
the use Of the books for no good reason.
as the space now occupied would be of no
value for any other purpose. and the gov
lernment is not paying a dollar 10 maintain
the library. The present Librarians, the
/ Secretary said. would be needed in the
same capacity to take care Of the official
documents.