The morning journal-courier., 1908-01-14
\ FORM or PArERNALIsM.

A correspondent cf The Mornhls Journal-Courier in 3 recent issue raises the question that the city hes no more right to distribute for the free use of its habitues works of fc- tion than to maintain theatre for the entertainment of the citizens Wa take It that he is lea to this con- clusion because of his trade; he is a dealer in books of the light class and finds that the city by providing ceo- ole with books to read destroys to that extent his livelihood. Speaking as taxpayer he says his principal reve- nue is from the sale of works of fic- tion, that works of fiction are instrn- ments Of entertainment, and that when it comes to providing entertain ment each citizen should foot his own bills
 The retort may be made that the | bookseller is an interested party in the controversy who might disappear if the trade affected by the citys poll. cy was one in which he was not in- terested, but we are not sure that it would be a fair retort It has been our experience and observation that reforms usually start with those who are injured by prevailing practices. In theory, and possibly in law. the only right the community has to do that which comes into contact with the private interests of the individual rests on the advantage to the greater num- Der If it can be demonstrated that the circulation of works of fiction by the free library does not add to the welfare of the community as a whole. but only provides a means of enter tainment, then our protesting book selling contributor has more or less of a case. He offers no objection to the free circulation of books of ref M NiiNV ft4lNi hpGNC VI d SlilEllN tuuHH~ tional value, or, in other words, pub lications which the present bene- ficiaries are not in position 10 de- rive instruction from as a result of a private investment He objects to a policy which he is convinced has no educational basis to rest upon and which weal5ens him as taxpayine trader and citizen
 1t is not so long ago that the own CTS of public halls in various parts of the State protested against the nrae- , tice of the State renting State ar mories in competition with tt.ir prop erty They claimed that the State should decline to permit the use of
 armories for business purposes, since 1t struck straight at their business
 prosperity, and to that extenf dam aged their investment This view hs,
 from time to time so impressed got.
 ernors of the State tha. they hav,
 t'ilcn notice that after certoln dat,
 these armories would be reser ed fo,
 the use of the militia. but nothing ha,
 ever come of it There has aiwav, been influence enough somewhere f
 keep the practice alive. There arr
 owners of buildings in several of t.u
 cities of the State who protest tha
 the spacious buildings owned by th i. Young Mems Christian Association
 should not te exempt from tayat,o, . so long as they rented parts of ti
 buildings for revenue purposes Ther
 has always been complaint that in
 public school tax should fall upon al
 property alike in spite of in fact that the schools are not utiize
 by all It has been declared iNet ii
 this way certain known elen;er :, was taxed twice. for. in addition f |. being taxed for the support of in
 public schools, they are assessed fo
 the care of their paroehial school
 There are still others who connini
 that the exemption which schoo
 church and college property enjoy
 works hardship upon the cornmun
 ty It is possible to find comnlain-
 of this character in whatever djrectio
 one looks There is 9 growing clas
 which protests against federal sv,
 tenn of taxation which manifestlv her
 efits the few while it compels tr
 many to pay an arbitrary price for fl,
 necessities of life.
 d There is this interesting feature f Q this varied indictment. and that l. that it demonstrates the practic. <; difficulty of bringing life down to
 rule of thumb government It is th
 privilege. and from many points (
 view the joy, of the human race Y live it's life just as it wants to 'i demands consistency only in speci; 's instances and when the violation , ie the jaw of consistency impresses Y sufficient number of people to nal ls their organized resistance powarf,, II For that reason VIC do not look to se s' the injury worked to the book trac le by the free circulating libraries eu y cd, though v-e are bound to admit th. F something of 2 case is made out. N ai are forced to this conclusion. cye -s while admitting that the circulatic lo of the average novel cannot nossih