Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-10-29
Americas, Ga, October 90, 1909.
WOULD BRING THE BLUSH OF
SHAME TO EVERY FACE.

ed from the fear that the city might
exercise it's powers to work for the
good of the public in an illegal way
is really distressing. Year after year,
and sometimes several times in a year,
it has gone ahead and done things
that were not strictly within the let
ter of the law, in order that it might
promote the welfare of the people of
Americas and has been applauded by
them for doing so. ANY alderman can
cite number OF cases where the re-
strictions have been quietly laid upon
the shelf and the interests of the peo-
pie promoted in a laudable way. 1t is
certainly rather a late day now to
set up the claim that an appropriation
for the library would be so intensely
illegal that 1t cannot be given and the
institution be compelled to close its
doors.
Atlanta, Albany, Columbus, Cordele,
even little Montezuma, not to men
ton large number of other Georgia
cities, and towns, some larger and
some smaller, than Americas, are sup
porting public libraries out of the
public treasury Nobody has ever
raised a question about the propriety
of this, no one has ever denied the
advisability of it. On the broad
ground of public policy these appro-
priations have been made and en-
dorsed. 1t has been recognized that
the public library is second in impor-
lance only to the public schools. In
deed, the public library in these days
has become an essential part of the
educational system of city. 1t Is the
institution from whence the people
draw their post graduate instruction;
it has been we'll described as the peo-
pies university. It meets need not
of one class or Of one age, but of all
classes and of all ages. Little chill
dren, seven or eight years of age, are
taking books from the Americas libra
ry, their older sisters and brothers are
doing likewise, and so are their par
ents and their grandparents. Hardly.
a family in the city can be found one
member of which Is not a eardholder
and utilizing the opportunities the
library affords to secure good reading
matter without cost If it is not
part of the province of the city gov
eminent to maintain such an institn-
ton, especially after it has solemnly
obligated itself to do so, pray what
may its duties be? Has it no higher
sphere of operation than to keep the
streets clean, put out fires and arrest
DRINKS and thieves?
No other city In Georgia, as far as
we are aware. has been so exceedingly
finicky about the legality of such
step. There is long list of them with
public libraries, and the list Is stead
lily growing. Those that have accept
ed Mr.. Carnegies generosity have ad-
hered to their promises-except Amer
icus, to- our shame be it said. Some
others have their own buildings and
maintain the libraries from the public
treasury. In none of these commune
ties would man endear himself to
the public by attacking the legality of
such appropriations and trying to
break down so worthy an institution,
We doubt If the public spirit in Ameri-
Gus Is really any different from what
it is in other towns and cities on this
question. 1t has simply been too quiet.
What we really need here is a more
open expression Of public sentiment.
That town Is in healthful state
where the people express themselves
on public questions like this, and do
it in no uncertain tones.
Americas will undoubtedly stand
disgraced before the world if it repu-
dates its agreement Win Hir. Carne-
gle. 1t viii be in class all by itself,
and that class will be a shameful one.
There is nothing that could do more
harm to the city than to have the news
go broadcast that this city had repu-
dated solemn contract and closed
the doors of a public library 1t
would be reflection upon the charac-
ter and the intelligence and progress
siveness of the people that would
bring the burning blush of shame to
every cheek. 1t would put every man
and woman in Americas in a most
humiliating position. Decency, honor,
the future of the city, demand that
this contract be adhered to. The sud
denly discovered plea of ilIegality
should be returned to the sepulchre
from whence it came.