The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-04

DoohS III eIor11ylHS the deeds OF the
boys. but there has only been about
$1,000 spent on Kansas regiments. and
that by the state at Chickannauga for
the Eighth regiment. statement of
| a few chapters gathered 35 or 40 years
after, is all the published history the
Kansas soldiers have ever had.
Following an estimate made by a
similar organization down east, the
| Kansas State Historical society has
property belonging to the state to the
| value of about $250,000. The society
began work in 1875, and was adopted
| by the state in 1879. 1t has a mu-
| scum of historical relics of more than
| average interest and value, much of
which is of a military nature A sol
der collection exclusively could be
added without mixing. But who sup
| poses for a moment that the state
contemplates maintaining two similar
institutions forever in the same build
| ing? A petition has reached me from
local post, signed by about thirty
| names in one handwriting with a GER
| tificate by another that he is author
lied to sign all names. asking that
everything be kept separate and dis
tinct from the Historical society. The
| blank was evidently furnished from
| Topeka, and those whose names were
used, as well as those who ordered the
| signature, had no more idea of what
they were doing than a chimpanzee
has of the tariff, for instance.
Space on First Floor.
BIASED upon similar intelligence the
old soldier racket is being worked for
plan which calls for an auditorium
| capable of seating 1,500 people, a space
that may be needed one day in the year.
Next to this on the west. second floor
| is a good space for museum, which
| is all right. But along the Jackson
street front and Tenth street are two
rooms for G. A. r. headquarters, which
| is also all right; also large rooms each
| for the Sons of Veterans, the Relief
Corps. and the Ladies of the G. A. r..
| and a committee room Sc feet long,
never needed before. Any man of com
mon sense knows that such space as
this will be two-thirds sheer waste.
But there is 20 objection to any
amount of space they will obtain pro-
vided it does not interfere with prac
teal use of the building. There are
| eight employees to work in the histori-
cal department now. and at least two
more will be required when the Grand
Army stuff is to be cared for. I'M
| derstand that the old soldiers of Shaw
nee county have for years had the third
floor of the court house at their dis
posal free in all respects but they never
ly some one is attempting to load some
thing onto the state-perhaps another
department, commission society, or
board
Room for Society Records.
1.-THE newspaper collection will be
comfortably fixed in the SUBJ basem ent
and on the ground floor. The general
library and Kansas collection viii be
on the second floor. east of the big hall.
The large hall should be g. public read
ing room, but this is ordered closed on
the side next to the library. This alb
sclutely closes that portion of the pub
lie desiring to use the library out of
the building. The secretary will have
three rooms in the southeast corner
of the second floor. one for himself,
small one for a StenograDher and
work room. Steel stacks for newspa-
rers will fill the basement and first
floor, and steel stacks for the general
library and for the Kansas books will
occupy the second and third floors
with no space for tables for the use
of the public. If the building is to go
up this way. then somebody ought to
engage board with DR.. Bidd1e, and the
Grand Army instead. of having monu-
ment to be proud OF viii be the guy OF
posterlty.
''It seems impossible to make folks
understand that such a building. abso-
lutely f1reproof will require $4,000 or
$4,000 worth of steel shelving and
cases; that these shelves loaded with
books, three stories high, will be of
immense weight and must be built
from the ground. On the third floor
west of the big hall is a large space
available for the growth of the histori-
cal society but it is so feet off. There
should be plenty of margin to each
tack room for growth Each year
turns into the historical society a large
quantity of matter. and it must be
kept; there is no rule by which 1t can
be rejected or culled over If it pertains
to Kansas.
THE records of the Grand Army
and of local posts, as they become the
property of the state, will be kept ac
cording to library science, and not as
some gentleman at Podunk, who new
err saw a library, may think or petit
ton.
Friend of Old Soldier.
ct am a friend of the old soldier,
and have made extraordinary efforts
to gather into our history all possible
about the soldiers of Kansas regi-
ments. In our general library we
have a wonderful collection of regi-
states, there are hundreds of old sol
diers in Kansas, who are practical
busiress men, and they should see
that this magnificent purpose is not
made a botch, but thing of JOY, not
dead marble alone a tribute to the
soldier, but living active force for
ever intoxicating patriotism and love
of country, something empty space
or a few loungers will not do. The
man who offered his life and then
walked home and make Kansas
farm, is entitled to the best.
Ought to Build for the Future.
Understand now, 1 am not kick
ing, I am only one in seven, but my
responsibility is greater because
know something about it, and hence
desire to very feebly protest that pos
terity may never, never be moved to
profanity by anything I have done. I
am a citizen and represent the best
thing the state has, it's historical col
lection. I have seen the state ex-
penses move up from $S5, 900 the first
year, to over 100000 this year, and
it behooves us in view of the storm
caused by the last raise to do the best
rrrsfI y he ant OF Tod 70 ne a
a gross Injustice to the state architect,
,nlaSs he is nermitted TO write all