The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-10-03
ROASTS STATE
AUDITING BOARD

MayviIle, N. D., Get. 3.-The annual
meeting Of the North Dakota Library
association began here yesterday aft
ernoon with an especially large attend
ance The sessions are being held at
the normal school auditorium and the
meeting promises to be very interest
ing.
At 2 o'clock this afternoon Presi-
dent r. A. Nestos began his annual adj
dress on the subject Of Cooperation
Between the Library Association and
the Library Commission. President
Nestos administered a flaying criticism
Of the methods of the present state
auditing board and the manner in
which they have curtailed the activities
Of the library commission. Mr.. NestoS
said in part:
Auditing Board at Fault.
The chief difficulties during the past
year have ON because of the failure
of the auditing board to recognize the
difference in the duties and responsible
tiles resting upon each board. They
have presumed to assume the functions
Of commission and the Judgment
of those who Sympathise with the aims
and purposes of the library movement
and who freely and cheerfnlly devote
their time n talents to the work, has
been overridden by the whims OF the
auditing board, the majority of which
is not in sympathy with the library
cause. Bills for services that have
been recognized as legitimate and
proper by every library commission
in this country have been sidetracked
and disallowed by our auditing board,
in spite of the approval of the COM
mission; projects that would have
promised well for the aus have been
abandoned because of the probable veto
Of the auditing board and, finally, to
crown 1t all. we find that at the be-
ginning of the year the auditing board,
or members thereof, without warrant
either in law, justice or common sense,
surreptitiously withdrew from the ap-
preparation Of the library commission
about $1,000 without notice either to
the commission or to it's secretary.
Situation Exasperating.
Needless to say, the situation has
been e~Xasperating. Speaking for the
commission and its secretary, l a say
that 1t has been with heavy hearts
that we have abandoned some things
that promised great results to the up
building Of what is best in our state.
But unfortunately those who were not
in favor of III work or in sympathy
with our aims were in a position to
handicap and cheerfully undertook the
task. Sd.
One of the members of the auditing
board informed me, when l remon-
strated against the unjust action of the
board, that he did not believe in the
work Of the library commission any
how; that the travelling libraries, the
farmers libraries and the other activi-
ties Of the commission were an ex-
travagance that the state could do
without, and that in his opinion one
Of the first economies that the state
ought to effect was the adjustment Of
the library commission and the state
historical society. And this opinion of
benighted m~edievalism in the face of
the splendid work that has been done
by the travelling libraries and the Ii
brary commissions in every state
where they have had a fair chance to
impress themselves and their work
upon the citizenship of the state.
Refers to Wisconsin.
What has been the greatest glory Of
the state of Wisconsin, if not the splen-
did work lone by it's library commits
sion through the announcement of
travelling libraries, local libraries and
the circulation and use Of books sent
out by the state? Look into the
progress made in that state and you
will find that these activities lie at
the basis Of all the rest Of the progress
Of which the state is so Justly proud.
1t is popular education as the basis of
progress again.
What You Have Been Looking For.
Meritol White Eminent is a prep
aration that gives universal ~satisfac-