The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-05-07

PIouuctlNe. Through the ormat
PROVIDED by it, fields, farms. orchards
shIoens, diaries, poultry wards have
..sieased their yield; two blades Of
e-dSo nave been made TO grow where
"a grew before, factories have en-
iarsed their Outpu wOrkmen have
auoe0 10 the value Of their labors
hieIcfantS nave made better bargains.
au' eItlSelnents have been made more .
sneotlVe, architects and artisans have
uhdoe oetter houses. The librarian&of
the Springfield City Library. in sun-
port OF this contention. cites the case
" workman who, through the use
OF BOOKS IN his library, added a third
. MS wages in three months time,
u ahother boy, who by the same help
lnNeA.ed valuable devices for in
creased output at his mill. of 2 busi-
ness mar h told him that the Ii
orarv mad been worth $4,000 in ash
70 MN the previous year. He reports
mat there is not a single trade or
VOCATION in that city which may not
receive material aid there, and few
tlat 90 not receive such aid.
O.. The library is q means Of CON
serving II promoting the mental.
moral and physical health Of the
community and in this capacity yields
d positive and material benefit to
every taxpayer. Many persons may
be Ound who will testifv-and their
"1AA w ~ IllCu Nv buN /
clans-that by wholesome reading,
tney nave been saved from nervous
pIoStTaliOn and possible mental COL
lapse. Many inmates Of insane asy-
luhaS are tfere because Of the empti-
ness and dreariness Of their lives, and
mere IS no question that many might
nave been saved, and the community
saved expense OF their care, by
means OF a good library. The same
IS equally true OF many who have
joined the criminal class, and who
necessltate the enormous public ex-
pense for police, courts, and prisons.
Nothing is SO expensive for the tax
payer as ignorance, pauperisn1, de-
generacy, crime; nothing yields him
such large returns as the money spent
for agencies which remove the causes
OF these. Admittedly all the technical
apparatus c. library administration is
e~xpensiye; the Boston Public Library
expends every year a quarter Of q mill
lion dollars for administrative pur-
, poses. But the American taxpayer
T supports this more gladly than any
other burden, knowing that the pub
lie library is the best weapon against
9 alcoholism and crime, against corrup-
I ton and discomfort, and that the Dem
Ocratic country can flourish only when
the instinct Of self-perfection as it eA-
: lists in every American is thoroughly
e satisfied.
6. To these considerations must be
e added the very obvious one that il
e it's use of books the community make:
a direct m very material savins
: through the library. A typical city
Il library Of North Carolina has just is
sued its report for the past year
6 showing receipts from taxation Of 81,
600 and a circulation Of $4,000 books
a If the readers Of these books had oh
tanned them by individual purchase j
iC a fair Octronto %hnf fhav WOMB
v have spent for them at least $4,000
IS Thus by a tax Of $4,000 there is ef
e fected a saving to the community O
It $24, 000; for every dollar OF tax, q say
i ing Of Sc! This is exclusive Of tn
l. saving to users Of the reference de
q partment. Not even an estimate ca
be given Of the amoun saved there
Re but because of the hig price Of ref
,r erence books, it is probably equal a
is least to that of the circulating de
partment. Can any private investmen
ts show such financial returns as tina
rendered by the public library?
S. The North Carolina Public Law
~ as follows:
~ Section /. The board of alderme
Of or town commissioners Of any lncol
n. porated city or town. upon the pet
tion of twenty five per cent OF tn
ut registered voters thereof. shall subn
be the question of the establishment of
On free public library TO the voters {
the next municipal election. If a m;
r. jority Of the votes cast on said que
es ton be in the affirmative, the Doa1
nv Of aldermen or town commlsslone
So shall establish +.;e library or readln
wv room and levy and cause to be collec
n ed as other general taxes are collec
nd ed. a special tax of not more than
.ir cents on the hupdre dollars Of tt
re assessed value Of the taxable proper
Of Of such city or town and not mo
n than thirty cents on, the Doll. II
ills fund SO p~rOVldeu snail cohStltu'e =
all library fund, and shall be Kept sep
nss rate from the other funds of the CT
or town, to be expended exclusive
ms upon such library
ity Sec. 2. For the government OF SUI
ng library, there Shail { uoaiu ~ :
ice trustees appolh.eu pS 'ne -" .
ao~D,on or town COmmlSSlOne