The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-05-17

distributing stations supplying the
various sections of these cities. TIC
support these libraries and their
branches appropriations are made by
the city government of sums ranging
from $4,000 to $4,000 a year.
Seventh. The stigma which nov
rests upon Richmond for its lack OF
training which such an institution af-
fords and which entitled such libra
ry to be the proud name of a people s
university, Is yet more strongly i'm
pressed upon our minds by reason OF
our recent success in securing the re-
gional bank for the Fifth district
The twelve cities that will have these
banks are Boston. which spends
something over 3400,o0 year on its
public library: New York. with its
superb public library on which is ex-
pended over a million dollars a gear.
Philadelphia, which has one of the
best and greatest public libraries in
the country; Atlanta, which has fine
library that meets all the needs of
Its people and which. as the chief ri
val of Richmond, we cannot permit
to have this superior advantage: Dali
las. which also has an excellent H.
brary. Chicago, with a public libra
ry that rivals the New York and Phil
adelphia Libraries: st. Louis and Kan
sas City. which spend great annual
sums in maintaining and developing
their public libraries, and San Fran
cisco and Minneapolis, both of which
communities are equally generous in
taxing themselves for the mainte-
nance OF their public libraries. For
Richmond to be the only one OF these
regional bank cities without public
library must bring a feeling OF sha me
to our own citizens and note OF
scorn from the citizens OF these other
cities,
Eighth. The contrast is ali the
greater when we compare ourselves
with our rival Baltimore. The i'm
mense advance which that city has
made In intellectual growth and bust
ness and commercial development is
largely due to its two splendid public
free libraries, the Peabody and the
Enoch Pratt Free libraries
Ninth. This reproach is not over
come by the presence OF our State ii.
brary. The State library is not a
popular library in any sense. 1t Is
research library and library de-
voted to the acquisition OF historical
manuscripts and material for schol-
ars and students, as distinguished
from the great mass of the people
who need a library for the correction
of their lack of funda mentals OF edu-
cation.
Tenth. free public library should
he vocational library. where those
who have not had the opportunity
to otherwise acquire an education
should he able to inform their minds
and train their faculties in the par
ttcular vocation by which they expect
10 gain livelihood. In this way only
can the individual citizen expect to
rise and 10 become worthy OF a bet
ter salary and better position. If
he does not have these opportunities
for learning and improving himself
he cannot expect to rise In his call
ing. For this reason. 1t will be found
that majority Of our high class me-
chanics and artisans obtaining the
best wages are not Richmondborn. but
are imported. They come from COM
munities which have these free pop
ular libraries. In this way they are
enabled to obtain the needed infor-
nation and training and thus to adj
vance themselves step by step In
their chosen occupation and business.
Eleventh. Not only do these libra
rfes benefit the employe, but they
also benefit tho employer when they
are properly conducted by emcient
man wishes to learn any fact needed
Immediately in either his domestic
trade or his foreign businAss, tho
should be able to obtain the same
from the librarian and his assistants.
This Is the way in which these public
libraries are used elsewhere. and this
IL the way in which they will be used
by our citizens. They are no longer
mere storehouAAs OF cheap Action.