Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-02-25
President Young Talks


President G. l.. Young. who acted
as chairman, in an interesting
and inspiring address, traced the
library movement from the first
application for Carnegie appropri.
alton, made by Mayor F. H. Register
in 1901; down through the years in
which the Civic league, under the d.
rection of Mrs. C. M. Dahl, was prac-
tically the only force in the capital
city which Kept the effort alive, down
to the time, less than a year ago.
when the Commercial club took. up
the effort, interesting the city COM
mission in Bismarck's need of pub.
lie library, and finally to the cr.wn-
ing of the city commissions campaign
with success, when Secretary Ber-
tram of the Carnegie Corporation Of
New York advised President Lucas
a few weeks ago that an appropria-
tion of $25,000 will be available for a
library when the latter shall have
been regularly established.
Mr.. Young laid particular emphasis
upon the loyalty of the Civic league
to the library cause, telling of the
splendid work done by the ladies Of
this organization in keeping the spir-
it alive, and, within the past few
weeks, in conducting a city-wide can
vass for books, which netted more
than 1900 volumes. Mr.. Young told
of the work which has been done by
Mrs. Minnie C. Budlong, secretary Of
the North Dakota Public Library
commissions; Miss McPhee of the
state library, Miss Carpenter of the
state historical library and the 20,
Bismarck women who
assisted in the trying work Of index
ing and cataloguing all of these books.
The speaker referred to the estab-
lishment of the temporary library by
the Commercial club and the setting
aside of a room in the club headquar-
ters for this purpose.
The Future.
The Commercial club library is, at
best, however, a makeshift, said Mr..
Young. The club has temporarily
space which it cannot
well spare; executives are working in
cramped, inadequate quarters, in or
der that beginning may be made in
the matter of public library. This
reading room will not be permanent;
the club cannot afford to maintain it,
and until library is formally estab-
lished, by a vote of the Bismarck peo.
pie, there will be no funds for the
of library anywhere.
The Carnegie Corporation offers
Bismarck $4,000 for the erection and
equipment of library building. All
that is asked of Bismarck in return is
that this library be maintained, and
for this purpose a fund Of $500 is
specified. Mrs. 'Budlong, secretary of
the North Dakota Public Library com
said Mr. Young, is authority
for the statement that no library
worthy of the name can be suitably
for less than $500.
To establish a library and to pro-
vide this minimum sum for Its main
tenance is the purpose. of next Mon
days election, stated President
Young. Should the proposition be re.
jected at the polls next Monday, Bis
marck will be left in the same posi-.
tion it has occupied, the unenviable
one OF city of 1000 without 4 Ii.
brary; it will have on its hands the
of d temporary library,
with no quarters in which to house
it, and with no funds with which to
maintain it.
The speaker described the modus
as follows: II . majority
of the electors vote next Monday to
establish public library in Bismarck,
the city commission will Appropriate
for the maintenance Of the inst1tn-
ton, but it will have nothing % -
with the selection Of . site O. With
the money 90 appgope1AtD4.
The board of education elects t. y
brary commission, which selects tA0
CONTINUED On Pag9 1Wol