East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1917-01-17

self, and / had paid the expenses in
many instances out Of my own private
money in order that this fund might
grow. When | made my report / did
not have to apologize to the public for
neglect of duty or for letting the fund
lie idle in the bank because / was too
indolent to keep II at work.
The city by the recent transfer
parts with nothing except the annoy.
ance arising from personal manage
ment of the library II only trans
ferred the possession to a corporation
acting for and on behalf of the in
habitants Of Pendleton. No new IL
brary was created. The Pendeton
public library has been in existence
for nearly a quarter Of a century. The
old Pendleton Public Library board
that has had charge Of the library for
the last several years simply incorpor-
ated, and at its last meeting, Mrs.
Sturgis, the president Of the old board.
at my earnest solicitation, was tender
ed the presidency, for the reason both
/ the members of the board and myself
fconceived that she was in a position
to bring harmony out of discord: to
unite these two Libraries under one
roof and to see that each had charge
Of and the right to manage its own
/ property.
When the committee of nine, ap-
pointed by the city under the state
| law, having in charge the PendletoD
Public Library, entered into a contract
with the county court it was for the
purpose of running a joint library
The books were removed from the
city hall under cover of darkness and
by the back alleys. The county court
then conceived it had the advantage.
II then Immediately repudiated the
contract; It took exclusive charge; it
excluded the members of the city
board from all participation in the
management except one or two IA
vored members. 1t denied the city's
right to any of the property; it indi-
Gated it wanted no help from the city
or its inhabitants; that it could run
this Central Carnegie" or "Uma
tila County Library without assist.
ance, but mark the change. The spe-
1 cial committee of the association de-
mands that the city put up S2500
year to pay the expenses while the
county, spends it, that the city turn
over to the county the Pendleton
public library and all of is property.
This committee reminds me of the
Iowa banker, who established his in
tural districts of the state in early
days. The country developed rapidly
money poured into the bank in
stream, the country was astounded 10
learn one morning that it had closed
its doors. The farmers assembled
They appointed a spokesman and
went to the presidents magnificent
home. They found him in an elegant
ly furnished room smoking a fragrant
Havana cigar his feet in dainty slip
pers and wearing a smoking jacket
of the richest texture. The spOkes-
man told him that these were his de
positors and that they had come for
their money He said. Gentlemen,
/ | have no money, but here is my poor
body and you can divide it among
yourselves as you see fit" A deaf old
man was forced to ask what the reply
was. The spokesman told him, and
he said, Then speak for his gall
The association. through this COM
{ mittee. claims title to the Pendleton
/ Public Library on the ground the will
of Mr.. Sturgis speaks of the CONNER
cial Association Library. Their the
ory is that If a>man should leave
fifty thousand dollars to ''Mollie" that
Alice his wife. would not be entitled
to it, Yet. We conceive the courts
would award it to her on the ground
that he sometimes referred to her as
/ "Molie."
There was never such athing a
a Commercial Association I.ibrar'
| Sturgis named one, founded for, con.
! Quoted on behalf Of and owned by
the inhabitants of the city, the PEN
dleton Public Library. But the namc
seems old fashioned. hence the per
sistent attempt to suppress it and at
tach to the library the name, Cen
trail Library" "Umatilla County Ii
brary." any Id thing except "Pendle-
ton public Library This campaign
is being conducted by few interested
individuals to reap little CHEAP
glory for themselves and to deprive
Sturgis of the honor OF having named
It.
The taxpayers of both the county
and the city are anxious to know
where the twenty-five hundred dol
lars came from that were spent re-
Gently for library fHrniture. from
what fund was that amount taken "
They, also. want to know why fuel
purchased for the county court house
Is being transported across the Uma-
tilla river to furnish heat for the IL
hraryc 1t is said Frank Sailing refus-
ed to issue warrants upon the order
of the county court to pay the freight