Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1921-03-03

ELAzaARY 0Tc0nY2eSSSS MIS- S "
HE Library of Congress is COM
plete satisfaction to the perturbed
soul of the scholarly Edward Ever
ett who years ago exclaimed: "Who
can see without shame that the fed
ns<ISA eral government of America is the
DAkEEsSN only government In the civilized
fdkT wv world that has never founded
M MH literary institution of any description
NH GHT or sort?"
XS5R&NSX So said Representative Simeon D.
VIHN%A Tess of Ohio the other day in the
81 W house in address on the subject
of the library. Mr.. Fess is a scholar
himself. He is lawyer. He has served as col
lege president and professor in several institu-
lions. He is the author of works on American
politics and history. In connection with appro-
priations for the Congressional Library he was
asked to deliver address upon the Library as
a literary institution for the information of the
members In his address, as reported in the Con-
gressional Record the following interesting facts
are found:
East of the Capitol stands the most beautiful
building in the world, the creation of the genius
of the architect sculptor, and painter. Within
its walls is found collection of publications
which is rapidly overtaking the Blblotheque Ma
tionale of Paris and the British Museum of Lon
don, the only other libraries which exceed in
number of books the Congressional Library.
Like all other great institutions, this had it's
small and insignificant beginning. 1t started some
time before the beginning of the last century with
the appointment of committee to report on need
and selection of suitable books. Five thousand
dollars was appropriated In 1900. Beckley of
Virginia appointed librarian by Jefferson in
1902. The first catalogue was Of nine pages, pre-
pared In 1902 the Library then containing 964
volumes and nine maps, classified on the basis of
size into quartos, octavos and so forth. The pur-
pose of the Library stated by Senator Mtchill
In 1909 n 10 wifi Suc as
will enable statesmen TO be correct In their in
vestigations, and by becoming display of erudi-
ton and research give a higher dignity and q
brighter luster to TRUTH
The catalogue of 1872 contained titles of 3076
volumes and 53 maps and charts. When the Cap
itol burned in 1914 by the British the Library
had cost all told about $1,000 for books and oper-
alton. The librarians salary was at first 50 per
day The Library was destroyed August "a, and
on September 81 Jefferson wrote from his home
rendering his library to congress. The commit
tee was authorized by act of congress to purchase
the 1000 volumes for $23950, which was done in
January, 1915. Jefferson cataIogued the Library.
which was later declared by Spofford as ian adj
mirable selection of the best ancient and modern
literature up to the beginning of the present
tury" These books We're hauled from Monticello
to Washington In farm wagons
From 1915 to 1851 the Library grew from 1000
to $1,000 volumes
On the evening of December d. 1926 Edward
Everett discovered fire in the galleries of the
Library, and he assisted by Daniel Webster and
other members of congress- put 1t out. In 1851
a second fire destroyed all but 10000 volumes of
the then handsome collection of 5000 volumes.
Only onethrd of the Jefferson collection was
saved. Congress at once took steps TO rebuild the
loss Before the year ended In several spe-
cic acts 1t had appropriated $263,700 for the pur
pose. Ten years later general catalogue of
1905 pages published. In 1869 the last COM
plete catalogue arranged by subjects, was pub
lIshed In two volumes of 1744 pages.
The card catalogue was adopted about 1855,
and was perfected from time to time TO its pres
ent wonderfully servceable system.
In 1864 A. r. Spofford selected as librarian,
and that year might be taken as the beginning of
the third stage of Congressional Library history.
Congress alphabetically responded TO legsla-
tive demands. Frequent appropriations were
voted and many private collections were secured
after the fashion of the famous beginning In 1915.
Three years after the selection of Spofford con-
gress authorized the purchase of the valuable
collection Of Americana from Peter Force. 1t
contained 10000 volumes and cost 100000. II
was regarded as a rare collection OF books and
pamphlets on American subjects, manuscripts,
newspapers, maps, autographs and forth.
About the same time the collection of the Smith
sonian Institution, comprising 10000 volumes.
was transferred to the Congressional Library. 1t
contained invaluable publications of the various
learned societies throughout the world with which
the institution had exchange arrangements.
Accessions were constantly made, among which
were, in 1866, the Petigru law library; 1882, the
manuscript papers of Benjamin franklin 1888.
the Matthew Carpenter law library; 1882, the
Toner collection of $1,000 volumes, which con-
tanned. among other invaluable publications, an
almost complete collection of copies of letters and
papers of General Washington.
/, AS far back as 1916 a provision of the copy
copy Of every book, map chart, musical compost