Evening Star Newspaper, December 9, 1897, Page 11

— = THE EVENING STAR. PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 1101 Pennsylvania Aveane, Cor. 11th St, by . i Com; geen rere Few York Office, 49 Potter Building. The Evening Star is served to subscribers tn the city by carriers, on their own account, at 10 cents per week, o- 44 certs per month. Copies at the counter 2 cents each. By mail—anywhere tn the United States or Canada—pestage prepald—50 ccats fr menth. P'Saturday Quintuple Sheet Star, $1 per year, with relzn postage added. $3.C0. fe 14. “(Entered at the Post Office at Washington, D. C., as second-cla. 3 mail matter.) 7 All mail subscriptions must be paid In advance. Rates of advertising made known op application. The regular permanent circulation of The Evening Star is more than double that of any other paper in Washington, whether published in the morn- ing or in the afternoon. As a medium for unobjec- tionable advertisements it there- fore stands unequaled and un- approachable but lacking in requisite ex- Fublic duty, perience. ~ “It was because of the desire to maintain the traditions and the integrity of the library that few changes were made in the old staff. Of the forty in service upon tak- ing office, but five have thus far been changed—three because of superannuation, and this with regret, because the gentle- men in question had in their day done good service and should have retired upon a pension. such as superannuation and faith- ful work recefve in other natioaxl libraries. MR. YOUNG'S REPORT SS Librarian of Congress Reviews Pres- ent Condition of His Charge. FAVORS KEEPING OPEN AT NIGHT Suggests the Concentration of the Department Libraries. = ee VIEWS ON COPYRIGHT LAW Seige Mr. Join Russell Young, the librarian of Congress, today presented his annual re- port to Congress. The report, being the first ene subm: ‘ince the new building was cccupied, is an elaborate statement of all matters corrected with the library. The report says, in part: “On the 30th of June, 1897, your libra- was romirated and confirmed to be rarian of ( ess. Upon the !st of July he took the oath and entered upon the duties of his cffice. “The larger portion of the books belong- ing to the Smithsorian collection, consi ing of the books and pamphlets not in- cluded in tke collection of publications of is included in the enu- library books on the At the present stage of the li- brary classification it has been found im- possible to arrive at an accurate knowl- edge of the exact number of books known as the Smithsonian Libr “According to th is composed of 787,715 books and 218,340 pamphi On the Ist of vember the number of bocks reported loaned out ‘in of which ators and mem- and to others hooks. A few of the ed, but from these fig- ate our aggregate loss ‘s. The daily average of hands of readers may be 000. This, however, varies, the .oks taken out during the ses- being much larger than in the hands of re 1,446 were charg bers no longer in Ce entitled to take out 1,446 may be returi books in ed at number of b s of Cong the rec The percentage of books lost in thirty is about five in a thousand. “Th library have been main! ection of keeping the rules allowed, turn them. It isfactory to have out books longer than rather than in failing to i have been more s ibrary by the en pblem was 5 $00,000 volumes and shelf room for 300,000. Easy Access to the Books. After describing the removal of the books to the new building, he s: “The library, closed on July 31, was oren- ed to the public on November 1. This meant the adjustment of over 400,40 bocks, so that they might be available. Since then the reading room has been opened daily, except on Sunday. While the public has, therefore, the advantages of a splendid reading library, the work of classification still goes forward, and in a short time we hope to have every volume and pamphlet in its appropriate place. “As a part of the present system, there is a pneumatic tube, a tunnel and électric machinery for the transmission of books from the library to the Capitol. It would be impossible to overestimate the impor- tance of this ingenious work in the rracti- cal efficiency of library administration. A test was made of its operations on Octoher 2 by the Mbrary officials. The telephone was not yet in operation, and, therefore, the experiment was under imperfect condi- tions. Without any prearrangement, or prewarning, a request for books was con- veyed through the pneumatic tube from the Capitol to the reading desk. “In ten minutes and five seconds the vol- ume asked for reached the Capitol. The second request was for four books—cne in English, the other three in Italian, German and French, respectively. Three of them— the Italian, German and English—came within eight minutes and eleven seconds. The French volume, ‘Les Chatiments,” ar- rived two minutes later. The third was a request fer the London Times, conaining an account of the battle of Waterloo. The Times, the volume of 1815, was promptly found on its appropriate shelf in the upper part of the library building; but owing to a little delay at the reading desk, was twelve minutes in reaching the Capitol. “This test was notable as demonstrating the practical convenience of the iubrary in the service of Congress and the Supreme Court. ‘The present arrangement may be | described as almost autom: acter, and there is no r tor at his desk, Court in the conference recom, may not summon the page und have whatever he requires from the library within twelve or fifteen minutes. This t a theory or an anticipation, but practical demonstration. The new library brings its treasures within an easier reach of those who need them than ever before. “The one n.ain duty of the librarian curing the recess of Congress has been the removal and arrangement of the books. To this duty all else has been subordinate. As a consequence, the other departments, with the exception of the copyright und reading room, are as yet not quite ready, but in various processes of organization. ‘The matter of appointments has likewise been governed by the exigencies of the service. “In order that the library might in its recrganization ave efficient service, ell appointments were probationary, subject either to the tests of experience or ¢x- amination. The Clerical Force. “To aid in this, the librarian appointed a beard, composed of Mr. Spofford, Mr. Hutcheson, the superintendeat of the read- ing room, and Mr. Solberg, the head of the copyright department, as the gentle- men who represented the best available experience for determining aptitude for the verious forms of library work. The board, on account of the exigeacy of removal and special and exacting duties thereby im- pcsed upon each of its members, has thus far been unable io meet. It believed that the examinations will be concluded in December. This delay has been in no respect a hardship to the xpplicants, the probationary appointments were vir- tually under tuition. Nor has it been found an injury to the service. “The duty of selecting well qualified ap- pointments, possessing special aptitude for Kbrary work, has been attended with many embarrassments. Portioas of the library service require technical knowledge, as much so as the duties of the medical or engineer corps. Each of the divisions of the library—music, the graphic arts, the reading room, the catalogue bureau, the hall of maps and charts, tae manuscript, the law department of the ’brary, the pe- riodical and — newspapers—necessitated, apart from a general Knowtedge of library work, a special knowlelze of the depart- ment to which the candidate was assign- ed. What increased the embarrassment was that, a8 a rule, the thousands of ap- plications represented meritorious and ac- complished people, with the highest recom- mendations, from all classes and capabie of good service in the many stations of as | struction, ean be, he adds, The remaining changes seem2d for the in- ‘st of the library. Twenty-five per cent of the appoint- ments consist of women. With few excep- tions, women have not had service in the brary, and, therefore, the nominations were an experiment. It was believed that as there were various features of the library work apparently suitable for wo- men, they,were entitled to recognition. The Copyright Department. “The copyright department is the most important office. Its growth may be esti- mated when it is noted that while in six months of 1870 the copyrights were 5,600— in 1896, 74,470 were entered. This means a steady rather than a spasmodic growth. Thus in 1870 there were, as we have seen, 5,600 entries; in 1875, 14,364; in 1880, 20,686: in 1885, 28,410; in 1890, 42,758, and in 189 7 With the exception of the years of business depression, this Increase has been sure, and never at a greater ratio than at present. These figures are in- not alone as showing the im- portance of the copyright department, but 4s indicative of the immense growth of music, literature and the art. A few months since the average daily receipt of letters was 140. The letters received daily from October 21 to December 3, for an ex- ample, average 179, with an increase from month to month. And already there are weil founded complaints from the head of the copyright bureau as to an insufficient staf and the necessity of extra hours of labor to keep the work in hand. The rela- tive numerical importance of the copyright toward the other departments of the gov- ernment may be understood that while the patent office has 24,00) entries annualiy there were in 18: 470 in the copyright office.” After making recommendations ndments to the law, he says: The Catalogue Department. “A library without a catalogue is as a ship without a rudder. To use the words of Carlyle in deseribing the British Mu- seum: ‘A Ibrary is not worth anything without a catalogue. It is a Polyphemus without any eye in its hand, and you must front the difficulties, whatever they may be, of making proper catalogues. The worst catalogue ever drawn up by the hand of man was greatly preferable to no cata- for a logue at all’ Building up a dictionary catalogue, as well a system of classification, is an undertaki of magnitude and requiring technical knowledge. The science of cata- loguing has had for centuries a literature count, rather than an | of its cwn. Not to speak of ancient sys- was impossible, as the | tems—we have the Baconian, upon which pred in the Capitol, and the | our own is founded. Laying down the 1 and classification, so as | dogma that learning comes from three De y for the opening rees—memory, imagination and reason le since. acon divided a catalogue into three for space, | chapters—history, which comes with mem- ery; poesy, the experience of imagination, and philosophy, the fruit of reason. There no other nor no more, for and experience we take for one and ¢t ame, as we do philosophy and ence. Hacon divided his classes as fol- History embraced natural and civil jastical as well as literary, likewise orations, letters and apoth- Philosophy, the second class, in- the science of god, the science of and the science of nature. In this history man were to be found physics and metaphysics, natural philosophy and magic. Poetry was divided into drama, narration and allegory. This classification was accepted by Dugald Stewart as ‘with all its imperfections, the only one of which modern philosophy has yet to boast.” We have had other modern systems, but, as a rule, they were ampli- fications of that of Bacon. The classifica- tion of Thomas Jefferson was based upon that of Bacon, and remained as that of the library until the administration of Mr. Spofford. There were the three Baconian divisions, under the heads respectively of history, philosophy and fine arts. These were subdivided into forty chapters. Under fine arts were embraced poetry, fiction, logic, rhetoric and language. Mr. Spofford made some radical changes. The forty chapters of Jefferson were enlarged to forty-four. “The two points to be noted in the cata- legue of the library like that of Congress are, firstly, readiness of access to faclli- tate speedy delivery of beoks to the read- ers, and, secondly, thoroughness as a work of reference to authors and subjects. “In the delivery of books it would he difficult to improve upen our present meth- od. It has been shown that a dozen books can be taken from the library and deliv- ered at the Capitol in ten minutes. As this involves searching the shelves for the hooks and a quarter of a mile transit by tunnel, ft may be said to have exhausted the resources of engineering science. “We have a card or manuscript author catalogue, kept up to date and useful as a manual] for the attendants. We have also cleven different volumes of printed cata- logues, published frcm time to time and of relatives value. In subject cataloguing we re in arrears and have been since 1867. That was interrupted by the addition of the bureau of copyrights, which, from the very necessity of its requirements, had the right cf way over the real library work. The bringing of this catalogue up to date apd at the same time introducing more scientific methods is among our pres- ent problems. For practical reading room service nothing better can be expected than our pi nt arrangement. By this is will be understood that every work of sub- stantial value that has a vital place in our literature is catalogued. This does not in- clude trivial books, like dime novels and similar publications. Their exclusion is temporary. a part of the present exigen- cies, it Leing the intention to catalogue every fublication, however unimportant, and give it due place. Minor Libraries. “There are in the District of Columbia, outside of the Library of Congress, thirty Mbraries directly under the control of ‘the government or receiving government aid. This dces not include the public school li- braries, which are purely local. These per- manent libraries are estimated as contain- ing 841,465 books, 434,000 pamphlets and 57,78 maps. “These various Mbraries being, as has been shown, under government favor, might fitly be called, ‘The National Li- brary.’ In their development the govern- ment should keep in mind that the Library of Congress, with accommodations for four and a half millions of volumes, fireproof, is tke home for such national ‘collections as are net of practical use in the adminis- tration of affairs. ~ “In other words, this Itbrary, now: among the first in importance and character, and, within a generation at least, to rank with the great libraries of France and England, should be the especial care of Congress. The gaps should be filled up. It should not be weakened to serve the minor li- braries. “There should be no disintegration. For purposes of study or research, no library in this or other countries possesses so many conveniences, And with those manifold ad- Vantages to the student—the collection of books should be worthy of the public spirit which gave state buildings to the nation and to mankind. “With this aggregation of government li- braries, to which we may give for argu- ment’s sake the name of ‘the national Ii. brary,’ just as a collection of colleges’ is called a ‘university,’ there should be a gen- eral catalogue. The government, on a rough estimate, inclusive of our lMbrary, owns in the Capitol over 1,600,000 volumes, in some branches, special, complete and rare. A general catalogue, universal in its scope, would be the proudest contributfon the United States could make to the cause of knowledge. Congressional Reference Library. “The act of Congress makes provision for attendants in a congressional reference li- brary at the Capitol. Nothing can be done toward this until Congress determines the uses to which the rooms in the Capitol heretofore occupied by the library shall be applied. Those attendants nominated under the act have been employed in the removal of the books to the new library and their classification. While under the discretion granted by the act, the librarian might have eliminated out of our general re- séurces a working reference library, it was feared that this would have been a ques- tionable anticipation of the wishes of that body. “Rules to govern the proposed congres- sional library should be considered as a part of the library administration. If it is to be for the uses of Congress alone, it would be inconvenient to make another rule for the law library. This might be a hard- ship to the students of law. The Capitol, however, being in pneumatic communica- tion, the student reading in the general li- brary could have the law books sent from the Capitol. The Toner Collection. “The collection of the late Dr. Toner, which, by law, became a distinct but in- tegral part of the library, is in course of classification. Dr. Toner gave many years of his life and painstaking zeal in gather- ing this together. As a collection it is origi- nal and valuable. There are 23,384 books, bound and unbound, besides a large num- ber in the law department. Of pamphlets and periodicals, there are about 25,000, al- though, as they are principally in bags and boxes, an estimate can only be given. The value of the Toner collection may be understood by this analysis of its contents: Religion, 500; jurisprudence, 50; philosophy and morals, 100; political science, 150; mii- itary and naval science, 150; natural sci- 900; medicine, surgery and hygien vial arts, 200; general histo: American history, 700; local histories, biographical, 1,800; geography and el, 250; literature in prose, 1,000; litera- ture , 200; language, ency' Paedia: jucation, 150; bibliograpa: 100; statis laneous, 1,5 24,484. “The unbound pamphlets and pertodica‘s chiefly relate to medicine, history and biog- raphy There are about 300 maps and charts. There are in packages nearly a million of newspaper clippings, and at least 25,000 upon miscellaneous themes adjusted upon folios of uniform size, clippings of ography from various sources, arranged periodicals, 200; miscel- Washingtoniana, 2,784. Total, t in alphabetical order in three large cases, convenient for reference. “The uscripts in the Toner collection chiefly refer to Washington, biography and medicine. The Washington department is especially valuable. It was the ner to copy every known Washington. This was done with literal exactness from the original manuscripts and annotated as to time and place by the doctor. These manuscripts, arranged care- fully ronologically, shing- ton’s life from his fifteenth year until that riting of of his death. 1t w gathered by the doc- tor at large expense, and should be re- garded among the most notable con- tributions to any public library—the most complete collection of Washington's writ- ings in existence. ddition, thirty-six bound hington’s diary from Janu- to December, 1708, copied like- m the original with exactness addition there are sixteen copy books, taining i Shington’s ac books, and Toner collection will have a. plz manuscript department and contiguous to the Washingtoniana, and soon as the exigencies of the library service permit, be more compleiely classified and cata- logued. The Washingtoniana. “The number of volumes in what is known as the Washingtoniana collection comprises 2,628 bound and 2,495 unbound volumes. The books referring especially to General Washington may be divided as fol- lo Biography, 208; Washington's writ- ings, portraits and mon- uments, 48; ancestry and kinsmen, 60; mis- cellaneous, “There are 3,661 volumes pertaining to Washington city and the District of Co- lumbia. There are in the general collection many duplicates of certain Washingtoniana books, and many that do not appear in the Toner library. This collection will be care- fully guarded, as many of the eulogies and early biographies are valuable and could only have been obtained with the greatest difficulty “We ve shown that as the result main- ly of copyright deposits a library may be strong in American literature, but not in broader lines of research. The tendency of private munificence, of state, local and personal pride has been toward the endow- ment of local or college libraries. The Li- brary of Congress has not been for years in a condition to welcome private bene- factions. That limitation has passed away. “The history of the National Library of England, now a part of the British Muse- um, is instructive. Beginning with the sift by George Il of the royal library, which had gradually been collected by the English sovereigns from Henry VII to William III, the British Museum has been in constant receipt of benefactions. George iII gave the unrivaled collection of the po- litical literature of the civil wars; Garrick endowed it with his collection of plays George IV presented his father’s magnifi- cent library, and the story of its growth is that of private munificence and ample ap- propriations from the public exchequer. An Endowment Needed. “Whatever Congress may do in the way of appropriations, little more could be ex- pected hitherto than that we should keep abreast of the current literature of our own and other lands—more especially that of the great continental nations. We may in- dulge in the hope that tke public spirit of America—now that Congress has done so noble a part—will aid in the reallzation of a worthy endowment. In the interest of special research, for instance, what is more important than what has heen written by Goethe, in every known edition and trans- lation, as well as what has been written about him? The same is true as regards Dante, Shakespeare and the classical writ- ers. We have a fine collection of Bibles, but a complete set would have measureles$ value. The hope is cherished that we may scon have a copy of the Holy Scriptures in every tongue into which they have been translated. “We may, in a measure, approach this consummation by a careful study of cata- legues, by exchange, by watching private cellections as they dissolve under the ham mer and a prudent use of the money ap- propriated by Congress. The library should be in a position to take advantage of a windfal. “It skould keep in touch with the centers of literature and thought. Invaluable aid could be rendered by gentlemen in the dip- lcmatic and consular service, as well as those who go to other lands to serve reli- gion or trade. One of the best collections of the British Museum was that of a Brit- ish consul at Hong Kong, namely, of 12,- 000 volumes of Chinese theology, poetry and fiction. Your librarian is confident that the American spirit of emulation once directed toward the-aggrandizement of the library will leave little to be desired. “As our first duty Is filling up the gaps, the librarian has taken pains to examine and point them out. Every department has been scrutinized. It is agreeable to note that in the arrangement of the masses of literature—tumbled upon the library floors in a chaotic condition during the removal— many missing volumes, especially of news- papers, have been found. Fragmentary sets Rave been strengthened, if not completed. There are gaps which arise from other causes than the congestion in the old Hi- brary. Books are not sent as directed by the copyright law; pertfodical subscriptions lapse—not to speak of the volumes to which reference has been made in the hands of the readers and yet to be returned. “These gaps should be constantly in view and no chance overlooked of filling them up. There are few that may be called ir- reparable, and one amended; vigilance in Mbrary management should prevent their recurrence. ‘The Custody of the Books. “This leads us to a most important ques- tion, namely, the custody of the books and the rules governing access to them. The change into the new building necessitates many new rules. In the opinion of the li- brarian, they should be based upon the principle that the government ; property known as ‘the library’ should have as many safeguards as the government prop- erty in the treasury vaults. “The law at present gives the privilege of taking out books to the following per- sons:.The President, Vice President, sena-. tors, representatives, delegates in Congress, heads of departments, the justices, report- er and clerk of the Supreme Court, the judges and clerk of the Court of Claims, representatives at Washington of foreign governments, the solicitor general and as- sistant attorney general, the secretary ot the Senate, the clerk of the House of repre- sentatives, the solicitor of the treasury, the disbursing agent of the committee on library, ex-Presidents of the United States, the chaplains of the two houses of Con- gress, the secretary and regents of the Smithsonian Institution, the members and secretary of the interstate commerce com- mission, chief of engineers of the army, judges of the Court of Appeals, judges of the Supreme Court of the District of Co- lumbia. be “This privilege, as has been said, exists under the law. By permission of the li- brarian—that is to say, by a custom that has almost grown into the force of a law— the following have sometimes received books: “Ex-senators living in Washington, ex- representatives living in Washington, per- sons who have held office, such as ex- members of the cabinet; relatives of sena- tors and members, families of deceased judges of the higher courts, a few persons on orders from senators of representatives, more especially the library committee; clerks to senators and representatives, clerks in the offices cf the secretary of the Senate, of the sergeant-at-arms of the House, of the doorkeeper of the House, of the architect of the Capitol, of the clerk of the Supreme Court and office of the marshal of the Supreme) Court, reporters of the Senate and House. “At the suggestion of the librarian, there have been occasional loans to responsible persons. By courtesy books of a technical character and for official purposes have been loaned to bureaus like those of the bureau of education, geologica surveys. There w rule adopted in 181 by which the librarian could loan books to any person not a member of Congress upon deposit of the value thereof, such de- posit to be returned upon the return of the book or books to the library within two Weeks. As this conflicted with the Re- vised Statutes, it was discontinued in 1895 and deposits returned. “In addition to these above enumerated is has been the custom to allow the privi- lege of taking out books to the members of the library staff. It will therefore be seen that the library might be called ‘a circulat- ing library’ for about seven hundred read- ers. While limiting the privilege of giving out books, their custody should be carefully governed. Preperty has no higher right an protection. Recent unfortunate ex- pericnces in the livrary, showing the factl- ity with which books could be stolen from the law department and ma ripts trom locked repositories, must not pass unheeded So far as it is within the power of the librarian, these rules will be enforced, and whatever will increase thelr stringency will be welcomed as an advantage to the library administration, A Cireulating Library. “The question of a circulating department has been suggested as a further step in library development. Modern exparlence emphasizes the value of such an institution, It brings home the advantages of a li} rary to those wanting in time for opportunity or study. The creation of such a library under existing circumstances would be largely a matter of administration—pos , 8S We do, so much that is requisite for proper or- ganization. To be useful, however, a circu- laung department should have many copies of current and popular books. Some circu- lating [braries haye as many a: fifty on their shelves at the same time. This would imply an expense not incumbent upon a library of referenc There would, like- wis be wear and tear of books. In a pepulation as small as that of Washing- ton there would not be the neces ity for duplicates that exists in other cities, and the loss from wear and tear would be con- trolled by careful management. “The new library, so far as the conveni- ences of the building are concerned, cffers the highest advantages for the proposed circulating department. There could be no question as to space and accommodation, There should be a distinct organization contemplating alone the needs of a circu- lating library. That, however, would be a matter of administration. The books for circulation could be housed in their own stacks, and rooms now set apart for oiher purposes assigned to those in charge of them. The reading room, especially in the periodical and newspaper department, would he open to all-those who came to borrow as well as those seeking reading or re- search, “While, therefore, the circulating depart- ment could be arranzed upon lines corre- sponding with cther sections of the library, those, for instance, of maps, the law and the graphic arts, it should be subordinate to and in no sense invade the general idea of the library as one of universal scope, @ national treasure house of knowicdge. “Keeping this ever in mind, and with judicious arrangement, there is no reason why, with little expense, a circulating de- partment of manifold ‘usefulness might not be brought within the reach of the people. Opening at Night. “The question of opening the libray at night to the gencral public cannot be urged with too much emphasis. The re- port of the joirt committee on the library, made by Senator Hansbrtugh, March 3, 1897, was express in its advocacy. ‘Your joint committee on the library,’ Says the report, ‘would suggest the advisability of such further appropriations as may be necessary for the employment of an addi- tional force, in order that the Hbrary may be Opened at right for the general public.’ “Lhe opening of the brary at night might be deemed a right, rather than a privilege. While the books were in the Capitol there were valid: reasons to the contrary. The ever-present danger of fire, the limited accommodations, arising out of congested conditions of ‘the library, and which made general reading inconvenient, and in various sections of research impos- sible, all combined to make night opening unwise. “Conditions pecullar to“ Washington life suggest night opening as’ advisable. Here dwell thousands of pergons in the public service, whose hours of labor are, as a rule, from 9 to 4. At 4 o’clock the library, un- less Congress is in session, is closed. Of this number there are many who would welcome the library for purposes of study or amusement. It is denied to them, and during their leisure hours they are thrown upon social and domestic. resources. Not only is the library closed for reading, but, likewise, as a splendid public building, with all tne beauty and splendor of \tsdecora- tions, and as such worthy of study. “We are free from’ the conditions which made night opening inconvenient, Now there is a building—none more auitable—for study atnight. It is fresproof. There is a comptete electric plan: Each reading table has its lights, whfle access to the shelves is as easy asj@uring the day. Everything is so well ged that the library could be opened without delay. “The annual expen: is estimated at $15,000. The librarian asked for this sum, with permission t@ open the library at once. The hours for reading would be from 9 in the morning upitil 10 in the even- Sage reading room~nlone available at te “The force of reading room attendants could be divided into two sections—one on duty from 9 to 4, and the other from 4 to 10. The estimate of $15,000 is necessarily based uyon probable wants. If too large, that could be ascertained during the pro- cesses of administration.end acted upon accordingly. Strength and Weakness of Library. “There is no library strong enough in its rescurces to escape criticism. What my ; manufacturiug clause, compelling books to | scribing the regulations for such investig: predecessors have done with the limited annual a!lowances of Congress has been to build up, by slow degrees, a good work- ing library of authorities. It 1s to be noted | that the copyright privilege, extensive as it is, does not and cannot bring in the; rew thought of foreign countries. For this we must spend money. As yet internation- al copyright has failed to secure such wide | republication here of the best books av- pearing abroad as was expected. This is due to the law being hampered with the be made in the United States to entitle them to copyright. In other directions, where this restriction does not apply, the operatiom of the law has brought a mass of foreign compositions and fine art works, the latter of which when organized will furnish an exhibit surprisingly rich in character and value. “While considering the strength and Weakness of the general library, we note, in the first place, that as a library of uni- versal range, while it has many of the t werks in each field, its deficienci have been manifest. As will be seen fro: the printed reports, my predecessor _h: long striven in vain for sufficient to insure its natural growth, enlarge its scope and enuble the purchase of many sets of monumental works and of periodicals printed abroad, which the li- brary does not possess, but might have had with from XK) to $5,000 more money each year. So far from strengthening the library, the annual allowance for the book purchase was cut down from $15,000 to $13,000 and afterward to $11,000, where it kas stood for many years. “It takes one-third of this to keep up the current periodicals and other serials subscribed to, while $3,000 of the small remainder is absorbed by books for the Supreme Court and the Law Library. Not- withsianding this meager sum, my prede- cessor has constantly enriched’ the Hbrar by auction purchases nd imnortations of important books. But, in spite of th the gaps are manifest in many de: ments. The invariable answi peals of the librarian for ma to the eff th: S not enough rocin for the books in the library it would be foolish to buy more. “This plea no lor ger has force, and there is verge enough for on that shall do honor to Congr countr “From a higher t of view, it shoutd be rememt y spent in the © asset, not an penditure. Books grow in value, Mo thus expended is money invested. A repre- | sentative librar: able and growing property. The wear ar tear of its use is small compared with the increase in value. “As a universal library, while it has | not in some important respects ; the merit of sati ing e chol it suppl sa ru al readers. No de is unrep erence of ¢ al character, both in En; ed by gene ve. We of comprehen- ad as only needs io be built upon with care, ¢ to become in a few y entative collection f and one of the gr th While our own for upon aided and sional and_ spec: have strengthened their some of them far surp branches of learning. does not constitute the real force library, and the Congressional Library, while mace by law the conservator of the nation’s literature, is nec ly more fully stocked with books of little value, 0} s in import: Numerii rength of so far as the wants of the present genera- tion go, than any her. “There are, however, not wanting spe- cial departments in which the Congre! sional Library is exceptional. The col- lection of Americana is extensive, embrac- ing most published books and multitude of pamphlets published in or relating to the discovery, settlement, etc., of the Americas. It includes numerous original editions of such books, besides their reprints. There may be noted the first editions of Hamor’s Virginia, 1614. Compiimenting Mr. Spofford. “In closing this report, your librarian cannot fail to give expression to the re- gret with which the announcement was received that Mr. Spofford, because of advancing years, refused to be considered for the office of librarian. Coming into our service as the nominee of Lincoln, holding the office for a generation, the brary under his care increasing ten-fold, seeing the idea of our magnificent building grow from conception to fruition, by his manifold and rare gifts, winning an en- during fame—the name’ of this eminent and memorable man will ever be asso- ciated with the library.” THE SENATE. NEW BILLS A Measure to Define and Regulate the Civil Service. Senator Gallinger has introduced a bili to define and regulate the civil service. 1i provides that neither civil service laws o: the regulations under them “shall be con- strued or held to apply to or to control ap- pointments to any office or official employ- ment by or under the United States, ex- cept to the cicrical positions in the execu- uve departments, classified by section 163 of the Revised Statutes, to like clerical ap- pointments in the customs and postal ser- vice and in such customs houses and post cffices as shall employ fifty or more clerks, and to the letter carriers and postal clerks of the Post Office Department. “The Dili provides for the examination of other ap- poin by the head of the department by which he may have been appointed. Senator Gear has introduced a bill au- thorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to enter a bid for the United States on bond aided railroads and to clear off liens para- mount to those of the United States, and appropriating the amount necessary for this purpose. The provision is as follows: “The Secretary of the Treasury shall, un- der direction of the President, redeem or otherwise clear off such paramount lien or mortgage or other incumbrance by paying the sums lawfully due in respect thereot out of the treasury; or may bid and pur- chase in the name and for the United States the property affected by and sub- ject to such paramount lien at ahy sale thereof rade under any crder of the court or any judgment or decree of foreclosure of such lien or interest of the United States.” The bill is understood to have been fram- ed by the Attorney General, and it is in- tended to open the way to the settlement of the Kansas Pacific debt. A bill has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Nelson for the amendment of the interstate commerce law authorizing the integstate commerze commission to in- vestigate complaints of inequality of rates made by the patrons of railroads and pre- tion. Senator Gallinger has Introduced a bill prohibiting the granting of pensions to the widows of soldiers whose marriage occurred subsequent to the passage of the bill under which she makes claim. Senator Pritchard has introduced a bill reducing the tax on distilled spirits in bond to seventy cents per gallon. ———_-e+______ PREFERS THE DALTON TRAIL. Commissioner Hnrris Gives the Only Feasible Route to Klondike. munication for a reindeer trail is that to the west of Chilkoot pass, called the Dalton trail, which runs from the headwaters of the Chilkat river to the westward of Lake Arkell and keeps along the hills down to the region of Fort Seliirk, near the mouth of the Pelly river. “Its grades ere less steep than those of the Chilkoot pass and Skaguay routes, end the summit of the watershed over which it leads 1s only 2,200 feet above the ses. “This avenue of communication—namely, by southeast Alaska—is practicable both winter and summer, and wiil command, by @ system of reindeer expresses from Chil- kat, the entire region of Alaska. “The approximate distances and the periods required for the transmission of matls are: From Seattle to Chilkat, six days: from Chlikat to Circle City, $00 miles, eight days; passing Dawson City and the Klondike region on the sixth day out from Chilket: conveying letters between Klon- cike and Seattle in two weeks, or possibly in ten days. “The reindeer service with the United States mails from Circle City to Minock, at the mouth of the Tanana river, on the mid. die Yukon, 200 miles, requires two days more. “These estimates suppose that reindeer will be used to carry the mail and thai re- leys will be placed fifty miles apart. If four relays are used and the journey kept up the entire twenty-four hours, the time eccupied from Chilkat to Dawson City would be three days, to Circle City four days and to Minook five days. “From Minook down the Yukon river to port St. Michael, on Bering sea, is 600 miles, and would require six days for mail ser vice.” Mr. Harris states that all that is neces- sary to make this practicable is the pur- chase of 500 reindeer from Lapland, trained to harness, which will cost on delivery in Alaska $40,000. Fifty skilled team from Finland would cost $4,000. Mr. Harris recommends the purchase of 500 does, to form a herd in southrastern Alaska. Such a herd, with twenty-five families of he men, Mr. Harri: imates, will cost $50,000, and an additional appro- pristion of $25,000, he says, is needed for e management of the herd and instruc- of the natiy One teamste Mr. Harris with ten | starting would re the journe needed for every ten deer, . and one team of ten deer, at ihe rate of travel that a full- loaded sledge requires. One sledge could be occupied driver ¢ food and personal baggage. The remaining nine slecges would carry 2,600, or even 4,000 pounds of freight. Thus organized, about two t of f daily in Da DISTRIC zht would arrive from Dyea son. = COURT OF APPEALS. Decisions Handed Rown in Cases of Loent Interest. An opinion was handed down by the Court of Appeals late yesierday afternoon in the 's and her hu against Richard ell-known actor, denying a a mandamus to compel the r court to er the defendant to show use why judgment should not be render- ed as asked. Mrs. Winters originally brought suit in the Supreme Court of the District to re- cover money which she alleged due her ugh what she claimed to be a non- fillment of a contract on the part of Mr. Mansfield. The jury awarded her damag. but on an appeal taken by Mr. Mansfeld the Court of Appeals held that salary was due her only for the time she actuaily ren- dered service with Mr. Mansfield’s com- pany. Mrs. Winters then filed an amended 1, claiming salary for the full term of her contract. It was contended that the Court of Ap- peals contemplated such action, and, ther fore, the mandamus was sought to compel the lower court to order that the salary for the full term be paid. In disposing of the ma‘ter, the Court of Appeals stated that under’ the cireum- stances of the case it should not make the order. The court assumed that when the matter is brought to the attention of the curt below, the proper order wil! be made. If, however,” the court concludes, “it should become necessary, the petitioner can move for an cider to show cause.” The ruling of the commissioner cf patents is sustained by the Court of Appeals in the case of Philip T. Dodge agains: Joseph C. Fowler, each party claiming to oc che crig- inal inventor of the linotype typesetiing machine. The patent office examiners awarded priority to Dodge, but on appeal their decision was reversed by the examin- er-in-chief, while the decision of the board of examiners was sustained by the com- missioner of patents. In the opinion, written by Justice Morris, it is stated that the court does not desire it to be understood by the decision that Dodge is entitled to a patent for his al- leged invention. What the court does de- sire, it is stated, is simply that, assuming that Fowler and Dodge have made the same inventions independent of cach other and that Dodge has been the first to re- duce it to a constructive practice by } first application for a patent, the thinks the question of diligence should be settled in his favor as against Fowler. The judgment of the lower court was re- versed by the Corrt of Anpeals in the case of Wal'er Gwynn, jr., against Mary Gwynn. The late Gen. Walter Gwynn, it seems, left a sum of $1,090 with his daughter Mary for the maintenance and education of V ter Gwynn, a grandson, the provision being made that she be allowed to educate j:im where she pleased. The money was to re- ver. to the daughter, it was provided the event of interfercuee The dan claimed that such interference had curred. and retained the money. Walt Gwynn, jr.. upon reaching his majority entered suit to recover the sum mentioned, with interest. He secured a verdict. As . however, the Court of Appeals the decision on the grounds t Mary acted in accordance with the previ- n of her fether's, wil! ‘ : ‘The judgment of the lower court was af- frmed’ inthe case of Michael L. Sullivan against the District of Columbia. Sullivan claimed that he was injured while walking along a sidewalk laid by the District along- side the tracks of the Georgetown and Tenleytown railroad. He was struck by a car because. he said, the District was at fault in locating the sidewalk where it cid. ered damages. rnement was reversed in the case of Eugene A. Allen against John E. and Thomas Lyon. Allen was awarded dam- ages for injuries aileged to have been re- ceived while in the employ of the defen i- ants, who are contractors. ne The commissioner of patents was sustaine ed in the ease of Clark M. Plat: azame Alfred J. Shipley and T. R Hyde, jr, a pateut appeal case. —_—-— LETTER FROM SURGEON COOK. mber of Capt. De Gerlache’s ae eres Expedition. The Brooklyn Standard Union yesterday published a private letter from Surgeon Frederick A. Cock, the only American member of Capt. Adrian De Gerlache's Bel- gian antarctic expedition, announcing that the plan of the winter's cruise has been considerably changed. The expedition will omit Islands, and after coaling at Punta Arenas, in the Straits of Magellan, will go to Gra- hum’s Land, thence to Alexander Land, and eastward to Victoria Land, where a party will be landed for the winter. The its proposed call at the Falklard APPLICANTS’ PAPERS Annual Report of the Civil Service Chief Examiner. OVER FIFTY THOUSAND CANDIDATES No Educational Qualifications Re- quired in Many Cases. AUTHORS OF QUESTIONS esis Chief Examiner A. R. Serven of the civil service commission has made his annual Teport to the commission, recounting the work performed by his office during the past fiscal year. The report discloses the reasons for the accumulation of work during the last few months. It shows that while during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1806, the total rumber of persons examined amounted to only 81,138, during the last ten months there has been an average of over 5,000 persons examined each month, while there had been no increase of the force available for doing the work. Notwithstanding this increase in the work, there were on hand on the 4th instant only 12,756 unmarked Papers of applicants, most of whom were examined during September an.ewctober. During the year ended June 30 last in- formation concerning examination was fur- nished to 237,00) correspondents, 52,108 of whom applied to be «xamined. In order to ace edate them it was nec arrange for M1 different cxamiuaiions, held in all parts of the country. Of these examinations 47 were held for the gov- ernment departments and the government printing office, 1,333 for the different post oifices, 217 for the custom houses and 134 for the internal revenue districts. Fifty thousand five hundred and eighty-seven applicants presented themselves for ex- amination. No Educational Qualifications. Of the total number examined, 979 were for traces positions in which no educa- tional qualifications were required, and the minations consisted merely of an in- sation of their experience and physi- ability to perform the daties of the positions to which they desired appoint- ment. has been While considerable complaint recelved about the delay in notifying com- petilcrs of their standing, attention is cail- ed to the fact that at the t change of administration, than 25.000 were examined during the year, the commi: i | report made Special mention of the hardship to com- petitors by reason of the six months’ delay in marking the papers. During the last six months most of the places filled by ap- pointment from the commission's registers have been by reinstat t instead of by certification. This fact will result in an vantage to those who have taken ex- aminations and whose papers have not heen promptly pasred upon, as it extends the time of their eiigtbility, as most of the places to be filled by reinstatement have been disposed of und in the future nearly Bel on which the expedition sailed ee on July 25, will then be sent to Melbourne, Australia, and the expedition wll thus be left to pursue its investiga- tions without the amniatany of Aes steamer: The pedition was walt until the winter of 1806 before effect. in ing a landing. The Secretary of War has received a let- ter from Mr. Harris, commissioner of edu- cation, in regard to the best method of af- fording relief to the distressed miners in the Klondike country. “The only feasible route for the presen: ee » and. for ” Mr. Dr. who Brooklyn ert eget cng ago to Jota the Belgica at Rio de Janeiro, wepoute shat he parsy. wae peceiwed t2-that city with great cordiality, that the ship and crew are well fitted fcr their work and that the prospects of success are excelient. Harris says, “is that by south Alaska, which has well-established steamboat Ii running from Seattle to Juneau or Dyea twice each month. The true line of com- all appointments will pe made from eili- gible ilsts. Nearly all ef the reinstate- ments referred to have been of ex-Union soldiers or widows of ex-Union soldiers. During the year the examiners have been largely occupied in arranging for the ex. amination of applicants for positions in the branches of the service classified un- der the extension authorized by the Pres- ident’s order of May 6, 1506. Attention is called to the fact that the earlier exten sions of the classified service were made of places for which examinations were easily prepared, while the branches last e aimest entirely for places requiring special or peculiar qualifications and difficult to handle. Responsib! y for Questions. The report states that in arranging ex. aminations rll the departments had ren- dered the commission cordial support. At 18 suggested that, as all the examinations are rrepared in accordance with the sugges- tions of departmental officers, any criticism of the scope and character of the questions asked is aimed at these cfficers rather than the commission. Suggestions of these de- partmental officers are acted upon, the re- port states, because they are regarded as the ones best qualified to judge of the re- quirements necessary on the part of those to be employed under them. It ts claimed that the aim of all examinations is to ap- ply the same tests and rules in the selec- ton of employes for the government serv- ice as ure now employed with the best results in the management of the most successful private business concerns. During tre past year many of the exam- inations have included a careful investiga- tion into the business experience and ca- pacity of the competitors. The results have been so satisfactory that the subject cf ex- perience is now being introduced into all examinations where it is of material value in determining the ability of the competi- tors. Recently a number of the very im- portant exam‘nations have been composed almost entirely of such an investigation. It is proposed that in the future the full industrial history of each competitor shall be obtained for the purpose of affording as complete infermation as possible to the commission and to the appo.nting officers. Special questions have been prepared and will be used hereafter in each examination to bring out the history of applicants. To Ascertain Qualifications. A new feature in a large number of the examinations is referred to as a means of reducing the number of persons examined and restricting examinations largely to those who demonstrate that they possess many ef the main qualifications desired. For instance, in examinations for the life- saving service, capacity for physical en- durance to a high degree must be shown by applicants before they will be admitted to a further test of fitness. During the last year about a hundred leading men in various businesses have been, consulted with a view to ascertein what qualifications they consider most im- portant in their employes and the methods they employ in making selections. These suggestions have been of very great value to the commission, and all persons having knowledge of this kind are invited to make suggestions for consideration by =he com- mission in the future. ——_--e~.. Entertainment at Brookland. . The town hall of Brookland was well filled Tuesday night with the friends ot the Calvary Sunday school to enjoy its first son. mental selection on the piano by Miss Ada Boernstein of Falls Church, Va., which was well executed. The chief feature of the program was the recitat‘ons by Miss Bes- sie Stewart of this city. Her selections were rendered with an ease and naturalness which won for her hearty applause. Miss Osborn also gave severul recitations. The audience was surprised and pleased to hear Yee Moy, a Chinere resident of Brookiand, in vocal solos. The other numbers of tl m 5 i i Le it + a u | J