PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
Mr. Foster's bill [S. 7] to establish school libraries in cities of 15,000 inhabitants and over, being read the second time--
Mr. FOSTER knew of no opposition to the bill from any city affected by it.
Mr. VOYLES said he was in possession of a petition from New Albany embodying a protest against the passage of the bill.
The Committee on Education reported an amendment striking out "$15,000" and inserting "$10,000" in lieu, which was concurred in.
Mr. FOSTER moved to dispense with the Constitutional restriction that the bill may be read the third time now and put on its passage.
Mr. VOYLES, representing people to be effected by this bill, would like to examine it further before the final vote is taken upon it. Such a library should be under control of the Township Trustee, and not transferred to the hands of a School Board.
Mr. FOSTER could see no plausible objections to the bill; and even if mistaken in that, was satisfied the people of the State are desiring it. He had just received a note stating that a petition is now being circulated in New Albany, praying for the passage of this bill.
Mr. BROWN knew some Senators are not satisfied to vote for the bill now who might do so if a little time were given to further investigate it. As a friend of the bill he should vote against suspending the rules, believing that the bill will have a better chance pass at another time.
The motion to suspend the Constitutional restriction was agreed to--yeas, 34; nays, 12. The bill was considered as engrossed, read the third time, and passed by yeas, 42; nays, 5.
Pending the roll-call on the passage of the bill--
Mr. URMSTON, when his name was called, in explanation of his vote, said the bill is very imperfect in that it proposes an improper way of levying the taxes, placing it exclusively in the hands of school trustees, which is wrong, and it does not provide terms under which books may be taken out or who shall have access. It provides for receiving donations, which become the exclusive property of the Library. The bill does not provide that anyone shall be accountable for the safe preservation of the Library or property of the same, or that there shall even be a accounting of the moneys raised by taxation, by gift or otherwise, to anyone, but leaves the Trustees to spend the people's money in a way only known to themselves.
