REVENUE FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
A majority of the Committee on Temperence reported on the bill [H. R. 89] concerning revenue from the sale of intoxicating liquors [to be appropriated to Public Libraries] recommending that the bill lie on the table.
A minority of the same Committee recommended the passage of the bill.
Mr. RYAN--It is only necessary for the House to understand the terms of that bill in order to concur in the report of minority. For the information of the House I ask that the bill be read.
Mr. Ryan's bill [H. R. 89] to authorize and empower Boards of County Commissioners or Common Councils of cities and Boards of Trustees of incorporated towns to appropriate to the support of Public Lbraries, organized by law, revenues derived by license for the saleof intoxicating liquors, being read--
Mr. RYAN--The purpose of this bill is to empower Boards of Commissioners, Common Councils of cities, Boards of Trustees, etc., to exact a license from every person selling intoxicating liquors, and under certain circumstances they may appropriate a certain portion of the revenue to the maintenance of the Public Libraries on condition that they shall be made absolutely free to all citizens in the locality. It seems to me there can be no two views of the feasibility of this measure. It is certainly in the interest of the people, the dissemination of useful information, and it is dividing the revenue, thus releasing the people from taxation for the support of Libraries. It is levying a contribution upon the whisky sellers for the benefit of education, and the dissemination of useful intelligence. It seems to me that the House ought to concur in the minority report and so recommend the passage of this bill. There could be no better use made of the funds derived from this source than the appropriation of all or nearly all of it to the maintenance of these Libraries. It does not affect the school fund materially because it is not a permanent fund; it is likely to be changed or disposed of by any session of Legislature. I hope the minority report will prevail.
Mr. BUSKIRK--I hope the minority report will not prevail, because it would be bad policy to take the license from the schoo1 fund, where it now goes, and put it in public libraries. My experience is that public libraries do not do a great deal of good. I think the present manner of disposing of that fund is better than the one proposed by the bill.
The majority report was concurred in.
