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The Courier-Review.
It is essential to have a good library. I look back upon the time when I was in New England, and think of what the libraries were in even the most cultured houses. Perhaps some of you have read of such libraries. I remember one of the books I took and thoroughly digested was "Baxters Saints Rest," and when I wanted to get something of a little lighter nature by the way of recreation, I had "Fox's Book of Martyrs," and looked at pictures of pagans with pitchforks throwing Christians into the flames, all of which was considered something quite refreshing in the way of literature. Of course we had the Bible. Could not have anything better. There is not a book in the world that has got more variety to it. Where will you find any better poetry than Daniel and Isaiah wrote; any simpler or more beautiful English than that in the Gospel of St. John. Little Saxon words telling the truth with the precision of a telegraph click.
Now look at the difference. Why children in well furnished homes just revel in books. The Waverly Novels by Walter Scott, the dear old friend who has done so much good and brought so much cheer to many millions of hearts; Dickens, Thackeray, George Elliott, and a host of others. Then there is Green's History. You can read that history of the people of England, and you get not only just historical facts, but you make yourself acquainted with the ways of the English people, get correct notions of the lives, manner of government, customs of the people, all of which notions are at the disposal of the student in a work of this kind.
A public library impresses one. In one of the largest in Minnesota the librarian said that the number of volumes issued during the year just closing was from one to five hundred thousand. These five hundred thousand volumes have been taken out and read by these people of Minnesota during the past year. It means general intelligence, it means peace, power, it means a growth in grace, increase in general happiness, increase in general quietude. There is not anything that will contribute so much to the prosperity of the state as a good public
library. Nothing is so essential to the life of a university as a good library. I congratulate you ladies and gentlemen upon this magnificent gift to this institution. I congratulate you upon the hope you have that this building shall be filled with books and that they shall be had at the proper times and hours. I congratulate the faculty of the institution upon the opportunity that they will have for pursuing their researches into fields which no professor can enter with a small, distorted library. I say distorted because so great has been the progress of invention and science within these past few years, that a man with the best intentions who most desires to know the truth, if he has not the books, is as likely to go wrong as to go right. We have got to let these books open our minds, partly to receive new truths, and partly to warn us against error. We have got to have new books that pertain to the latest there is in science for our guidance and instruction. I congratulate your faculty that they are likely to have the opportunity to make such investigations when the building is filled with books such as are proper for a great university like this to have.
I have no idea of the length of time I have talked, but I have talked long enough. All that the occasion demanded was hearty congratulations. It is a day for joy and rejoicing, and all that you could ask of me is that from the depth of my heart I congratulate you upon the great epoch that this day marks for the University. I believe that Kansas has a glorious future in a building like this. In a building like this she could not fail to have a glorious future. It is not the land; it is not the variety of your charms; it is not these, or any material advantages: but it is the people. Go back to old New England where there are more rocks to the square inch than any region of the world except the Alps. I am proud of the people of New England. They must be praised for a part of your sturdiness and heroism coming through them in a season of storm and strife, and carried through the northern states away to the Pacific coast. They must be praised for the spirit of heroism that made ready and saved