chool. I am
confident that early in the next century such journals will be
recognised as a distinct part of our educational machinery, but I am
equally clear that the worst journals, conducted merely as money-making
enterprises, and catering to the worst instead of to the best elements
of both society and individuals, are the most potent factors for evil,
and the greatest enemy which the ideal librarian has to combat in
carrying forward his best work. They leave their habitual readers with
neither time nor taste for anything above their own low plane. The mind
will inevitably rise or fall to the level of its habitual reading, and
we apostles and missionaries of the book have no more disheartening
outlook than on the readers whose literary atmosphere is limited to the
modern sensational newspapers. But the apologists for such reading say
that the history of their own times is of more importance to them than
any other history; should they not, therefore, become as familiar as
possible with it? But when a man, on account of "pressure of business,"
never looks inside any good book, yet has time to read everything in the
newspapers, he is--well, specialising too much in "history." How many
men and women there are, who, from year's end to year's end, read
nothing but the so-called history of their own times, and who can tell
you nothing better than which dog won the last fight! It is a good thing
to know the history of our own times; so is a pinch of salt a good thing
on one's breakfast potato, but it is not necessary to drink a barrel of
sea water each morning in order to get it.

It is highly desirable that I should know the geology and topography of
my own State, but I can learn all that is worth knowing without creeping
on hands and knees with nose close to the ground over the barnyards and
dump heaps of our commonwealth, under the vain delusion that I am
exhaustively studying its geology. We must join this battle squarely.
The eternal conflict of good and the best with bad and the worst is on.
The librarian must be the librarian militant before he can be the
librarian triumphant. At the end of another century, when a conference
like this is held, our descendants will look back with wonder to find
that we have so long been satisfied to leave the control of the
all-pervading, all-influencing newspaper in the hands of people who have
behind them no motive better than the "almighty dollar." The solution of
our difficulties l