THE WEST
must be saved. No man needs to be told that there is to be the true seat of empire.
“To me, this present war, waged between the forces of good and evil, for the conquest of this land, has an all-absorbing interest. Surely, as I have said, this generation will not pass away before the fate—that is to say, the influences which are chiefly to control the destinies of millions yet unborn—of this great nation will be settled.”
As Miss Brewster uttered these words her cheeks glowed, and her whole frame seemed to quiver with the intensity of her feeling. She rose and restlessly paced the floor as she continued:
“I have said all this because I want it understood why I intend to devote a large share of my property to sowing all over the West and South the seeds of what I count as best, in the form of
FREE READING-ROOMS AND CIRCULATING LIBRARIES.
“I have been for some time carefully studying into this subject, and I have learned some facts which are rather startling when one considers the inference which must be drawn from them.
“Let me give you a few of these facts,” said Miss Brewster, seating herself at her desk and drawing some papers from a pigeon-hole.
“Taking all the libraries which contain more than one thousand volumes, and are absolutely free to every one, I find that in Massachusetts there are two hundred, and in other New England states—and some of the Middle states as well—a number approximating that. But what do I find in the West and South? I find that Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama, Arkansas, Montana, Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Washington and Dakota territories, and New Mexico, have
NOT ONE FREE GENERAL LIBRARY.