The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-28
THE PUBLIC BUILDINGS

IHB PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The apti-Penn Squareites having held their
indignation meeting without apparently con-
vipcing anybody but themselves. G. the
holders about Washington and Inde-
pendeDce Squares-of the iniquity of the So
called intersection jobs" having set off their
fireworks without exciting any enthusiasm
except among small crowd of small boys;
having instigated a corruption investigation
which has come to nothing, for the reason
that no witnesses can be found to substanti-
ate the accusations so boldly put forth in the
anti Penn Square organ; and having now, it
Won d seem exhausted both argument and
vituperation, it is to be hoped that the COM
missioners will, uninfluenced by factious
clsmor, past, present, or prospective, go to
work and erect the public buildings where
the people have said that they shall be
erected, without further delay. The Legisla-
ture took the one proper course to
settle definitely and forever the controversy
with regard to the site for the new public
buildings by submitting the subject to the
vote of the citizens of Philadelp phia. Every
man, woman, and child in Philadelphia knows
how the election resulted, and the choice of
Penn Square by an overwhelming majority
ought to have put a stop to all further .agita-
ton. The attempt of the property holders
whose incomes would probably be affected by
the removal of the public Offices from their
present location to nullify the decision of the
citizens of Philadelphia is one of the most
shameless and impudent violations of the
fundamental principle of republicanism that
has ever occurred in this or any other COM
munity. The motives of those who have
opposed the plans of the commission
have been so utterly transparent
that their arguments have been de-
prived of any force they would have
had under other circumstan ces, and the whole
effect of the post-election controversy has
been to confirm those who voted for Penn
Square in the opinion that they made a
proper decision last October. We do not
blame the Washington Square property hold
ers for wishing to hold fast to their presen t
good things, but it certainly cannot be ex-
pected that the entire city of Philadelphia
must be inconvenienced in order to oblige a
small coterie of individuals who are engaged
in the lucrative business of letting out lawyers
Offices at exorbitant rates. This would be
carrying the principle of accommodation en-
tirely too far, and while the desolate owners
of buildings in the neighborhood of Fifth and
Sixth and Chestnut and Walnut streets have
our sincere sympsthies in their misfortune,
we must deprecate the manner in which they
have endeavored to obstruct a great public
enterprise in order that their private interests
might be benefited.
The present seasonable weather should be
taken advantage of by the Building Com
missioners to commence the work of digging
the cellar and laying the foundations, in order
that it may be well advanced before next win
ter. If the work is delayed until the COM
missioners cease to be criticized, it will never
commence at ALL and it should be remem-
bered that all the clamor which has been
raised since the election has heen with q
view of preventing the public buildings from
being removed from their present location.
The commissioners will not be doing their duty
if they allow themselves any longer to be i'm
peded in the important work which they
have in hand by the Chinese thunder of the
anthem Squareites; and if we are ever to
have public buildings suitable to the dignity
of the city, and which will afford decent
accommodations for our courts and municipal
offices they should be commenced at once
and finished as rapidly as possible.