, 1873-05-22
COMMON SENSE AND THE COURTHOUSE
QUESTION. .-N

HotttsoosAAA~ .As1 NJ sPlAc cfS>A ~ oFoA| Ao'VA Ss
Justice.
Tho present Committee ia evidently untlttod
for it's work. Among them are ablo, honest, and
consoiontiouJ mon,-non who. by their faithful
Services 10 tho city, aro ontitlod to tho high con-
sideration Of their fellow.c.tizenH. But what,
pray, do they know Of the rules and principles Of
archteoturo2
Wo doairo to erect in this city as grand picco
Of architecture as ample moans, unitod with
genfua. can command. We wish something that
will stand tho criticism Of tho FUTURE e,-aomo-
thing that will strike ovory ono as model Of
oxcellonco and beauty,-into which no sordid
questions Of so1f-intorest al,all In any degroo
have entered. This is tho common deai1e OF our
citizens and Of the press. No ono wishes to dis
parago tho present Committee; but oyory aensi-
bio member will confess that lie la utterly un-
fitted to decide question 80 technical and pro-
found. They can no moro decide this question
with truth than they would be able to decide
upon the comparative morits Of forty-nine Of tho
groasest muelcal coupositions Of tho age:'
Music and architecture arc hno arts. None
hut artists Gun properly understand or decide
artistic questions. 10 build d Court HouHo on
the Judgment Of incompetent mon would DO to
throw away millions, and also rendor ourselves,
world.
Tho worry greatness Of tho task demands tho
exercise Of tho most Experienced skill. It do
manaB moros It requires the most outtre and
Of ctizons. Or Of homo artists could not possibly
fulfill this lnttor. requirement.. Evory man is
swayod, to q greater or lesa dogree, by prejudice
BY interest, and by tho influence Of others.
Leg, theFo1ore, no man IN Chioago havo any
thing whatever to say about tnlA matter, IN the
capacity OF Judge. ANY deviation from this rulo
would provo to be fatal error. 10 refer the
decision OF the question Of architecture to- mon
" Mho nav1 no knowledge 9f that noble ar seoms
tho decision Of some mathematical. or chemical
q Or philosophical question, concerning which
thoy haVe not tho slightest acquaintance. AID.
hlcIrathe proposition, to refer tho whole matter
70 tue dep'sion OF tfoo aIchtecta outside OF this
Guy, 1e the simplest and boat proposition, by.
1aT, that has yet boon auggested;
1t ought to 20 unanimously adopted. II 1t fR'
rot, there WILL 20 some grounds to: fear that
thore 3s Eomething more than ignorance CON
tnittee thus far:
jury OF Chicago architects should not for
moment DO considered. It would bo farcol
J. would & BE- impossible n; for such jusy to como
Tho worlds suspicious, and thero Ia good roaBon
Why mankind in tho mass arc suspicious, Our.
most trusted men are constantly falling before
temptation, in ita different and Insdous for1ns.
Society, therefore, cannot bo too careful in whom
1t ropoHos trust, nor can; it guard itself too;
strongly. "
Tho plan proposed by lrr. McHrath secmB aa
near perfection as any plan can be which aims at
architects, and to tho securing for this oity tho
really best planj Of thoBo which hayc been sub-
mittod.
The boat plan may not DO tho ono displaying
81 psE sfeass %a SsgsS Ssg Si s4sEne lSsyy 1 s
beauty. somo Of tho plans, as oyory ono can SOC,
although worry attractive without, aro absolutely
impracticabls within, and could BY no possibility