Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1882-06-13

Architect of the Treasury, who spends
the money to the limits placed by
Congress on the building. A few ca.
ses will suffice 10 show this.
Take my neighboring city of Gin
cinnati. On March ~, 1S72--they
wanted a custom.house and postoflice
Congress passed law TO buy a site
not TO exceed three hundred thousand.
On June 10 il was increased TO $780,.
600 for a site and the building not to
exceed 81, 100000. We have already
appropriated $4,000, 000-nearly five
millions-and we are told it will take
three millions more to finish il, for il
is not yet rooted in.
The custOm.hOuse at Fall River
Massachusetts,, was limited by the orig
inal act to 100000, yet s51S, 900
have been already appropriated, and
it is incomplete.
The sub-treasury at Boston was linn
tied by the act to one and a half mil.
lion dollars, yet we have appropriated
already 5,554, 295. 06, and who can
tell how much more will be called
for?
Hartford, Connecticut, wanted a
custom house and postofiice; the orig
inal act limits the cost 10 $500, 900;
we have already appropriated $780,
600 for this building and yet it is in
complete. How is this, says the hon.
est hard working tax payer. This is
thus: The architect selects a site, he
expends all the money ON the founda-
ton, and then the Government has
either 10 leave its money in useless
piece Of ground with a foundation on
it, or complete it. Year after year we
are called upon and assured that that
call will complete it, but frequently
five times the original sum is expend-
ed, so when we look at the bills passed
and pending we must remember that
it will take one hundred millions to
complete the job. This is simply a
crime. The Republican party is res.
ponsible for this crime. They have
passed more bills already than the
whole era of Democratic Congress
since the war have passed, and that
too when the first session of the rule
is not yet fairly commenced. How
much more do you intend to pile on us?
Do you intend to leave war taxes
on the necessaries of life fill to over.
flowing the public Treasury and then
expend it in Courthouse where no
courts are held and in custom. houses
where no duties are collected Our
counties build a courthouse for from
twelve to forty thousand dollars. The
Government with less or no use for
one, because it has always had in small
places the use OF the public buildings
free, builds a courthouse at the same
place which costs from one TO three
! hundred thousand dollars.
This is Republican economy and
good government. This is protection
for the poor laboring man. He rises
with the rising Of the sun and labors
till the going down thereof to pay the
taxes upon his clothes and his neces-
saries of life, "making brick without
straw" to build monuments of Re.
publican extravaganza.
The mortar which holds them to.
gether, like that which cements the
Pyramids of Egypt, is mixed and
moistened with the tears of oppres.
sion, and of poverty and distress. AT
ter 1000 years they stand, detying
the research of the learned to tell
their use or the purpose for which
they were built, yet as much wisdom
is exhibited in the ruler who built
them as those who pile their tens Of
millions in custom houses, sub.treasu-
ries, and useless public buildings
scattered all over our land. Let no
vain member think his memory will
live green and fresh in the hearts OF
the people by any public building he
may secure. The very names of the
builders of these mighty piles has
passed away. Who built the largest,
Cheop or Chephren, no one call tell.
Whose dust was laid away research
fails to discover. The coffin lid was
broken long ago by the ruthless pilla.
ger.
let not a monument give you me hopes,
Since not pinch Of dust remains Of Cheops.