The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-04-13
The First LogrOll.

During tho last two days tho House has
been engaged In logrolling scheme OF pub
lie buildings plumber which forms fit coun-
tsrpart to the ono pushed triumphantly
through the Senate few weeks since.
The theory which lays out vast sums to
widen and deepen petty creeks, on tho pre-
tence that they arc national highways OF
commerce. Is now extended to erecting mas
sivc and ornate buildings for Post Offices and
United States courts In villages where the
amount OF Government business transacted
warrants no such expenditure. A substan-
tial, convenient cdiflce, such as might cost
$4,000 or $4,000. Is rejected with contempt
by Congressman who are bargaining In be-
half of settlements that contain ut utmost q
Thousand or two inhabitants.
When tho Senate began the public buildings
plumber OF the present session Mr.. INGALLS,
suggested that at least foolish ostentation
should stop:
I'VE spend annually In architecture. in costly snd
travsgant decorations In piles OF marble snd granite
constructed ct immense cost aud adorned with Orien
tai hangngs. with hammered brass and plate glass,
enough to furnish simple and unpretentous structures
for half the towns In this land where the Govern
ment In Obliged TO hire buildings for the
of its oniccs I wish that the Committee Public
Buildings aud Grounds would take into consider
the propriety Of adopting some policy BY which the
Government shall build In every city and In every town
where is obliged to hire buildings for its the
sary structures business would construct them.
Of brick and IRON without this vast and costly expend
turc which Ia Of advantage except to please the
or crafty the taste.
Of course. suppose that long there Is large
surplus In the Treasury that must be expended somehow
1t will be useless TO attempt to call halt In this matter
Of expenditure; but enter protest against 1t As
republican. as superduous and unjust"
But the Senate, assisted by Mr.. INGALLS,
himself. within the space OF two hours passed
twenty-five separate bills for the erection of
public buildings all over the country, tho
aggregate appropriations being more than
three millions. Oshkosh, Fort Smith, Fort
Scott. Pueblo, La Crosse, Greenville. Waco,
Winona, and New Albany figured among
tho benefcaries Of that Senate DEAL and only
three or four OF the whole list failed to get ut
least 100000. And although that days work
made clean sweep Of the public buildings
calendar, the very next morning Mr.. JOHN
SHERMAN laid the foundation for now
attack on his old preserves, the Treasury,
by bringing In four bills for structures In
Ohio alone, only one OF which was 80 modest
rs to demand SlOo.Oo0 As for tho House, 1t has
been busy In the same direction, and when,
on Wednesday. tho calendar was taken up,
it was found to contain about fifty public
buildings bills, appropriating between SIX
and seven million dollars.
Wasteful as is this legislation, 1t becomes
specially odious through the tactics by which
1t Is accomplished. Logrolling Is carried on
In this business to an extent which might
we'll excite the envy OF tho managers OF the
River and Harbor bill itself. Committees
and Hobbies are relied on to plan tho work
beforehand, and tho Senate and House only
carry out the prearranged programme. In
tho last Congress, on one day. so perfect was
the machinery that public buildings bills for
over million dollars were passed. In one
branch, In ten minutes. The Senate has al
ready this year shown itself capable OF
almost equal expedition.
1t must be remembered that back OF the
public buildings bills which were promptly
put on the calendars there IRE hundreds
more, involving scores OF millions Of dollars,
Whiting to be put there when their prcdeces-
sors shall have been disposed Of