The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-04-24
Public Buildings.

Last week the consideration Of various
bills asking for appropriations to erect
public buildings at different places in the
United States was up in the House. The fact
that an aggregate of about 81 100000 was
asked, aroused the indignation of anumber
of journalistic Pecksniffs in the lagerr
cities, whose Accommodations of this kind are
already secured land provoked them to Sc
we're arraignment of Congress for extrava-
gance. 1t is a part of the daily life of
some people, and unfortunately there are
a number of this kind in the control Of
newspapers, to find fault with something.
They seem incapable of looking at public
matters impartially and applying rule to
public interests which they would make
effective in private concerns. It is a
known fact that very few men ever rent
business or dwelling houses if they are
able to buy. When the ability exists both
business houses and dwellings are pur-
chased and improved, with view to COM
fort and security. If this rule were ap-
piled togovernmentt there would be very few
towns of 5000 inhabitants where suitable
buildings for the use Of government SER
vice would not be erected. Certainly it
would be wise economy for this to be the
established policy, not only as matter Of
convenience to the public who pay the
taxes, but for the security of the property
of the government. Take for instance the
city of Staunton. A bill is before Con-
gress asking for 100000 for a public
building at this place for the use Of the In
ternal Revenue and Post Office Depart
ments. 1t has not so much as been called
up by the Committee to which it was re-
ferred, so far as we have heard. This
may be because there is no one in Con-
gress who feels sufficient interest in the
appropriation to make it his special bust
ness to look after it.. We really have no
representative in the lower House. The
application was put in for obvious reasons
of public concern. There are collected
through the Internal Revenue office at
this place over one million dollars annu-
ally. There is paid into the post office
something like sixteen thousand dollars
There is collected off of whiskey manu-
featured in this county over 100000 an
nually, and about $40, 900 from miscella-
neous sources. Both Of these offices carry,
necessarily, large supplies, and but for the
fact that by the mefest accident. the Post
Office occupies an old bank building, in
which there is fire and burglar-proof
vault, whichis sometimes used by the In
ternal Revenue office for it's more valuable
supplies, there would be no security for
the property the demands upon the two Of
fees require to be kept on hand. There
is no business sagacity OF common-sense
in this. The government should make
ample provision for the security of it's
ownproperty and the protection of its Of
ficers against the contingencies of fire and
robbery. ''
Farther than this, it would be nothing
more than fair and just that where such
demands exist and in community where
such large revenues are collected for the
government, that the meagre appropria-
tion asked should be made. 1t is the rarest
occurrence that a proper building can be
gotten either for Post Office or Internal
Revenue office for the accommodation of the
public service aslargea town as Staunton.
And when one is secured it is only tempo
rary, dependent entirely upon the contin-
gencies of private demands, the changes
of estates and the fluctuations of fortunes.
Property is continually changing hands
| from one cause or another, and thus it is
that the government is subjected to in
convenience and insecurity by removal of
| it's offices whether suitable buildings can
| be secured or not.
1t may do very well for the great cen
tres, where the government has amply
provided for the public services, to rail
out against Congress because it takes up
and discusses bills asking for small appro-
preparations for the security of public
property and the accommodation of the
people in the smaller cities, but it is not
just. The taxes are paid by the people
everywhere, and there is no more justice
in taxing the people of the rural districts
to erect expensive buildings in the larger
cities, than there is totax the people of the
larger cities to construct inexpensive
buildings for the smaller cities. The de-
mands are equally imperative, and only
measured by the amount of business
transacted. We submit, therefore, that
Congress will not do it's duty unless it
makes liberal provision for the accommo-
dation of the government service and the
security of the governments property in
the smaller cities as well as the larger
cities. And we respectfully call the at
tention of the members from Virginia to
the justice and necessity of pressing
every bill that has been presented from
| Virginia. and especially the one from
Staunton, where the interests involved are
so important to the government and those
who are under heavy bonds to protect the
governments property. 1t is a penny
wise and pound foolish policy not to do SO
"a policy that no business man would al
low in his private affairs, and which the
government should not allow in it's af-
| fairs sfff si4gt&