The Washington critic., 1888-01-28
.'OLIVTA'S" LOVE TAPS.
Why is the New Library Building
Called TO a Halty
THE CAPITOL TERRACES.
other Beauties OF the Congress
sional Commission System.
For the WlsrtNaroN Cnrrlc.


For the WAsHNaroN CRtTIc.
Notwithstanding its long years of |
chronic suffering caused by the cancer
ous eating away of appropriations in the
hands of incompetent Commissioners,
our sleepy old Senate has cautiously
opened one eye long enough to take n
general squint at the situation in regard
to the new Library building. The result
reveals thoroughly
DEMoRALzED CONGRESSIONAL COMM ss1oN;
house divided against itself; three mem
bers of the Commission of united opinion
the fourth stands out by himself, but
sustained and strengthened by CON
tractor, while il is claimed that the work
will be delayed until Congress will be
glad to accept the inferior material in
order TO have the work 60 on.
Is IL possible that our Congress can be
"bulldO2ed' and held at bay 10y con
tractor who has had the keen sense TO
arm himself with the awful minority of
the Commission.
IL has long been known TO the wise that
official employees who have haunted Con-
gress for quarter of n century are always
loaded, and only brave Western Con-
gresham or q foolish fresh one would
dare handle the dangerous weapon. But
how can the United States Senate ascer-
tain whether the minority of the commits
sion has armed itself with q contractor in
order to carry the day, and, like Colonel
Sellers, be able to call for indefinite appro-
| priations2
Can IL be true that the awful contractor
| faithful to the rapacious instincts that
| moved the robber-b2rons in the feudal
.I.tua Il
| plunder so long enjoyed by other power
| ful uhicfs2
What is the character OF CHS uinbiical
| cord that unites the minority of the Lii
| brary Commission to n so-called con-
| tractor while the horTid combination is
strong enough to block the wheels of
legislation and paralyze the will of sixty
million people
WHERE SHALL WE STORE
our garnered wisdom, our choicest
J Knowledge, an inheritance beginning with
the birth of our Republic, much of it not
obtainable to-day because the books are
no longer printed? A house filed with
dynamite Is scarcely more in flammable
than that portion of the Capitol which
conceals our precious manuscripts and
books. Except for the sleepless vigilance
of Librarian Spofford, with his picked
corps of trusty assistants, our priceless
treasures would long ago have disappeared
IN smoke. With myriads of skilled arti-
sans such as the world has never known
| before, armed with glittering tools more
potent than weapons of steel" all ready
to advance at moments notice; with a
| public purse so plethoric that our officials
are beating their brains to know what TO
4 do with IL, the silence of the grave hangs
over the sacred inclosure surrounded by
a dove-tailed fence ten feet high and in
l n a
but the high priest of the Congressional
Commission, who has so far held the
destiny of our new library in his hands
But have we not learned that a little
worm can destroy the largest ship that
fioats2 A COW can kick over lamp and
burn the wicked city of Chicago; con
tractor'with n so-called architect to play
tail to his kite can prevent or delay th,
y creation of the most impoyiDnt- publ,
building on the Western Hemisphere.
WHAT. GREATER CALAMITY
can befall the Nation than TO have Con
gress give birth to a Congressional com
mission endowed with unlimited power
and little common sense2
Itwas this kind ofmonster that destroyed
the wondrous architectural beauty of the
Smithsonian Institution, the most eX-
| quisite ideal creation, surpassed by nc
other building in the world, free gift L
the people of this country by its noble
founder. What is its fate2 Its noble pro-
| portions are entirely hid or marTed by the
cruel fastening of a monstrosity in the
shape of the so-called National Museum
ON its right side. Its interior has
been robbed of its true be-
longings to mix with the bar
barous relics of q civilization that is
no more to us than the cast-oif iinery Of 9
Hottentot belle. OF what use to thesscoun
try are the musty, filthy trappings that
find a resting place within the vile walls
built upon land to which il has no more
right than if IL had belonged to a private
CitiZen2 James Smithson gave the land
to the people, not to Uncle Sam, whose
vandals at times have neither good taste
nor principle. When one of the mem.
bers of the Congressional Committee was
asked why the National Museum was
built so very near the Smithsonian Insti-
tute, thereby marring its great beauty, he
replied "That Professor Henry was get
ting old and it would be more convenient
in moving things from one place to the
other"
This speech proves that it was a Con-
gressional commission that planned the
destruction and spoliation of the Smith
sonian Institution, an act which blots one
ofthe iairest pages Of American history.
But THE sADDEsT OF ALL
Congressional creations is the high wall
in process of construction, which tlanks
the foundation of the Capitol towards the
west. Had the original plan been adj
hered to, that of walling the terrace, but
not rising above it, architectural prop or
ton and beauty would have been secured
| commensurate with the vast size of the
building. When finished, the setting
sun will be at a loss to know VIII ether it is
bidding good night to fortress or a
prison. 1t is said the walls were raised to
give more committee-rooms TO Congress.
Can it be possible that nation that con-
trolls continent will plan dark and damp
easements in which 10 carry on its legisla-
tion2 Which committee of Congress will
be willing to make its abode so near the
ground2 But these marble caves need
not be abandoned because unit for COM
mittee-rooms. They can be utilized for
hospital, lunatic and inebriate purposes,
in case a necessity should arise. If a
Congressman should grow wild from an
overdose of "cold tea how much more
safe and comfortable than st. Elizabeths s.
When such men as Senator Vest arise
and hurl inquiry and anathema at Con
gressional commissions, how convenient
to pop him into nice little cell, with the
Architect Of the Capitol for his jailer.
OLIVIA.
Maple Square, Capitol Hill, Jan. 2S.
| S
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