The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-15
GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.


The Washington correspondent Of the New
York Times has taken pains to collect and
summarize the bills that have been introduced
and are now pending in Congress for the erec-
ton of government buildings. The total
number of buildings asked for is 149, and
their total estimated cost $24, 994, 500. Every
State and Territory is represented, the num-
Der Of public buildings proposed to be erected
! in each varying from one to eleven. Indiana
is to get six, if the bills pass, at an aggregate
cost, including ground. of $475, 900, the pro-
posed appropriations being: For indianapolis,
1925, coo; Evansville, 800, 900; Jacksonville,
$4,000; Logansport, $75, 900; Madison, 49,,
900; Vincennes, $4,000. New England is to
get ID buildings; the three States of New
York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, %; the
Western and Northwestern States, go; the
Southern States 4s, and the Territories,
5. New York gets the largest appropriation,
So, 665, 900 for ten buildings, and California
the next largest, So, 123, 500 for eight build
ings. Besides these only six States get as
high as ST., 000 900. These aggregates are
large, and at first glance it looks like pretty
extensive building scheme. OF course it is
by no means certain that all the bills
will pass, but they are distributed
in such way as to secure strong support.
The Times editorially treats the subject
raid on the Treasury, and one of a class of
vicious schemes begotten by the surplus. We
Il. y L AZ
the government requires great many build
ings for postofice and other uses, and is able
to build, why should it not do sol The propo-
sition to erect one, or a score, a hundred, or
several hundred buildings, should be con-
sidered and decided as a business proposition.
It is not necessarily corrupt Job nor an
extravagant scheme. On the contrary, it
may be wise business policy, and in the long
and towns the government pays large rent for
postoffices, and does not always get the best
accommodations, either. By erecting build
ings it would save rent and get better ac-
commodations. This policy was recommended
by the last Republican Postmaster-general,
and by Postmaster Villas in his late
report. 1t is supported by many
strong business arguments, not to
speak of the sentimental and patriotic
ones. If there is any good reason
why the government should not erect solid
and substantial postofice building in every
town in the United States of 10000 popula-
ton, we should like to hear it stated. AS
matter of fact there is far more jobbery and
intriguing in the matter of leasing postofice
rooms to the government and in the frequent
contests over changes of location than there
possibly could be in the erection of buildings.
The whole question should be considered
The assumption that there is necessarily
job in every proposition to erect a public
building. or that it springs from that horrible
source of all evil the Treasury surplus, is
gratuitous and far-fetched. The Journal does
not say that all of the 149 bills now pending
ought to be passed, because it does not know
that all of the proposed buildings are judi
ciously located. Perhaps some are not and
no doubt some of the proposed appropriations
are too large. If so, they should be cut
down or thrown out altogether. The point
we make is that the government ought to
erect buildings wherever its business neces-
states it. The necessity for them is increas-
ing from year to year, and there is no better
time to erect them than when there is sur
plus in the Treasury.