The Monitor., 1890-02-14
HasnsngiOu Letter.

WASHINGTON. d. c., Feb. 10. 1899.
Though not formally presented to the
House the majority and minority reports
of the Committee on Rules have been in
the hands of the Journal Clerk since Fri
day and have been ordered printed in pre-
paration for the big debate. The majority
report in great detail explains the differ
ence between the new code and the one
formerly in use, but the statement of diff
ferences is unaecompanied with argument,
except in the case of the rule as to aseer-
tanning quorum and that providing that
''No dilatory motion shall be entertained
by the Speaker" These and the rule that
one hundred members shall constitute
quorum in Committee Of the Whole are the
only radical changes. Against these the
minority report, signed by Randall and
Carlisle, is mainly directed The minority
report indicates that the debate on til ese
three points will be protracted.
The Senate Committee on Public Build
ings and Grounds has been ordered to re-
port by bills or otherwis plans for the
erection of several public buildings and
the purchase of sites and for an addition to
the White House. The debate on the
question has awakened general interest
and the public appears as much in favor of
the idea as do the Senator's Only mig
gardly legislation has prevented the erec.
tion of several of the proposed buildings
l,x.,, ~. = a.
has lost several million dollars, for now
that the necessity can no longer be fought
off for any length of time, land in the busi-
ness portion of the city has increased from
the prices of five years ago in a startling
manner Land now sells in the open mar
ket for three to ten times what it brought
then. What it will bring in a few years
more can be family imagined. And Uncle
his pockets full of gold and let's oppor-
tunity drift b..
Senator Morrill, told the Senate i'll his
speech the other day that Uncle Sam is
city in renting buildings, often awkward
and architecturally unSuited 10 public
business, sometimes badly lighted and
ventilated, and generally making no pre-
tension to being fireproof. Many of these
rents, by tricks that are dark, are double
what any other tenant would pay. In
these insufficient structures are stored
thousands of tons OF Government records
that could only be partially reproduced and
that at immense cost. The only person
who derives any benefit is the happy land
lord.
The newer Government buildings are
fireproof, but few Of the older ones make
no claim to being so. Senator Morrill,
pronounced the Government Printing Office
mere she'll, death-trap. The Govern
ment owns some of the finest printing ma
chinery in the world, with tons Of excellent
material and possesses the elecirotypes OF
works that cost thousands to produce, and
all this property is contained in crazy
shell Of a building, thIn-s allied. built piece
meal as urgent necessity called for addi.
tions, racked out of shape by machinery,
and with fioors sageiDe from the Weight of
material
These interesting barracks are hardly
less Objectionable from a sanitary stand
point, if one considers human life of any
value. Ventilation is wretched and the
heating apparatus, upon the construction
OF which local engineers are placing SO
much stress since tie awful Tracy tragedy
of last week, is Of the most antiquated de-
scriptioD. There would be no supply of
water to the upper floors in case Of fire.
The building is full Of dark passages and
corners where men work as in mine and
with hardly elbow room.
This overcrowding rctards work and
that seriously in seasons Of a great rush Of
work, as in December and during the last
month of each session. Aud every year,