New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-10
THE DISASTER At THE CAPITAL


The catastrophe at Washington repeats the
old story of human negligence and credulitE'
The shabby and nimsy structure in when
departmcnt of Government kept hundreds OF
its employees at work did not collapse without
warming For years it had shown signs OF III
stability. and lately while criminally care
less work of excavation was proceeding Dcsiue
il. the proofs of weakness had become c'nvlllc-
ing, and not only convincing but starting
But those whose duty it was to heed THIS pam
evidence were willing TO take the chances
The building had stood for long time, dc-
Gazing slowly but still holding together. Prob
ably il would last little while longer; and
ANYWAY. inasmuch as Government employees
work only eight hours day, there were TWO
chances out of three that it would be unten-
anted when the crash came. We do not sup
pose that any responsible person consciously
reasoned in precisely this way, but the con-
tinucd use Of the building in defiance OF lis
obvious condition was consistent with just such
a line of argument as this and with no othcr
The consequences Of carclcS>ness ana Dllhu
faith are horrible, and those who now realize
too late that they ought to have INTERVIEWED
must be bearing a heavy burden to-day. we
have no pleasure in seeking to make II heavier
and yet the duty of putting the responsibility
for such disasters where it belongs cannot be
honestly or safely shirkcd. The lesson that
they are capable of teaching loses half lis value
when it is not brought home 70 individuals.
The circumstances of this calamity aggravatc
the indignation and shame with which 1t must
be regarded. When as in the case ct the
Park Place catastrophe two yeas ago, a
private building falls in ruins the response
bility NAV have to be divided among owners,
agents, tenants and public officials, and some
allowance made for the imperfect knowledge
and authority Of each. The building known
az Forls Theatre in Washington was owned
by the Government that is by the people ana
it was occupied and controlled exclusively Tor
public purposes. Moreover, it was in the use
and under the control of department of the
Government which has special resources o!
knowledge and discipline for the administIa-
ton of its affairs and the protection Of It's EN-
plJyes and its property. Peculiar di>crciit
seems to attach to disaster for which the War
Department is mainly and Immediately 10
blame. We do not doubt that the lack of quar-
tors better adapted to the purposes which this
disreputablc structure served has been officially
depOred and Congress may be justly con-
dcmned for failing to make suitable provision
for the requirements of an important Bureau.
But the Indifference and parsimony OF legis-
lators cannot Justify the heedesSness Of an
executive department. The measure Of ac-
countabty and the place where it belongs are
indicated by the simple fact that if the officials
in control of this fallen building had certainly
foreseen its fate they would have done just
what they failed 10 DO. They ought to have
certainly foresecn it, for they had been amply
warned.
But while no excuse will be valid which seeks
to throw the blame backward upon Congress.
there is nevertheless lesson in this shocking
occurrence which Congress ought To apply.
1t is the theory of too many members of that
body that there is always money enough in the
Treasury for purposes in which they have
moro or less selfish interest, but never enough
for the accomplishment Of objects which make
10 direct appeal TO individual representatives
of the people Upon this theory habit Of
false and indecent economy has been con-
tracted. and while the consequences are not
often Of such kind and of such magnitude As
to shock the whole country, they are often
costly and discredtable affecting not merely
the possessions and operations Of the Govern
ment. but human health ard life As well.
FOrds Theatre is not the only building in the
country or at the capital in which public ser
wants have long been surrounded by pcrilOus
conditions because Congress is parslmoniOus.
The employees Of the Government Printing
Office have good reason at this moment to fear
a still more appalling catastrophe than that Of
yesterday.
Universal compassion will be felt for the
suffering survivors Of the tragedy ut Wash
ington and for the relatives and dependents Of
the dead. 1t cannot be doubted that their i'm
mediate necessities will be supplied as far a.
possible but that will not be enough. At the
earliest opportunity permanent provision for
their comfort ought to be made by the repre-
sentatves Of the people whose service has in
ficted such loss and suffering They cannot
be recompensed, but they can be chcered and
helped by the practical acknowledgment of a
heavy Obligation