The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-12
SOME INTERESTING FIGURES.

| We invite the particular dltcHliVH -
all persons who wish 10 live under sood
Government 10 the article In another col
umn of The Times this morning from MY
{. II. Read. Jr., an architect IN hIc"-
mond. 10 the waste and extravaBahce tila'
prevails I'm the building department vi ''e
United States Government So far as MI.
Heads figures relate 20 the cost anu 'iipe
| OF building Government works they are
from the official data Of the Government
and are therefore beyond Challenge 30
far as his figures relate 10 private puiio-
ine,s we believe them 20 be avsoiulely
| accura+e and fair. The results which Mr..
| Road Y,oinfs out arc most startling. lie
shovs that the Government pays N,m3,-
GO for a building that costs private par
res sI.4g1bS7. or over g00o00 more. lie
shows that when the Government does It's
own building n pays 1913 cents a cubic
foot for what private parties pay 81 Ia
cents cubic foot, End he shows
that 10 takes the Government nine years
and four months 20 erect building that
private parties erect IN two years four
months and quarter.
Astonishing as these results ARE they do
not surprise us. They are only one Oh
the Inevitable results OF paternal gov
eminent. II Is the business OF govern
ment TO keep tho peace between Its ciu-
zens and prevent one from treSpassin8 upon
another, and when II has done that II
has done all that belongs to government
except attending TO a FEW matters That
are incident to that end, such as coming
the standard money. regulating weights
and measures. regulating commerce De-
tween the States, and a few other such
things But whatever falls within the
domain Of progress and development be-
longs to the competitions Of private enter
prise. Whilst all such matters are left
TO private enterprise the avenues OF en-
ployment for the people are opened beyOhu
limit When Government undertakes
10 manage and control any one or these
the field for employments Of the people
IL that much abridged But the blighung |
curse that attends the thing IS the fact
that rnanagcrnent Of the business be- |
comes the football Of politics. The busl-
ness has offices that pays salaries ana
securing these Offices depends on votes.
a class arises In society whose OBJECT |
Is 10 get these salaried offices, In |
which little or no work viii be done. and |
q salary viii be drawn that will support |
the occupant. These people begin at the |
bottom. They catoe voters, they corrupt |
them, they fool them with Hes And thus
10 get the salar1ed Offices that the Govern |
mcnt controlling business gives 70 IT, |
they corrupt the voters and debauch |
the people. This IS the necessary |
result Of paternal government, winch IS
only another way of naming state OF |
affairs where Government controls bust |
ness which should properly be left TO the |
competitions of private enterprise.
We should be glad TO Think that this |
article OF Mr. Read had been read and |
pondered on Dy every citizen Of the United |
States. It's facts should be taken 20 heart |
by all The Government should be con |
fined strictly TO those functions which |
pertain TO preservation of order amongst |
the people, and all business should be left |
to the people. It is the beginning Of cor |
ruption and decay as son as Govern |
ment enters the domain Of private en-
terprise.