Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-18

Secretary Carlisle and jeremiah O'Rourke,
supervising architect Of the Treasury, have
disagreed as to the distribution Of spells
IN the architects Office. and although the
Treasury Department Is a capacious struc-
ture 1t proves to be too small to contain
the two officials named. Mr.. ORourke
therefore. has been called upon to tender
his resignation. and when the Secretary's
request for that document has been af-
hrnatively responded to, another super
vising architect will be appointed who will
doubtless profit by the experience of his
immediate predecessor. For the fact that
art and the spells system have been pur-
posely mixed up in the Treasury Depart
ment, Secretary Carlisle is not at all re-
sponsible; he found that to be the condi-
ton when he assumed the Treasury port
folio. and. having no deep or lasting SYM
pathy with the doctrine Of civil service re-
form, he has not cared to exert himself to
the end that amendment might follow.
With this quarrel between the Secretary
and Mr.. O'Rourke the general public has
nothing to do, for the dispute which has
ended in the official decapitation of Mr..
ORourke originated In that ever-fruitful
source of departmental trouble-the distri-
button of political rewards. OF these difficult
may reasonably be expected soon to insist
that every government department shall
be run on a purely business basis without
any regard whatsoever for the political
opinions or acts Of those who are or who
want to be employees Of Uncle Sam. Ra-
tional beings. unaccustomed to the Ameri-
can way of doing things. would reasonably
suppose that the supervising architect Of
the Treasury would be an architect of note
selected because of well-developed fitness
to carry the heavy burden of responsibility
that attaches to the place; as a matter Of
fact, supervising architects are generally
chosen because their political influence Is
stronger than that Of any one of the other
candidates for the position. The whole sys-
tenn Is wrong. OF course II Is understood
that architects of the highest class are not
to be hired for the paltry salary Of 81 800
per annum. but IL Is certain that arrange
ments could be made with a first-class man
which would result In radical reform In the
conduct of the supervising architects office.
In the face of the fact that there are In
this country many of the ablest architects
In the world. the government buildings that
are continually going up display more Of
ugliness and general unsuitability than can
be found In any other civilized country on
the face of the earth. This effect Is due
to two causes: The political selection of
supervising architects and the political and
pon-architectural activity of the supervis-
ing architect from the time Of his installa-
ton in office to the hour Of his departure
therefrom- During the past year or So
prompted by the marveiously ar
chitectural exhibit at the Worlds Fair
there has been a great popular awakening
on this important subject. Thousands of
people who never knew what a beautiful
building was and who had supposed that
the government buildings they had seen in
their homes were the highest type of mod
ern construction. suddenly realized that de-
ception was being practiced upon the public
and at the public expense. Legislative and
individual effort has been made to bring
about an improved condition of affairs, but
up to this time the politician has succeeded
In maintaining his supremacy. Men learned
In matters architectural have shown con-
clusively how much more expensive, slow
and unsatisfactory Is the system by which
the supervising architect and his force con-
tinue to swear than are the methods of
those who have devoted themselves to the
planning and construction of great edifices;
local arguments In stone and brick and
power Of Secretary Carlisle to institute
reform which will give him reputation
much more enduring than any likely to re-
suit from his direction of the country's
finances. no matter how well this latter
duty be performed.
-