Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-17
SOME CAUSTlC LETTERS
Have Passed Between Architects and the
Treasury Department
Secretary Carlisle Calls q Letter I'm
gentlemanly-All Further Cor
respondenA Broken on.

The correspondence between Secretary
Carlisle and Supervising Arcnit It u Rourke
on behalf of the Treasury Department and
the officers Of the American Instit lite of
Architects in regard to the non-enforce-
ment Of the law in regard 20 open competi-
ton for plans for government buildings has
been made public. 1t began in November
last. when Mr.. Alfred Stone, secretary of
the institute. wrote to the supervising arch
itect in regard to the bill, asking If it was
possible to find some way TO overcome the
prejudices Of the Secretary Of the Trea sury
II he is prejudiced against It, or of rnding
some means to induce him to institute com-
petitions on several very important build
ings ordered by Congress. Mr. u'Rou,ke
replied. stating that he had no reason TO he
lieve that action was deferred for any rea-
son beyond the fact that tie Secretary's
time had been SO fully occupied by public
business of the most pressing character
that he has not been able 10 give the law
in question the consideration necessary TO
putting in operation the methods therein
contemplated"
The Buffalo Case.
, The correspondence continued in this
strain up to February last, when the COM
mittee Of the institute endeavored without
success. to have the law applied to the case
of the Buffalo public building In his letter.
refusing this special request, Secretary Car
Isle wrote the committee in part as follows:
AS the experiment may be tried with some
other building, quite as well as with the
Buffalo building, and as the department is
now ready to proceed with the working
drawings for that building, it seems un-
necessary and inexpedient to delay its con-
struction pending the further consideration
OF the matter especially as it is evident
that additional legislation will be required
to enable the department to proceed with
all proper safeguards of the interests of the
government.
This decision must not be accepted as in.
dicating the opposition of this department
to the general purposes of the act of Feb
ruary 20, 1888 On the contrary, will favor
any practicable method by which the de-
partment can avail itself of competition for
the elevation and Improvement of the archi-
lecture of our public buildings.
President Burnham's reply to this letter
is under date of March 8. 1t opens thus:
l am astonished by the contelus of your
letter of March q, just received. / am, how
ever. informed that 1t was prepared by the
supervising architect of the treasury and
/ observe tha- 1T was signed for you by one
of your secretaries.
Its statements are very Inaccurate and
1 gladly believe that 1t has not passed your
scrutiny. The proposed change is not 1.-THE
action desired by the Institute of Archi-
tects alone 1t is one in which the coun-
try Is deeply interested
Mr.. Burnham then reviews the obstacles
raised by the Treasury Department and
says in conclusion:
The obstacles are not real ones and never
were, and after carefully looking over the
ground / can see no Others although
am toierably familiar with the workings
of the supervising architects Office in
Washington and entirely familiar with the
law on the subject.
You now inform US, in effect that the
law must be amended before YOU will ac,
under II. 1 can see but one amendment
which is needed to insure the satisfactory
working or this measure. 1. e., the intro-
duction of clause ordering the Secretary
OF the Treasury to carry out its plain in
tent and purpose. and not leaving 1t to his
discretion.
Caustic Reply.
This provoked the following caustic letter
from Secretary Carlisle to Mr.. Burnham
bearing date the 18th instant, and closed
the correspondence:
Sir: Your very offensive and ungentle.
manly letter of the 9th instant is lust re-
ceived. and You are informed that this de.
partment Will have no further correspond.
ence with You upon the subject to which 1,
relates or any other subject"
Secretary Carlisle is preparing a statement
IN response to an inquiry of the House OF
representatives as to why the law has moi
been enforced, and it will probably be read,
Tor transmittal early next week.