The times., 1898-11-09
NEW TEMPLE OF JUSTICE.
Need of More Modern Supreme Court
Quarters Emphasixed.

Quarters Emphasized.
The proposition to erect "a separate
building for the use. of the Supreme
Court of the United States meets with
the appreciation of a majority of the JUS
tees and of the officials of the Depart
ment OF Justice.
The reason for the projected building
is to provide accommodation for the
Supreme Court. its records, the offices of
the clerk of the court, the office of the
United States marshal. the Department
of Justice, and the law library of Con-
gress.
1t is said that the need of a building
of this character has long been recog-
nized but this need was emphasized by
the explosion and fire at the Capitol on
Sunday evening, and the narrow escape
from destruction of the law library and
important records.
The Supreme Court is declared to be
much too small There is not ample room
| for spectators, and an uncomfortable
condition prevails during the argument
of important cases. That part of the
chamber set apart for the counsel Is
too small, and discomforture often results.
The bench is too narrow, causing incon-
venience when n justice retires. The rob-
ing room is small, and the justices are
subjected to crowding when they don or
remove their gowns. The ante-rooms are
mere closets.
The offices of the clerk to the court
il is said are not large enough for the
number OF books necessarily kept there,
or to accommodate the attorneys who
have business to transact. The offices
are not conveniently located. as persons
passing between the Supreme Court cham
ber and the clerks Office have TO cross
narrow corridor. frequently choked with
| sightseers and others.
The marshal's office is but small room
which is nearly filled by one desk and a
safe. History shows that the places indi-
| Gated are liable to be destroyed and the
! plea has gone out for fireproof quarters.
The law library Of Congress embraces
1900 volumes, many of them rare and
precious. The opinion of an expert in
such matters is that the law library could
not be duplicated for sl,0o0.000. Space is
so scarce in the library that desk room is
reserved only for authors and compilers.
The Department of Justice Is located
in a building which no one believes to be
| fire proof, although 1t has not been put
to the test The structure was erected
| long ago, and was used by the old
| Freedman's Bank.
The court Is not unanimously in favor
| of new quarters, but majority of the
justices would like change. Mr.. Justice
| Shiras said that the present quarters
were good enough, for him, He wanted
to continue to sit In, the present historic
room. The place vas too fun of memo
ries to be rudely forsaken. Judges. he
said, were usually slow to desire a
change and he was certainly averse TO
moving out of the old court room and
| into new.
( Mr.. Justice Brewer said he favored the
erection of new building The present
! court room was too small He said en-
! phatically that should another building
! be erected, 1t should be built on Capitol
! Hill, and he thought the square north of
! the Library of Congress the most eligi-
I BILE site. He was not sure that the re-
! moval of the Department of Justice to
| Capitol Hill was good proposition. He
/ thought that this department should be
: uptown. 1t should be close to the Execu-
tive Mansion and the State, War and
Navy Departments.