Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-03-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE. |

/ A"' WV i""p SiA NcuIS, Utltt oH tnHt at
count has doubtless authorized tn
construction of fewer public building
than would ordinarily he the case,
appears from a tabulated sta.emeu
submitted by the treasury department
relative to the snndry civil appropr
alton bill just reported, that 81,
enty-eight public buildings are now i
process of construction. The govern
ment is not speedy builder, as i
shown by the fact that nineteen o
these were authorized prior t,
Dec. /, 1889. This last list in
cludes postotiice buildings ut Buffalo
NY, Camden. N.J., Charleston, $.
Detroit, Mich, Fo,t Worth, Tex.
Jacksonville, Fla, Lowell. Mass. Mil
waukee, Wis.,, Newark, N. j., New
Berne, n. G., Omaha, Neb., Paterson
N. D., San Francisco, Cal, Savannah
Ga, Troy, N. Y, Wilmington, Del.
and Worcester, Mass. besides an ap.
praisers warehouse unda custom house
III New York city. 1t should he state,
that these buildings primarilyintended
for postoffices in nearly all instances
include something else, either cour,
house or a custom house, and the BALD
ing at New Berne, N. c., is in
tended to serve all three purposes.
The limit OF cost in these buildings
still incomplete, but authorized he
fore Dec. ], 1889, is $lS, 157, 53l
OnI tho lin,i$ ~ Al
fifty-nine authorized since that date
is $lS, 439, l54. For the last eight
years it would seem then that Con-
gress has authorized public building
construction ut the rate OF about 81,
$50, 900 year. The largest building
under way is the Chicago postofiice
and court house, the total cost of
which was limited to "a, 900, 600 and
of this sum $500, 900 was appropriated
last year, and the committee have
asked for 81, 900, 900 this year. This
is one of the buildings in which the
secretary of the treasury is author
lied to contract in any year in excess
OF the amount appropriated if
within the total limit. The second
largest public building authorized
i'll the last eight years in the Washing.
ton City postoffice, for which SO, ,O65, :
49O was the amount set. This is near
ing completion. For the United
States mint at Philadelphia, S., 200, :
900 was decreed, of which amount
$951, ,375 remains to be appropriated.
The immigration station at Ellis Isl
and, which is one of the buildings
put up under competition under the
Tarsney act, will cost in the opinion
of architects in the neighborhood of
$500, 600, and they say that their work
will be on the market within ninety
days after the approval of the draw.
ings.
A SERIOUS PERIL AvERTED MIR.
Frederick Macmonnies, the distin.
guished creator of the ornate bronze
doors which guard the entrance to the
new congressional library, is to be
congratulated on having at length Sc
cured his check for $15, 900 in pay
ment for his labor. The original
check, it will be remembered, drawn
by the government, was lost by
the government, inasmuch as it disap-
peared while in transit through the gov
ernments mail. Notwithstanding the
entire innocence of Mr.. Macmonnies in
the matter, it has cost him much lubor
and months of time to finally secure
the necessary authorization for du-
plicate. It has cost him round sum
in the loss of interest for a year or
more. This was manifestly unjust;
and short time ago the New York
Sun, impelled by desire to further
reform, described in detail the 10
different steps which must be taken
for relief by a government creditor in
the dilemma of Macmonnies. This
red tape presentation was most
interesting. 1t is to be hoped that
the publication aided the passage of
the bill in question, but Congress-
man Mitchell of New York rose and
asked consent to publish in the
Record this able and illuminative ed
itorial. There being objection made
by another member, Mr.. Mahany of
Buffalo, the matter was dropped.
Both proposer and objector being Re-
publicans, and representing respect
lively the eastern and western limits of
the empire state, partisan and local
bias were equally innocent otinfuence,
and the case stood squarely upon its
merits and the position of the Buffa-
lonian was right. If one able editorial
on matter of government concern
may be printed in the Congressional
Record, it follows that all may be, and
in that case the Record would he
filled with matter, bullying that bright
daily beyond all tolerable bounds or
many q congressman un-
delivered speeches into unrecogniza-
BILE fatness. A great danger has
been averted.
AN UNDIGNIFIED PosITIoN-Presi-
dent Mckinley paid no attention to
the strong protest of the world of
science against giving the position of
fish commissioner to Senator Elkins'
man, G.. NJ. Bowers of West Virginia,
and the appointment just made is
without defense. Towers is not q
scientific man, and has no knowledge
of fish culture, and for the first time
a president of the United States
makes of this bureau a bit of
spoils to be given over to a poll
tician without fitness to direct
its operations. "The new commissioner
doesn't know anything about fish cul-
ture," admitted Senator Elkins, "but
he is bright sort of fellow, and will
catch on all right" The president
knew all about Mr.. Bowers and his
want of fitness, and his knuckling to
Senator Elkins in this matter is q
politicii :. affront to the intelligence
of the country unworthy of any man
fit to be president of the Unitad
States.
St. Gaudens to Leave America,
NEW YORK, March 3-Augustus st. Gau.