Evening star., 1898-11-01
IN ANNUAL SESSION
Continued from Second Page)

composed of experts in the case of all COM
petitions, and to provide for the expenses
of each juror. as well as for the payment
OF moderate and proper fee.
For the first time in it's history the in
shtute has established a permanent head
quarters. As is eminently proper the per-
manent home of the nationa, organization
is located in the national capital.
In the march of events the institute has
outgrown its code of laws, and under new
constitution you are now called upon to
consider new code of bylaws. 1t is a
matter of regret that SO large part of the
time of this convention must be of neces-
sity devoted to this subject and it is earn
estly hoped that your consideration of the
question may be careful and your de-
cisions so wise that the time of future con-
ventions may be free for the discussion Of
the mass of subjects of more general in
terest than the minute details of interior
CrSarization.'
Report of the Directors.
Secretary Stone read the report of the
board of directors, which stated that the
Institute is entering upon new in its
history, which is fraught with no little
anxiety
THE step it has taken is without prece-
dent, as no similar society has broken away
from the commercial metropolis of the
country and established its home in the
national capital. 1t may, therefore, prop
erly be called an experiment., and is one
which will depend for its success upon the
individual and united efforts of the men,
bers of the institute, and may easily prove
to be failure without such effort
The report calls for manifestation in
the way of increased member ship, and then
discusses the question Of permanent home
for the institute. 1t recites the passage of
a resolution last February authorizing the
lease of the "Octagon house in this city,
at rental of $500 per annum, for five
years, and tells of the ultimate accom-
plishment CT the object by a committee
composed of Frank Miles Day, Robert
Stead and Wilson Eyre, jr
To-day says the report, I'VE shall open
and enter upon the occupation of our new
home, and the enjoyment of the fruits of
their labors. The passage Of this vote was
the outcome of a report of the Washington
Chapter, presented to the board of di-
rectors at that time. Among the advan-
tages set forth were that it afforded the
broadest field for the institute to obtain
national legislation in relation to art and
construction; that it could here more eff
ticiently advocate the establishment of
government testing station and national
architectural museum, and would be in
position to make its influence felt in the
methods adopted by the government for
procuring designs for national buildings
This has been successfully inaugurated it
is declared under the direction and by or
der of the Secretary of the United States
Treasury, Lyman ]. Gage, an honorary
member of the institute and an efficient
supporter of the best interests of the pro-
feSsion.
PennsyIvania's Capitol Building.
Continuing, the report says:
AT the last annual meeting the conduct
of the competition for the Pennsylvania
state capitol furnished an engrossing topic
of consideration, but without producing
the desired result In fact, the outcome is.
if possible, still more discreditable to the
state than was anticipated; but in other
quarters there have been several notable
competitions which have been conducted
with fairness and in compliance with
ethical rules of practice, although
they may not have resulted to the in
dividual satisfaction of each and
every individual competitor, and it is
not improbable that the publicity which
was given to the action of the institute in
the matter of the Harrisburg capitol has
had even greater effect than If it had re-
suited in the adoption of the course ad
vised by the institute
1T is believed that the state of Pennsyl-
vania has but entered upon gigantic
scheme which will extend through many
years and be productive of still other and
larger results to the discI edit of the state,
and with heavier demands upon it's treas
ury. In view of the failure of the Penn
syIvania state capitol competition and the
success Of that for the New York Public
Library building, it has been suggested by
distinguished member of the New York
bar that the institute appoint a committee
prepare a fern of programs of conpet-
ncns and have 1t recognized in legal enact
nent and ordinances authorizing commits
slCnefs to secure an architect by means of
competitions: such an act or ordinance
might make it legally Incumbent upcn a
corporate body or even upon a state itself
to pay promised fees. which the state of
Pennsylvania successfully lodged with no
legal redress for the architects employed
by it.
There is, however, something stronger
than legal enactments by state or city
and that is recognition of the unwritten
law of ethics, which a professional body
establishes for its own conduct, and which
Will be respected by the public and will
be complied with to just that extent with
which 1t is respected by the profession and
complied with by it's practitioners.
1t may be expedient to procure legal
enactment, 1t Is imperative that our prac-
tlce be in accordance with professional
ethics"
Deceased Members.
The report states that the deaths among
the fellows of the institute since the De-
troit convention have been: F. A. Coburn
of Cleveland, Ohio; Alfred Smith of Chica-
go, and Eibrdgs Boyden of Worcester.
Mass, and Charles GARNER, an honorary
member. The board recommend as corre
spending members Prof. w. c. Sabine of
Harvard University, Prof G. p Merrill
and DR.. Cyrus Adler of the Smithsonian
Institution.
The treasurer's report showed receipts
amounting to S,7lG.oS and payments of
S,554Ol, leaving balance of $3S2.O7
Washington Chapter Report.
secretary Stone read the reports of the
various chapters. That of Washington
Chapter J. c. Hornblower president; e.
w. Dorm, jr, secretary; stated:
There are twenty-seven practicine and
rld't III eI junior members; two new practicing
members have been elected and three iu-
nloIs dropped for lack of interest
Meetings have been held on the first
FRIDAY of every month, with the exception
OF the months OF June, July and August.
Inc average attendance has been eight.
Ihe chapter celebrated its tenth birthday
In January, 1898.
During the year there have been monthly
exhibitions of drawings and compositions
Reports Of sixteen other chapters were
also read.
Foreign Correspondence.
Chairman Jenney Of the committee on
foreign correspondence raised many laughs
by his report which gave extracts from
printed notices relating to the first inter-