The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-08
Secretary Of the Treasury Gage Not
Yet Certain that the Tarsney Law
VIII Prove Beneficial.
NO VOLUNTEERS WANTED
PRESIDENT WILL TRY To GET ALONG
WITH 65.O0O REGULARS.
Republicans tn Discuss n Financial
ing-Thc McKinlcys to Go South.
annapolis Journal.

Special 10 the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON. March with an ap-
preparation of more than SI2 100000 for pub
lie buildings authorized by the Congress
which has just ended its labors. an abund-
ance of work is before the Office of the
supervising architect of the treasury. This
office is in good condition to begin the work
at once but it will probably be some time
before the actual preparation Of plans will
commence.
This Office is well up with its current
work for the reason that no public buildings
have been authorized for some time" said
Supervising Architect Taylor to-day. We
are able TO begin the preparation Of plans
as soon the preliminary work is settled
by the Department of Justice. Under the
law we are not permitted TO begin work on
any building until the site has been selected,
the title TO the land perfected and the prop
erty belongs absolutely TO the United States.
This is the duty Of the law officers OF the
government, and as soon as their report
reaches the secretary we shall begin the
work of preparing the plans. If the secretary
wishes this bureau TO carry on the work.
Under the provisions OF the Tarsney act.
however, the secretary is authorized To-
have any or all OF these buildings con-
structed under the provisions OF that act or
under the supervision Of this bureau So
far he has not expressed his intentions.
The Tarsney act provides for competitive
bids from architects outside the department.
under such restrictions as the secretary may
impose. That act was not enforced by Sec
retary Carlisle because he held that further
legislation was necessary. When Tecretsry
Gage camo into the office he said that fur
thcr legislation might be necessary, but he
could not say positively until he had en-
forced the law and how il operated
In order TO see just what merit there was
in this law he directed the construction OF
the Camden, n. j., and the Norfolk, Va.
public buildings and the Ellis island immi-
grant station TO be conducted under the
Tarsney act. Work on them has not pro-
gressed far enough to enable him to reach
a final opinion in the matter. Whether any
of the recent buildings authorized Will be
constructed under that law. 1 cannot say
There is an impression that the proposed
new custom house i'm New York will be
constructed in this manner and that the
design will be the result OF competitive bids.
OF course all Of these bids must be ap-
proved and the designs subjected TO the
scrutiny OF this Office. which is the bureau
of the department dealing with that SUBJ
ject. / have heard nothing TO indicate that
any other buildings will be so constructed.
but il is too early 20 know anything about
the views of the secretary on the subject.
However the work may be prosecuted ! do
not imagine there will be any unnecessary
delay in taking the preliminary steps. This
office is fully equipped for any portion OF the
work that may be assigned 10 IL. but in
view OF the fact that some time must elapss
before the titles can be investigated several
months must pass before the orders reach
TO begin the preparations of the plans"
The clerk OF the House committee on pub
lie buildings and grounds has prepared an
analysis OF the public building bills. which
shows that OF the total appropriated for.
seventeen have gone TO the Eastern States,
carrying appropriations or authorization for
S2,S75,0Oo; sixteen TO the Southern States.
carrying 81 092 900: nine 10 the middle West
ern States carrying 81 f3a. go: twenty-four to
the Western States. carrying s.. S96, 900, and
an appropriation of lO25.0o0 for the new
Department of Justice building I'm the Dis
trict of Columbia. The bills as they passed
the House carried an aggregate Of Ss.s2S.soo
and as they became laws, owing TO addi-
tions made by the Senate. si2425,soO. This
does not include 100000 Of the cost Of the
new custom house in New York. IT being
provided that the site OF the present build
ing in that city must be sold for not less
than that sum, which amount is 10 be
turned into the treasury to be used in de-
fraying the cost OF the new building.
The President will endeavor 10 get along
with the regular army increased TO s5.ooo
enlisted men. He will not call for the 5000
volunteers authorized by the law or any
part OF them unless they should be abso-
lutely needed. and this IL not regarded az
likely. With an army of 5000 there will be
five major generals. including the three
regulars Of that rank-Miles. Merritt and
Brooke. The two others will be Elweu s.
Otis. now commanding in the Philippines.
and Shafter. as a reward for his Santiago
campaign. There will be fifteen brigadiers.
including the six regulars Of that rank. who
the other nine will be Is not now known,
but it Is thought Lee. Wheeler and Wilson.
now major generals of volunteers. appointed
from civil life. will be offered commissions
as brlgadiers. Besides these Lawton. Wood.
Chaffee and Ludlow. regular army officers
holding commissions as major generals OF
volunteers. Will be retained as brigadierS
Beyond that all is conjecture.
The committee appointed by the Repub-
lican caucus OF the House OF Representa-
tlves 10 formulate a financial measure for
consideration OF the next Congress. will
meet AT Atlantic City for the purpose OF
taking up the question on the 18th OF April
This was decided at a meeting OF the COM
mittee held to-day in the room of the House
judiciary committee. at which General Hen
derson chairman. and all members OF the
committee were present. No other meeting
win be held until then. and nothing vas