The evening times., 1899-01-09

was with good deal of difficulty that the
Park Commissioners of New York, after
setting up a number of craven images in
caricature of unhappy great men, were
persuaded to intrust all questions of artis-
tic park arrangements to a board of ex-
perts. 1t was this beginning that encour
aged the architects to hope that eventually
all matters that involve art culture in re-
lation to public property will be placed in
the hands of men who have made special
study of this department of knowledge.
The reasonableness of the proposition is
obvious. For the first time, at least in
modern history, artists had an opportuni
ty to prove the wisdom of such a policy
when the directors of the Chicago Colum
bian Exposition employed them to make
the famous White City. To body of arch
itects, landscape gardeners, painters and
sculptors was turned over a tract of six
hundred acres of land TO do with as they
would within certain limits of cost The
result was an entirely harmonious
and wholly beautiful community of build
ings ftly surrounded-a model for all time
and already appropriated by Paris for its
forthcoming industrial exposition
In New York and all other American
cities, except Washington, the style of
local buildings is determined by commit
tees Of the board of aldermen or common
council or of the school board. Plans are
submitted by different architects, but fire.
quently the architect who has the strong
est political influence is favored, regard
less of merit. 1t is not TO be expected that
the salconkeepers and others who consti-
tute the aldermanic committee should be
competent to decide between rival draw
ings. Consequently public buildings are
often lacking in architectural fitness, grace
and elegance. They may even approach in
utter badness the new Washington post
office monstrosity. II is said that in the
case of school buildings in New York, in
order 10 cut down the cost, the building
committees have eliminated window caps
and other features, to the loss of the style
and symmetry of the whole structure.
Under the general supervision of experts,
a community would get the most beautiful
building the appropriation could provide,
and il would be in harmony with its sur
roundings and with the prevailing style in
the city.
New York, AT least. has reached a point
in its development where it can afford to
consider something else than mere utility,
and Washington, as the nations capital, is
a proper place for intelligent attention TO
everything that relates to appearance.
one OF the ends for which men labor for
which commerce is followed and great in
Gustral enterprises established is to OBJ
tain the means for developing moral and
intellectual qualities. Large and wealthy
communities are beyond the period where
mere food. shelter and clothing of the eX-
clusiVely useful kind will satisfy all de-
sires. People have leisure to read, to
study pictures and in every way cultivate
the estheric side OF their nature. Among
The important means of culture are the
decorative features OF homes and public
buildings. Until recently il has been
necessary to go abroad for the education
Ct the taste; but now We have architects
who are well able To design structures that
would not only add TO municipal pride. but
would also aid in the development of the
art sense. The placing of everything for
which the public pays under the super
vision of art experts would not add to the
cost Of any public work and would save
the community from such hdeous struc-
lures as our jail-Iike postoffice