The Washington times., 1902-06-01

! 1nen, TOO, Iamlilarity does Dreeu Gun
| tempt. you know Achievements in other
| lines are more noticed, talked about be-
cause less is seen of them and their ac-
tual accomplishment the mode Of pro-
cedure. A great bridge is finished, 1t
is something people do not see every
day. its engineer is feasted and dined
and glorifed You see his picture in
the papers. much is made over him. A
new opera is played. the composer is
loudly called for, bouquets and speeches
are thrown at him; he, too, is great
man. IL only for day. But do you ever
hear CT any fuss being made over an
architect
| A great building is completed; we are
accustomed to great buildings. be 1t
ever SO grand. however splendid an
achievement of engineering skill and
artistic perfection; the only thing you
will hear about is lot of grumbling be-
Gauge II was not finished in thirty days
instead of the year it did take to build
1t. 1t is occupied in unseemly haste.
while men are still working In IT. ev-
erything is tumbled into 1t in undigni-
lied confusion: there may be an open
ing banquet given to the directors OF the
institution. who will pat each other on
the back and swell up in righteous pride
over their great accomplishment, poor
"half-tone" of the building, with all the
names and pedigrees of the aforesaid
directors. will appear In the next morn
.ing's papers. But who is the architect!
Who designed the building. guided its
infant steps, as 1t were. foresaw all the
difficulties that would beset 1t. and
finally complete it. ready for that open
ing banquet? Who knows, and. fur
thermore. who cares continental?
We should rank with the lawyers. the
doctors. the ministers. That we do not
Is. | think, entirely our own fault. We
have cheapened ourselves and brought
the whole profession down to low
level of consideration indeed.
Let us glance at things as they really
are.
Few doctors go about soliciting prac-
tIce. You call those who do charlatans.
A lawyer who would beg you to give
him case, or offer to prepare briefs
until you found one to please you, you
would put down as a small fry-a petit
fosger of the lowest type. Now, we So
licit business actually, or. at least. in
directly, by our everlasting Willingness
the best OF us, too-to compete for 1t.
OF course, there are those among us
who are dignified. who have had enough
of name to insure some people coming
to them direct anyway. or who have
married well and cultivated their
brothers in-law and other relatives so
assiduously that they have an assured
practice; yet these. also. itch to get
into a competition occasionally. The
others will sit about mans doorstep
whom they suspect OF even dreaming OF
building house, and they will plead
and beg for their commission: they will
turn the whole broadside OF friends and
politics and other pulls" upon COM
mittee in charge of church or other
important work-not, mark you, to Sc
cure the job" but merely to get
chance to compete for it against Tom.
Dick. and Harry.
We are too blessedly cheap; that is
all there is about 1t.
Many doctors and lawyers make their
regulations, and then people with i'm
portant cases wait around with their
hats in their hands. pay exorbitant fees
for mighty small services, and so away
proclniming the greatness OF their ad-
visers, who may have recommended but
a drink of plain water to the sick and