The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1902-03-15
SATURDAY. MARCH is, 1909.
SHUTTING OUT COMPETITION

SHUTTING OUT COMPETITION
The public Is entitled to considers.
ton in the disposal Of public matters.
A public library is public institu-
tion and Paducsh 10 to have . public
library on q site that must be paid for
by the public. In building this libra
~, the public's wishes should be con.
suited.
One Of the principal things in build
ing library is the selection Of an ar.
chitect. The beauty, Substantially
and utility Of an edifice depend almost
solely on the architect. and in building
. structure that Is to belong to the
pubic. and il to be seen. visited and
used for perhaps many years, it 10
reasonable to assume that the public
wants the best architect and the most
suitable plans that are possible to get.
II . man is building q house of his
own it is different. He can do as he
pleases. and select plans that please
his own fancy, whether they be of at
tractive and enduring quality or not.
But in acting for the public. men have
. fAr more responsible duty to par
form. and they cannot be too careful
in discharging their sacred obligation
TO the people.
When the matter Of selecting an ar
chitecs for the public library here first
came up. there was considerable dis.
cussion rs to how much competition
should he allowed. The former city
council limited the competition to 10.
cal architects, and selected one set
drawn by . most capable, and . first
class architect. But public sentiment
was in favor Of allowing . wider lati.
tude, and opening the competition to
outside architects who wanted an op.
rortunity simply to submit their
plans. There was no harm in this.
and 1t had an element Of fairness about
it to which no one could reasonably
object. The present city council re-
allied this, and seemed to thoroughly
understand public sentiment in the
matter. 1t did not indorse the action
of its predecessor, and held the pro-
iect in allegiance until recently, when
trustees were appointed.
These trustees are all well known,
CAPABLE gentlemen, but in providing
plans for the library, they have shut
ont not only outside, but all compet-
ton. Judging from what has been
heard in many quarters since then,the
public in general believes "a mistake
has been made. A number Of archi-
tects desired and still desire, to offer
drawings, and while perhaps none
could be submitted that would be bet
ter or more suitable than the plans
that will be furnished by the archi-
teot selected, 1t would be only fair to
the public and to the architects, to
give all an equal snow. II the plans
of a local architect are selected as the
best offered, it would be very crafty
ing TO know that our architects are in
farior TO none. If the plans of some
outside architect are adopted, it would
only Indicate that he happene to
have the best Architects in the larg'
or cities often draw plans for mani
moth structures thousands of miles
away and structures that they never
see. If the plans are accurately
drawn. and ii is presumed that good
architect would draw them no othei
way. and the contract is let to com
neteut contractor, which it would b
the duty of the trustees to do, there
is no reason to anticipate any trouble
or any necessity for visit from tn
architect, no matter where he nigh
reside. This would indicate the feast
bilitv Of outside competltlon we GAN