The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-02-20
THE CASE OF COL. BINGHAM

And How Washington Paper Views
the Incident.
The latest theory of Col. Theodore
Bingham's relief from duty as master
of ceremonies at the white House is to
the effect that he gave offense by criti-
cising the improvements" in that VEN
cradle building. As the story goes.
Colonel Bingham had made plans and
drawings himself during Mr.. McKin-
leys time, and when he found himself
set aside for a New York architect, he
took great umbrage,,, Moreover. when
he at last examined the completed work
Of the New York architect, and sue
ceeded in absorbing the whole splendor
of It's grace and beauty, he gave vent
to his emotions in words that made him
unpopular in certain august quarters.
There is some more gossip, but 1t is
of the same kind, and need not be re-
tailed at length. We don't believe it.
anyhow: so why dwell upon the sub
iect longer? Colonel Bingham, OF
course, regards the transformations in
the interior of the White House with
respectful wonder. EVERYBODY does.
We venture the assertion that there is
not railway station in this or any
other country with a chamber as strik-
ing as the east room has now, under
the inspired touch of the New York
architect. become. We defy even the
toughest citizen to enter that room
without turning pale. And what is
true of the main building is equally
true of the annexes and APPROACHES.
Where for instance, has any one seen
corridor more opulently ventilated than
that through which proud thousands
hasten from the east entrance to the
main building? Where has the oldest
and most experienced person used
staircase as cozy or as Intimate? And
when you go round to the western an
mex. which has taken the place of the
time honored Conservatives, what art,
what tfoughtfulness, what truly artistic
provision There Is the cabinet room
in plain view on the north side of the
nice little terminal wart they call
building" Did the the New York
architect provide for the seclusion of
the cabinet officers during their preg-
nant combinations? Not much.
There they are for the whole populace
to contemplate at close quarters. The
public path runs right along in parallel,
close to the wart-we beg pardon, the
building; anybody can stop and look
through the windows at the assembled
cabinet During spring and summer
days, when things are open wide, the
small boys can throw spitballs into the
council chamber and the nurse maids
pause and chatter while the cabinet
celebrates upon the fate of nations
and the map Of Christendom. The
chamber could have been located on the
south side of the building and it would
have been warmer in winter, cooler in
summer, and removed from public OBJ
servation at all times; but is art to be
snubbed and disregarded-especi
when it comes to us, mincing and brid-
ling, upon the arm of New York ar
chitect? Are we to be comfortable
rather than utter, dgnified rather than
flashy, serene rather than picturesque?
But why prolong an argument al
ready worn to FRAGILE? These i'm
provements have rendered everybody
speeches.. Is it likely that Colonel
Bingham--a man of few words, save
when he Is introducing 1000 people to
the President-is it likely that he should
burst into language when even the most
voluble are sticken dumb? We don't
believe it. Colonel Bingham has been
transferred in the ordinary routine.
His service covers several years, and he
is needed elsewhere. There is nothing
more than this in the incident we feel
sure.-Washington Post.