New-York tribune., 1903-02-12
THE CAPITOL.

In +be now era of architectural Improvement
which dawned in Washington with the estap-
Iishment of that commission whose labors nave
already horne such good fruit. each new pro-
posaI for beautifying the city is sure OF an III
terested reception. But every such proposal IL
IT demands public sympathy, also demands 'ne
closest public scrutiny, and the latest IN the
Ionr LIST make no exception to the rule. There
are two Of them. and they were put be1ore tne
House on Tuesday by Mr. Cannon wno' as
chairman of the Appropriations COMMITTEE mas
charge OF the Sundry Civil Appropriation Dill
In the first place he asked for S3,SoO.oco 10 pa!
for the erection Of an office building near the
canitoI for the accommodation of members Of
Congress. He pointed out that the uesish
which had been prepared was for three story
building containing four hundred rooms tnls
building TO be placed somewhere near the Capi-
+o1 and connected with it by subway. The
House listened to his proposal with deep inter-
est annlauded il with enthusiasm and hnally
adonted II There is no reason why Congress
men shouId not be enthusiastic in the clrcum-
stances They are convinced that they need the
room and the alterations recently completed at
tbe White House have doubtless inclined them
"a take il for granted that the new pulolhe
would be designed by competent architects. ana
erected only after the most careful consldera-
tion of the ouestion of site. But none Of these
+binos should be taken for granted. Eternal
vigilance is the price Of good public buildings,
and if behooves everybody in this enterprise 10
make haste slowly The country at large is IN
terested and will not tolerate any hasty or III
advised modification of the architectural con-
di+ions ar present existing in the immediate
vicinity of the Capitol.
That huildinc itself was the subject of fur
I'LL tod 10 ia
and the scheme outlined therein with reference
to if invites. even more than the other, few
words in favor of caution. 1t is proposed that
Congress should complete the central body OF
the CapitoI in accordance with the plans made
when the wings were built. Only S2,5O0,oOo
WAS asked for this radical enterprise. the House
being assured that it could be carried TO COM
pletion in two and one-half years the new Of
fee building being finished within the same
period At first blush nothing could seem more
admirable. But if the Capitol as we know 1t
to-day is only torso, as it were, It IS, at any
rate about as fine an architectural torso as the
world has to show, and the proposal to COM
plete it. coming in this sudden way. is not Ill
calculated to leave one breathless. Wise men do
not transmogrify famous public building over
night; they do this, if at all, only after the
most searching investigation and the fullest
ventilation OF the subject among the pest du-
thorities available If the Capitol is TO be
touched it should only be by the hands of archi-
tects chosen by a commission embracing the
leading members of the profession. All the old
| plans would have to be studied, and the advan-
| tages and disadvantages Of the proposed ad-
dition would have to be jealousy weighed
| Against the proposition in essence it does not
| appear at present that there is anything TO be
| said but everything is to be said against undue
haste in the matter. The Capitol is one Of our
! noblest national monuments. Any modification
| of the fine effect which it now brings to the
| panorama of Washington should be sanctioned
| only. if at ALL after full discussion.