Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-08
Renting Government Buildings.

Renting Government Buildings.
J. sit is evident that the policy of public
Improvements cannot be enlarged upon
without providing some measure for cor
responding increase in revenues. There is
DO opportunity apparent TO this department
Where greater economy in administrative
departments can be practiced without in
Jury to the public service, and economy
which Injuries the public service is parsi-
mohy and not economy. For instance, the
government annually pays over 100000 in
rent within the District of Columbia, which
u estimated to yield fully S per cent gross
on the value of the leased buildings and
fooms No wealthy private corporation
Would do its business in such cramped and
announcement quarters. Ii Is the opinion of
this department that large sum could be
brofitably invested in public buildings with
m the District. When it Is borne in mind
that million dollar public building repre-
Rents a million dollars collected almost en-
tirely upon luXuries and articles of yolun-
tary use, and expended in labor, the wisdom
Of erecting enough buildings TO furnish the
Space actually needed by the administrative
departments is apparent.
To Extend Drawback System.
Secretary Shaw refers at some length to
the desirabilty of an extension of the
drawback system in order TO benefit for
sigu trade. He says:
{ Wise provision has been made for the
Expectation. with benefit of drawback, OF
Imported merchandise and of manufactures
composed in whole or in part of imported
material. The Treasury Department has
endeavored in every feasible way to simplify
the application of this privilege and to make
Its operations practicable Many difficulties
exist, however. annoying TO exporters,
which can be removed only by legislation.
I therefore recommend the careful recon-
struction of the drawback laws with view
TO their simplification, and especially that
The privilege of drawback be extended to
barrels. boxes, cans and other receptacles,
though imported in completed form, when
exported filed with American food prod
Gcts carefully safeguarded system OF
substitution similar 10 that now In opera
tion in France would undoubtedly Increase
to some extent our export trade. Several
other extensions of this privilege could, in
my Judgment, be wisely made / am olso
OF the opinion that In applying these laws
greater discretion could be safely lodged
with the Secretary of the Treasury, the ex-
ercise of which would overcome many I'M
foreseen difficulties and frequent technical
Obstacles.
Incorporating Trust Companies.
One of Secretary Shaw's most interesting
of recommendations is to Incorporation
BIZ large trust companies. He says after
Mesentng numerous statistics:
ut is manifest from the foregoing data
that these Institutions in our great cities,
helpful as they have been to American de-
yelopment and commerce, unless conserva-
lively managed, may become an element of
Hanger to our financial system. They are
already national in character, and several
Or them are OF international influence.
Suggest the propriety. therefore, of a law
giving trust companies of large capitaliza-
Hon in large cities the privilege of incor-
6orating under federal law. with corre-
Eponding supervision. II such right were
INTENDED, the more conservative would
0robably avail themselves thereof and this
ROflld rOmDal others cultivate A.
psm. 1t would not be necessary to extend