The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1904-05-21

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friend Uncle Sam"
That cannot be
possible" declared Judge Sawyer. DO
you mean TO say that the assets OF the
national government do not foot up TO
more than a billion OF dollars?'
That's the way figure IT," answer.
ed the colonel. but II is possible that
am IN error The various departments
DO not make an annual inventory or
issue statements giving the money val
ae OF the property under their control,
30 it Is impossible 10 say Just what
Uncle Sam IS actually worth in dollars
and cents, but am satisfied that IL Is
less than billion. In other words, We
have lived TO see the day when one
private citizen can list more property
than the government OF what claims 70
Be the most powerful nation on the
face OF the globe"
Il thought that our navy alone cost
more than a billion said Postmaster
Jenkins.
We'll it didn't" said Colonel Mon
roe In this instance We have the d Z
ares, and they show that the cost ot
the l63 vessels which constitute our
navy was about SlT3,OOO,OOO. II We
add the various navy yards and other
property the total may be placed lt
500 10000 Mr. Rockefeller could
duplicate our navy dye times and have
plenty Of money left. There are lt}
custom houses but they certainly did
Rot cost more than 100000 don't
believe that all OF ,he postD,'ices In The
country cost more than 100000 U
but to be- on thr safe side we will call
the item Sl1oOOOnCp"
There are 1000 postoffices In thI4
country" declared jenkins, proud 10
display his knowledge
And a least 10000 81 them lnclul
Ing this one here in Liucoluville. are
local ted In buildings rented by the gov
eminent" returned Colonel Moury.
"The amount | have named would re-
build all Of the pOstottice structures
Ovned by the government. II the ar
my has SlOOOoO,OOO worth OF property
do not know where il is. Suppose We
~ NAAT ApA - III II AAAE NtAA4AT VI = anu
add an extra hundred million for the
lighthouses and life saving bureau
What ella. Is theret"
THE public buildings in Washing
ton suggested Judge Sawyer. They
constitute quite an item
mot when you are dealing in bill
Mons" said the colonel Il would like
to take a contract to duplicate the ia
tonal capitol and all the department
buildings, including the Smithsonian
Institution and the National museum.
for the sum Of S7J,OOO.OOO. but In order
to be on the safe side we will call II
Sl0O,OO0OOO What else IL there?"
The public school buildings" sug
gested Postmaster jenkins after n
pause. There Is the biggest item Of
all. Why. the school buildings alone
must have cost more than Sl.OOOOOG.-
oOO"'
In the first place. the national gov
eminent dO-s not own the public school
buildings. and. in the second place,
their value Is FAR less than 1900 OOO..
80" asserted Colonel Monroe. Il can.
DOT state Ofhand the number Of these
buildings but do recall that there are
about 42DDOo teachers Let Va assume
that there are more than 10000 school
buildings and then see how many Of
them We can build with Si.OOOOOO 900
First, We will erect fifty. each costing
100000, then We will build hfey
more, each costing $4,000: then We
will contract for 200 buildings at an
average price Of $3.50. 900, 1000 school
buildings az an average price Of 800
100 and 1000 school buildings a an
average cost price Of So 900. This IA
Q great country jenkins. and We are
properly proud Of oar public school
system and Of the lavish way in which
We have expended money on them
But do you think that there are many
Ane school buildings on earth7 There
are not 100 cities In the United States
which can show school edlfre cost.
hg 5000 and there are not 1000
which can boast Of 81. 900 ~ hool struc.
lures
But Ne will let the figures stand 8.
! had them wish to show you vbot
M Rockefeller could do with his 81.
OO.0OCOoO. Now. We viii put up y
90 school buildings at a cost u s5.O0o
each. 10000 buildings. each coating
1900, and 10000 at an average or,
Iense Of 500. That should be enough
to house all Of the children in the Unit.
I'd States"
til bet you are way over your 81
eooOOOoOOF' exclaimed Jenkins look.
ing over the coloners shoulder "a hs
tabulated his estimates
Perhaps 50. but / have been very
liberal" said Colonel Monroe iof,Ip.
down the figures "Of course the scb,nl
property Of the United States Ia No, an
extensive as that for which I have nj.
bowed. but s1.OOOOOOOO0 Il an aw,nl
sum Of money. and I think I am Inside
o. IT,"
The colonel figured for a minute in
Siience and then handed a slip Of pa.