Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-13
No Reason for Parsimony.

No consideration of the fact that the Dis
trict revenues will not meet the estimated
expenses during the next fiscal year or the
next few years to come should operate to
cause Congress to refuse the grant of an adj
ditional half a million in the total cost Of
the Districts municipal building. for which
the Commissioners have asked. 1t has been
effectively demonstrated that it is impossi-
BILE to construct the building out of suitable
materials In accordance with the approved
plans within the money limit set by Con-
gress. If that limit Is insisted upon the
structure will be far from monumental in
character. 1t will lack the external essen
tials of building suitable to serve as the
capitals official home. 1t will be construct
ed Of materials which in a few seasons will
become dingy and cheap in appearance
The District deserves a municipal build
ing of the finest type, of impressive design
and the best materials. This Is true even
if the chosen site were on a back street."
so that the building would not appear con-
spicuously before the eyes of the world. It
is especially true In the present case with
the building located on the chief thorough
fare, in close relation to the city's most i'm
portant group of buildings, and certain to
be constantly in the view Of the ceaseless
stream of visitors from all over the world.
If the present money limit is insisted upon
by Congress fifteen years hence the public
spirited Washingtonian will point out this
building with shame bitterly blaming Con-
gress for its mistaken parsimony Every
intelligent visitor will wonder that such
small ideas could obtain in the years 1904
and 1908.
The cost limit of this building should be
established not with reference to what the
District can afford today to pay, but what
it ought to pay for its official home. 1t can
not. in truth, afford today to pay for the
various other permanent improvements now
under way. 1t cannot afford to pay it's share
of the cost of establishing great railroad
terminal here. IT cannot afford the Ultra
ton plant. 1t has protested against being
assessed as heavily as it now Is in the case Of
the railroad terminal, but Congress adjust
ed the matter in its present terms neverthe-
less. 1t does ask for this addition to the
cost limit of the municipal building because
1t deserves and needs it and knows that it
can pay the larger sum later. .~- 'r'
The system of federal advances to the
District was based upon the conception that
the District should not be made to wait for
years for its great works and should not
skimp in their cost. 1t was wisely decided
to go ahead with these improvements as
though the money were all in hand or i'm
medately in view in the form of local rev.
enues. There Is, incidentally, a difference
of opinion as to the method of financing this
debt to the general government, but that
issue does not affect the question involved
In the case of the municipal building In
that case the paramount point Is that with
the present cost limit the capital will build
a second-class home for itself, and with the
addition of the relatively small sum asked
by the Commissioners it can and will build
first-class structure, suitable for it's uses
and certain to stand for many years as an
ornament to the city and stimuIant to the
pride of all Washingtonians