Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-10-19
congressmen Arc BUSY.


From time to time during the past
two months representatives have found
occasion to visit Washington on Off.
cial business, and it appears that
nearly all Of them have called on j.
K. Taylor, In his office on the base
ment floor Of the treasury department.
Mr. Taylor is the supervising architect,
the man who takes the 100000 more
or less appropriated by congress and
in the course Of two years hands over
federal building all ready for the Gus
todian.
The congressman wanted to know
what the outlook was for something
doing in the public building line. On
the other hand Mr.. Taylor wanted to
Know the same thing. Mr.. Taylor said
he had discharged practically his en-
tire force. He let one gang Of nearly
hundred draughtsmen and clerks go
July /, and ten more last week and
said that in a short time, under pres
ent conditions, there will be no one
In the Office but himself and his mes
senger. When congress fails to ap.
propriate money for public buildings.
as it has the past two years. there ID Il,
nothing for the men In the supervising
missed.
Practically all the work in the hands
Of the architect has been completed,
and all of it in fact is completed or
in the hands of the contractors. In
Iowa the public building at Waterloo
is about finished and ready to turn
over to the government. In fact the
supervising architect has asked to
have custodian appointed. The GUS,
todian is always a federal officer: al
treasury official IL one is located In tho
town; otherwise the postmaster. Tho
roofs of the Marshalltown and Atlantic
buildings are being put on and at Bur-
lington work on an addition is being
pushed. So far as the Office of the su-,
pervising architect is concerned Iowa
has been wiped off the slate. The
same may be said Of every other
state.
Determined to Have Blli..
In reply to Mr.. Taylor's query:l
"What will congress do this winters
every congressman has said in sub
stance: tThere will be a public bliild-
/ ing bill or there will be trouble"
The congressman say, deficit or no
deficit, at the next session they pro-
pose to roll in few barrels Of pork"
They declare that steady menu Of
appropriations for the army, the
navy, the legislative, executive and
judicial, the sundry civil, agriculture.
postoff1ce. Panama canal, ETC.. is not
conducive to perfect political health
nor to the peace and comfort of the
masses Of the people, they must have
pork" occasionally. "Pork" In legis.
|lative parlance is an appropriation for
rivers and harbors and for public
buildings.
! Two years ago this winter. at the
long session, there was demand for
a public building bill. Speaker Can.
non was opposed to 1t. He said:l
Boys, put it off until next winter.
the demand upon the treasury is very
heavy, we want to keep the total
down, and then, this Is presidential
year and it is important to hurry
aloD- and adjourn early, really there
is not time to devote to public
building bill, anyway"
So the boys" pigeon-holei their
estimates and swallowed their dis.
appointment and passed the word out
to the people that the desired ap.
preparation for that public building
would be Forthcoming at the next
session.