The Washington times., 1905-01-14
Mr.. Hough Favors It.

most stringent supervision"
Mr. Hough Favors It.
George A. Hough, secretary of the
Master Builders Association, is de-
termined advocate of the bill, believing
it to be a boon to the contracting and
constructing business rather than a
burden 1t is his opinion that opposi-
ton to the measure is based entirely on
false grounds, a wrong conception of
its purposes having become general
among the smaller builders of the city.
Il have made an exhaustive study OF
the bill, : said Mr.. Hough. land so far
as 1 can see, its opponents are laboring
under a false impression. The bill was
never intended to establish a monopoly
on the building industry in Washington.
Such a thing not once entered the minds
of the projectors. 1t will impose hard
ship on no one, except the men who
aren't competent to be builders.
Indeed. it seems ridiculous to those
who know the real objects of fhe bill
to hear the statement that il will work
a hardship on smaller builders and at
the same time be of great advantage
and profit to the bigger contractors.
There is positively nothing 20 back up
such an impression. What is a benefit
| to one will be benefit TO all.
Where Shoe Pinches.
THE sentiment seems to prevail also
that the examinations which would be
necessary for a builder to undergo be-
fore he could obtain a license would be
theoretical and not a genuine test of j
mans knowledge of building What
grounds are there for this belief? 1t
is purely n matter of speculation, and
in trying to predict something that
h1DDPn N nf he
measure have taken the gloomy view of
things.
1T is expressly stipulated in the bill
that the board of examiners should be
composed of architects and builders who
have had practical experience in their
profession. The appointment OF its mem
trict Commissioners, and it surely can
be supposed that these officials would
discharge their duty with integrity
again, there is nothing to indicate
that the examination would be theo-
retical or technical. Personally, I be-
lieve a thorough knowledge of the build
ing regulations would be sufficient to
pass anybody. And a builder who isn't
| converSant with the regulations which
govern his work should not be given i
license to compete with thoroughly re-
liable and competent men.
Stop No Competent Man.
In other words, If man is compe-
| tent to build a house he should not be
| unwilling to submit to an official test Of
| his knowledge Complaint seems to
come principally from those who fear
| they aren't qualified to pass an eXar1ina-
ton. But If a man has been in the
! building business for seven or ten years,
as great many claim they have, it
seems that it wouldn't be asking too
| much OF him to tell how a house Is
! built
''As for here being a trust among
master builders OF the city, the state
lnent IS too absurd to be given serious
consideration. l wish to go on record
/ as saying that the master builders have
+ TO desire to down anybody. II the ex-
aminauons would be of a Theoretical:
Isature they would be just as likely to
/ kick as anybody else.
The sentiment among master builders
Is simply that the proposed 1egisla tion
/ would raise the standard OF the profes-