Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-06-14
CAPITAL CHAT.
Prospects Of the Bill for
Public Buildings.
Drawn by BarthoIdt Of No.,
and Bur|eigh Of Maine.
How One Of Sessions Greatest Measures Is
Handled in Congress.

Washington, ID. c., June t.
Especial -Speakcr Cannon is almost
ready to give the word to Representa-
tivcs Bartholdt and Eurlcigh. chair
man and ranking Republican member
OF the House committee on Public
Buildings respectively, to bring out
their long awaited omnibus bill. They
hav.s been the two leading spirits in
framing up tina. popular measure,
which carries about So, 900 900 of gov
ernment money. The result Of their
work is more eagerly awaited than the
work Of any other committee on any
measure at this session of Congress.
rs 4 matter of fact Messrs. Bartlloldt
and Eurleigh spent tho most of their
time for the first two-thirds of this
session whipping that big bill into
shape. They poured over official
statements galore and heard numerous
claimants before the bill was shaped
up. 1t WAS completed and put away
in the committee files. where it has
been carefully guarded for weeks. No
one outside of the committee knows
exactly what the bill cont ins. although,
certain localities, in spite of all the
committee could do.
When the Speaker gives the word, az
he will dc probably this week. all
MessrS. Bartholdt and Burleigh have to
do is to reach into the files and bring
forth the precious roll of paper. 1t
has never been introduced yet. al
though there are scores of bills now
pending in the House, introduced by
various members, and covering prac-
tically every item in the omnibus bill.
The Speakers word once given, the ON
nibuS bill will be introduced. Repre-
sentative Bartholdt will perform that
duty, as he is the chairman of the
committee. The Speaker will forth
with refer it to the House Committee,
because officially he does not know
that the committee has prepared it and
agreed to it. The committee will so
through the formality of making a ia
vorahle report, but Messrs. Bartloldt
and Burleigh have already prepared
the report. 1t is written and IN print.
So the formality of the committee re-
porting it fayorably will not be ardu-
Gus.
There will probably be special rule
for the consideration of this bill, so
that there need not be long debate
uOoE its provisions and 50 that it cam
not be amended. AS 2 matter of fact
there is little danger of serious efforts
to amend it, because it has been drawn
to tale care Of the legitimate inter-
ests Of the government in every state
"
large measure the work Of Gov. Bur-
leigh. whose good business sense in
such matters was largely relied upon
by the committee.
So within short time after it has
been considered by the House the bill
will he on its way to the Senate, where
the committee will be quick also to
take it up. Some amendments may
be expected in that body, for Senators
always amend a measure OF that char
actcv. cut it will be disposed Of in an
afternoon or two over there AMI then
will so into conference. Mcssrs.
Bartholdt and EurleiGh Will be the
two Republican confcrecS on the part
lie building conference which Gov.
DUN Has Ijttl t1ClDdlcu III, DttduSt
this IS the first time since he was the
ranking Republican member of the
committee next to the chairman, that
a public building bill has been passed
by the House.
These measures are popularity re-
fcred to us pork bills AS 4 matter
Of fact the members of the committee
do not consider it a pork bill' III any
sense of the term. The name has
come down to U.S." said Gov. Burlcigh
today. from the time when such
measures were too often made up as
the result Of log rolling. rather than
after consultation of the needs of COM
munities for facilities in transacting
followed the committee in its work this
winter could but be convinced that we
have sought to put public buildings
only where they are urgently needed
and where the governments invest
mcnt will be profitable. We have tried
to put public buildings only where it
will be cheaper for the government to
have new buildings of its own than to
continue i'll present quarters or to pay
rent. You know it is q very serious
question whether, from the standpoint
of economical administration. it would
not ray the government to invest
great deal moro than we have provided
on this bill for public buildings
throughout the country. The govern
nlcnt has to pay high prices for rent.
In a large majority Of cases the inter-
est on the money required to erect
good building and the wear and tear or
such building amount to less annually
than the governments outlay for rent.
Notwithstanding Ibis we have to pro-
coed conservatively. for the Treasury
cannot stand the appropriation of too
large sums for public buildings and the
office of the supervising architect of
the Treasury, even if we authorized its
enlargement materially. could not con-
struct all the public buildings needed
in the Gnited States. for ten years"
Omnibus public building bills origi-
Continued on Page Tenn