Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-05-31
WILSON Is CRITICISED
Secretary Of Agriculture Al
legged to Have Disregarded
Terms Of Appropriation
MILLION AND HALF SPENT
Congress Said to Have Intended That
Complete Structure Should Be Built
for That Amount, but Only Two
Wings of Proposed Building Have
Been Built.

Washington, May 31-What MEM
pers of the house committee on APP
preparations regard as absolute disre-
gard of the law authorizing the con-
partment of agriculture is revealed in
the hearings before that committee on
the sundry civil appropriation bill
In 1908 congress appropriated ST.
100000 for the building. 1t was ger
orally understood this amount was
for the erection of complete build
ing for the accommodation of the en-
tire department 1t was with some as
constituent that members learned last
week that somebody" has ordered
the construction of two wings of what
may be some day a complete build
ing. and that the two wings have prac-
tieally exhausted the million and a
half dollars appropriated for the COM
ple;ion of the structures.
Moreover, their establishment was
not lessened when they were inform
ed that the two wings when complet-
ed will not begin to accommodate the
force of the department. The wings
when completed, will, according to the
testimony given before the committee,
be inadequate to house the department
force and congress will be called upon
to appropriate another couple of mil
lions to fill the space between the
wings.
Considerable irritation was develop
ed during the hearing before the APP
preparation committee, and Secretary
Wilson, DR.. Galloway and officials of
the agricultural department were
questioned concerning what is said to
be direct violation of the law in
volved. f. S. Gardner. mechanical
engineer of the department, admitted
he knew the cost of the completed
building was limited to $1500,00O, and
that the central building necessary TO
connect the two wings was not in
cluded in this limit; also that it will
require another large appropriation to
complete the structure
Answering a question, Gardner said
the secretary of agriculture was re-
sponsible for the plans Of the building
now being erected. Gardner said $751;
600 worth of useless work was done in
order that the site for the building
might be moved forty feet.
"On whose recommendation was the
change made?" asked Tawney. There
was a meeting al the white house and
it was decided by the secretary and the
president, and also a representative of
the park commission. that the building
Sh ho
An admission was secured from Gard
ner that the ends of the two wings
which would connect with an admin
istration building, if one were con-
structed, were rot to be finished in
marble.
Secretary Wilson was questioned at
some length before the committee and
made long prepared statement in de-
Tense of the present construction. Will
son said that the buildings were ar
ranged SO as to use up the $1,500,0O0
appropriated and planned so that the
congress might add to them. He in
sisted these wirgs should accommo-
date the administrative forces.
Members Of the committee assured
Wilson they did not suspect his in
teSIlly VI TAKE issue Will lllS WlSuOll
at this time, but they did not think
he had authority in law for what he
had done The secretary tartly re-
piled: "You MAKE a law without con-
sulting soul in the agricultural de-
partment with regard to its necessities.
The men who drafted the law came
pretty near the needs and made the
most of it,