The Washington times., 1906-04-30

MONDAY. APRIL so. 1905.
Economy as Well as Progress.
The Senate bill for the erection
of new office buildings to house the
Departments of State, Justice, and
Commerce and Labor. is now before
the House. It is expected to en-
counter trouble there. Not because
the great body of the House of
Representatives ices not favor the
proiect-its members are almost
unit in desire TO provide suitable
homes for all the bureaus of the
Government and make them con-
form to a broad plan for the de-
velopment of the American Capital.
The objection is that some of the
House leaders fear to add so large
an avoidable outlay to the total of
the appropriations TO be made by
this Congress.
As a matter of fact, as this paper
pO4hNEh OuN Win d4A ilAC plANlA1lCHS
at it's command in its issue of
March %, the measure is really
means of economy. The amount
carried by the present bill is S3,OOO,-
600. much of which is to be spent
on acquiring the admirable site Sc
lected by the Senate and on draft
ing preliminary plans. The whole
sum to be expended on the two
buildings which the Senate eontem-
plates is 81, 10000 600
Two of the three departments af-
fected by this project alone pay out
now for rent and extra cost of ad-
ministration enough to make the
purchase of ground and the con-
struction of buildings ror them
profitable investment. The account
stands:
For rent
Department of Com
merce and Labor r---... S53. 499 so
Department Of Justice. .. 500 90
For extra cost Of administration
Department of Com
merce and Labor-....$6 .$6e, 900 90
Department of Justice. $1,000 %
Total ...........................f7S.2s .2s9 50
That aggregate represents, at the
Governments borrowing rate,
principal of So, ,3S4.2OO. The estimate
of the whole sum required TO buy
the ground designated and con
struct upon it one or more build
ings sufficient to accommodate
these three departments and suited
specially to their uses is only
S7,OOO,OOO. In this connection The
Times has already pointed out that
this calculation of economy and
business-like administration was
specifically urged on the Senate com
mittee by Mr.. Dryden of New Jer-
sey, a business man accustomed to
the consideration of business prob
lens from the business point of
view.
House leaders who fear the effect
of 100000 addition to the total
of this sessions appropriations will
do well to consider that calculation
1t will stand consideration; and it
viii appeal to the country.
But If the proposal were not re-
enforced by such an extraordinary
showing of present extravaganza,
Congressman need not fear the dis
approval of their constituents when
the project is to house the Ameri-
can Government in buildings
worthy of its dignity. They want
their CapitaI-not the seat of Con-
gress or the residence of the Presi-
dent, but the Capital Of the Ameri-
can people-to reject fairly and
reasonably their national success,
their national prosperity, and their
national self-respect. Congressman
who sound those people will find
mighty little political capital in re-
stricting the adornment of the Cap
ital City-and most of our Senator's
and Representative not only know
that to be the case, but support
the opinions of their constituents
with unaffected and sincere conyic-
tiOns of their own.
NJ