Omaha daily bee., 1906-05-31
CRITICISM OF Mr.. WILSON
Action of Secretary of Agriculture in
Constructing New Building
Under Fire.

Under Fire.
WASHINGTON, May 30.-what members
of the house committee on appropriations
regard as an absolute disregard of the law
authorizing the construction OF the new
building for the department OF agriculture
is revealed in the hearings before the COM
mittee on the sundry civil appropriation
bill In 1903 congress appropriated $1,5OO,OOO
for this building. II was the general un-
derstanding that this appropria tion was
for the erection of complete building for
the accommodation Of the entire depart
ment. 1t was with kome establishment
that the members learned last week that
somebody" has ordettd the construction
OF two wings of what bay be some day a
completed building and that the two wings
have practically exhausted the 81, ,500,O00 ap-
propriated for a comhete structure.
The wings when completed will, accord
ing to testimony given before the commit
tee, be inadequate to house the department
force and congress will be called upon to
appropriate S2.0Oo.OOa to fill the space be-
tween the two wings.
Considerable Irritation was developed
during the hearings before the appropria-
tions committee and Secretary Wilson, DR..
Galloway and officials of the Agricultural
department were questioned concerning
what is said to be a direct violation of law
involved.
Engineer Gardner Testihes.
When F.. S. Gardner, mechanical engineer
of the Department OF Agriculture. testified
before the appropriations committee he was
asked if he knew the limit of cost of the
entire building and replied that he did
that it was s1,5OO,OOO.
Mr.. Gardner, continuing, said in reply to
further questions by Mr. Tawney that the
central administration building was not in
cluded in the limit Of cost; that # was
not even contemplated as yet, and that it
would have to be appropriated for at some
future time.
In reply 10 a question from the chair
man as to why the department did not con-
struct the building within the limit of cost
fixed by congress and I'm a manner that
would accommodate the department with all
Of it's various branches prescribed by
congress. Mr. Gardner answered that
they constructed within the limit of cost
exactly what they needed for their present
work and when their future work comes
UP they will have to put up other build
ings." * e.
Would Retain Present BuiIdiuE.,
testimony that the administrative work of
| the department would continue to be car
ried on in the present buildings, although
congress provided that it should be torn
| down. Further than that Mr.. Gardner
| said that the two wings in question We're
being constructed 'for laboratory pur-
poses"
do you know" asked Mr.. Tawney,
| who is responsible for the plans of the
building that is now being erected that
was authorized, accepted and approved?"
1.-THE secretary of agriculture" answered
Mr.. Gardner.
Mr. Gardner then testified that yS7. 900
worth of useless work had been done In
order that the site for the building might
be moved forty feet.
"on whose recommendation was the
change made?" asked Mr.. Tawney.
There was a meeting at the White
| House and Il was decided by the secretary
and the president that the building should
be moved-snd also a representative of the
park commission replied Mr.. Gardner
Mr.. Wilson on the stand.
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson was
questioned at some length by the COM
mittee and made long prepared state
ment in defense of the present construc-
ton.
How can you justify your positionP"
asked Chairman Tawney.
when you made your plan, if you be-
came satisfied that 81 1,5OO,OOO was not enough
should have thought you would have
informed congress before going on with
the plan you adopted"
you have a wrong idea IN your mind
there" said Mr.. Wilson we made a plar
TO exhaust Sl,5OO,0O0 We built in such
way that congress might add TO IT, and We
made no plans but for our buildings"
The secretary then went on to detail tho
great growth of the department and TO de
fend his course in erecting wings tina
might be added to, instead of erecting on,
building as specified by congress.
Dr. Galloway and Mr. Wilson, contradict
ing the testimony Of Mr Gardner, who hat
preceded them. insisted that the wing
would accommodate the administrativ,
force, but both admitted that they did no
contemplate tearing down the present ad
ministrative buildings as directed by con
gress.
Members of the committee assured MI
Wilson that they did not suspect his in
tegrity or take issue with his wisdom a
this time. but that they did not think h
had authority in law for what he had done
To a suggestion Of this kind the secretar
! tartly replied
You make a law without consulting
soul in .the Agricultural department wit
! regard to its necessities. The man VIII
drafted the law came pretty near the need
and MADE the most OF it,"