Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-04

the marine 6auO p1dye0 LIE 0CaI
.rce was raised on the new MuniciI
within and without, and its great posi-
bilities of usefulness. In this. as in all
other things. we are entering into the
labors of other men. We are fortunate
only with the eye of faith. We are for
tunate in having had the opportunity to
make the final efforts which brought the
thing to pass
Cost of Municipal Building.
I'm June. 1902. when Mr.. Ross and Col.
Biddle were still Commissioners, we got
the first legislation from Congress pro-
viding for the purchase of this site and
the erection of a building. the total cost
limited to $1.5OO.OOO and the site was
purchased for $3.50. 900. and the work be-
gun under the contract authorized for
the building. We had told Congress that
it would cost. including site. $2,50OOOJ.
and We subsequently succeeded in get
ting the limit of cost raised first in
1903 to $2,00O,00O, and then in 1905 to
900, 600
That latter year no new federal build
ing was authorized and no limit of cost
of any federal building was increased
throughout the United States, so that
the difficulty of getting the limit of cost
of this District building increased in order
to make 1t beautiful with marble instead
of having 1t common brick structure,
can easily be imagined Our friends in
Congress helped us cordially and none
more than the present Vice President and
the present chairman of the enate Dis
trict committee. whose service was like
that of the chairman of House committee
on public buildings and grounds at the
time of the earlier legislation
Good fortune has attended this under
taking during these six years since the
first act was passed. We were fortunate
in having the cordial cooperation of Sec
retaries Shaw and CortelyOu as members
of our building commission. We were
fortunate In having such architects as
Cope and Stewardson. winners in one OF
the finest competitions ever held, though
neither of the partners lived to see the
completion of this work. We were fOrtu-
nate in having as supervisors of construc-
ton Capt. Chester Harding and Capt.
William Kelly of the Engineer Corps OF
ing as the contractor James L. Parsons,
with whom 1t was a labor of love.
browning his career. and who reports no
fatalities and no strikes. But for delay
in Congress the building would have been
ready year ago.
Representative of Government.
Il have said that it typifies the results
of the present form of government 1t
will not please everybody and 1t doubt
less has its imperfections. For. like this
government. and every other government.
1t Is the product of the human brain and
bears the character of human nature.
But whatever criticisms may properly be
made upon the building, it is honest and
effective.
None of us has seen perfect man or
a perfect corporation. public or private.
ana none or US Will ever see one In this
world of incompleteness but we can say
of this man that he is the best we have
known, or that corporation that 1t is the
best In the country. AS our municipal
government is simply the largest corpora
ton In the District of Columbia, the one
business In which We are all stockholders,
a self-governlnent by public opinion, 1t is
our duty. as well as our right to criticise
its operations.
But we should be fair. even in self
criticism. We should take all the facts
into account. favorable and unfavorable,
and view them in the right proportion
ana with just consideration of all the
circumstances. Sporadic and infreauent
individual dishonesty or inefhciency, such
as occurs from time to time in every
business establishment. large or small.
ought not TO blind our eyes to the hon
esty and efficiency of the corporation as
of all the rest of its agents We should
acknowledge that 1t ID the best OF its
kind
We should not damage 1t by misrepre-
s Se'ts. :r SO impairing its prestige and
can be damaged by run. even though
the run had no better excuse than thai
one OF the tellers had defaulted. and the
gossips have been busy But we deal
sharply with sensation mongers who
Dring such run under such circum-
stances. The good name Of a CORPORATION
financial or municipal, is a large part Of
Its good will An individual suffers No
such damage from SANDER as a Corpora
ton. whose efficiency may be seriously
affected by 1t.
Government by the People.
We can confidently say to all tho
world that the government which IL tn be
housed In this building Is truly a gov
eminent OF the people, by the people and
Tor the people, that II has never had
that organized blackmail and corr,ption
which Is known elsewhere as graft, that
an honorable poverty has been the rule
as to its officers and employees, and that
Its practical results will satisfy any can
did observer who makes allowance for
the limitations of human nature. When
in individuals have appeared i has dealt
with them wisely and justly and will OF
course. continue to do SO.
Judging its future by its past, 1t will
continue to be the organ OF the people
in dealing with Congress- as well as the
agent of Congress. and of the people in
dealing with the affairs OF the District.
and will steadily lead In the progress of
the District. 1t will make mistakes and
1t will have its shortcomings.
But it will not be justly liable to the
adverse criticism constantly merited by
those municipal governments which are
controlled by partisan politics, and domi-
mated by bosses who exploit the people
business for their own personal gain, and
whose results are as different from ours
as night from day.
commissioners and citizens, working
together In harmony, have won the prog
ress which we see today. There are
greater victories for them ahead If they
continue together to strive in the same
spirit. Who can fully foresee the trf-
umphs Of the next fifty years when
Washington will cover the District of Co
lumbia. with a mighty population,
splendid beauty Of architecture and land
scape, a marvellous intellectual and spir-
itual life, when 1t will be in all respects
that most perfect capital for which we