Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-21
MEMORIAL TO LINCOLN
Controversy Over the QueS-
ton of Location.
CANNON'S PLAN OPPOSED
Site in Front of Union Station
Favored by Him.
ARCHITECTS DIFFER WITH HIM
They Indorse the Proposition of the
Park Commission-Educa
of Official Taste.
ARCHITECTS DIFFER WITH HIM
BY WILLIAM F.. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM F.. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
The education of the government in art
and the cultivation Of the official taste In
architecture is progressing. Not only has
there been a decided improvement in the
design OF public buildings throughout the
country during the last few years. as any
one may judge by comparison. but the
officials of the government. from the
President down. are showing greater
appreciation Of the importance of securing
proper designs and enlisting the services
of critics whose taste and Judgment are
cultivated beyond that OF the ordinary
official.
And now we have the President of the
United States recommending the appoint
ment Of thirty artists and architects as
a commission to be consulted by the ofi-
Gals of the executive departments and
by the committees of Congress. He even
favors the establishment of a bureau OF
art as recommended by the American
Institute of Architects, to exercise a sor'
Of censorship over the building and other
services may be necessary. That Is a lone
step from the conditions which existed
here a few years ago.
The first attempt to secure competen,
advice in the construction or pubic
buildings was the passage of law about
fourteen years ago. introduced by Mr..
Tarsney Of Michigan. which required tne
Secretary Of the Treasury to secure
plans for public buildings by compel
ton. Secretary Carlisle refused to en-
force the law. He took the ground that
such interference with his business could
not be tolerated, and that his supervis-
ing architect, Mr.. O'ROurke. was per-
fectly competent to design and erect the
buildings authorized by Congress without
any outside assistance or advice.
Architects Protest.
Having been thoroughly snubbed by the
Secretary of the Treasury, the committee
appointed by the American Institute de-
cided to bring matters to crisis. The
committee consisted Of Daniel II. Burn
ham of Chicago, president Of the insti-
tute: Richard NJ Hunt. William Sergeant
Kendall and Charles F. Mckim. four OF
the ablest of American architects, ana
these gentlemen joined in a letter 10 sec
rotary Carlisle calling his attention to
his violation of the law that government
buildings should be erected upon plans
selected through competition among the
architects of the country. AS an lliustra-
ton they referred to the designs MADE
by O'Rourke, who was more Of poll
tician than an architect. for new Lederal
building at Buffalo, calling the attention
of Secretary Carlisle to the fact that
there had been no competition anu that
the design was so inferior and SO un-
worthy of the government that the Oh
rectors of the institute believe 1t to be
their duty to their profession and to the
whole community to protest.
amy structure of the general char
acter of the design represented by the
building in question" continued the
committee IF carried into execution,
will be found absolutely wanting in the
fundamental elements which go TO
make public building. and will DE
condemned by the community. We,
therefore. respectfully urge that you
use your power to prevent the con-
struction Of this design
The answer to this letter was most
extraordinary document to be signed
by a member of the cabinet. but 1t was
only one of many of a similar tone
that came from the Treasury while Mr.
Carlisle was Secretary. 1t read as fol-
lows:
washington. d. c.. March II. 1904.
Mr.. D. II. Burnham. president American
can Institute of Architects.
Sir: Your very offensive and unSen-
tlemanly letter Of the 9th inst. is just
received, and you are informed that
correspondence with you upon the sub
ject to which it relates. or any other
subject. Very respectfully,
81. G. CARLISLE. Secretary.
The American Institute of Architects
has been treated with much greater re-
spect since Mr.. Carlisle left the Treasury.
and its influence has been felt in the cree
ton Of government buildings in every
part of the country. President Mckinley
and President Roosevelt, with the MEM
advice of the members of that organiZa-
ton on many occasions, and have inva-
riably been gratified with the result.
Attitude Of Congress.
The institute, however, has not been
able to exercise so great an influence in
Congress. Its recommendations have re-
ceived little attention from the House of
Representatives, but have been more high
ly regarded in the Senate. 1t is not
probably that Congress at this session will
take any action upon the Presidents ap-
pointment Of commission of thirty or
for the establishment of a bureau of art,
but the next President is a firm believer
in the policy which President Roosevelt
has pursued toward the improvement OF
public and private architecture and the
and he will undoubtedly renew the recon-
mendations.
Senator Newlands has introduced a
bill to carry out the Presidents plan.
provinces LOT Tie 81 d
bureau of buildings and fine arts, to
take the place of the supervising arch!-
tect's Office Of the Treasury, with very
much enlarged powers and jurisdiction.
1t is to have supervision of locating, de-
signing and erecting all public build
ings. the treatment and establishment
of parks, the location of statues and
monuments. It also provides for the
appointment Of a council of thirty ar
chitects, painters and sculptors. which
shall initiate and direct the policy of
the bureau. This will be the control
ling authority and the bureau will
carry out it's directions.
Architects Against Cannon's Plan.
The American Institute has taken
strong grounds against a plan attrib-
uted to Speaker Cannon, which has
been reported with a bill from the
House committee on library This pro-
poses to eXpend $3.50 600 for the rur-
chase of thirty-six acres of land be-
tween the new Union railway station
and the Capitol grounds, and the ex-
penditure Of $1.0O0.OOO for the erection
of memorial to Abraham Lincoln. 80
be as noble and as impressive as the
monument to Washington" as Mr.. Nc
Call of Massachusetts, puts it in his re-
port. The Burnham commission recon-
mended the purchase of an additional
block of ground on all sides of the Can
itol SO Is to extend the grounds and
give better perspective, but Mr. Nc
Call and the House committee on liz
brary. with the approval of Speaker