The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-28
BIG BOND ISSUE
PLAN OF SCOTT
Continued from Page One.

Continued from Page One.
measure eontemplates a great saving to
the government in the item OF rents in
particular.
WetmOre Bill Important.
After my bill. should say that Sena-
tor Wetmore's bill, providing for a new
approach to the Capitol from Union Sta
ton, ought TO pass 1t is highly necessary
that the government obtain possession or
this property before it is improved. The
buildings now on It are of an inferior
character. and to buy this land now will
mean great saving. If this project goes
over for session or two expensive stone
and steel buildings win be erected on this
property. and when the government does
get ready TO buy the ground these newly
erected buildings will have 10 be bought
with it and torn down.
Il am in sympathy with Senator Hey
burns bill. and think It ought 70 pass
eventually, but If one Of the three meas
ures has TO wait perhaps 1t should be
this one. Senator Hepburn is quite in
sistent about his bill, however, and right
ly so. and there ought to be some way so
that all these public Improvements and
steps for the good of future generations
can be taken now. Contrasting the bills,
for instance and their provisions, think
all the old buildings in Pennsylvania ave-
nue. between Fourteenth and Fifteenth
streets and the Mall ought TO be cleared
away. and a building or buildings erected
on them at once for the Departments OF
State, Justice, and Commerce and Labor.
These departments have bureaus and
branches scattered all around in rented
offices, and the government is losing a
lot of money. The space is an ample one,
and not only these three buildings could
be erected there, IL the Cabinet officers
interested. who are named in the bill
as a commission 10 decide the question,
should agree that they want three separ-
ate buildings. but We could also put on
this big tract of land building for the
Geological Survey and freproOf
structure for the storage Of valuable gov
eminent documents and papers, the latter
being particularly soTely needed.
Money Government Is Losing.
The truth is. and it will be shown
when my bill comes UP. that the govern
ment is paying at the rate Of from 10 to
Il per cent annually OF the cost of build
ings needsa in rents alone. This is
ridiculous as a business proposition, for
the government can borrow money at .
per cent and get premium.
THE thing TO do is to issue bonds TO
the amount of about 100000. 600 at . per
cent, redeemable in from fifty to 100
years, so that future generations can
pay for the cost of the big new buildings !
needed here. These bonds could be sold /
from time 10 time as the money is needed. |
The cost Of all these improvements ought |
not be tax on the present generation, |
and that is one reason why Senator Hey |
burns bill. Senator Wetmore's bill. and 1
my bill, carrying S2S,500,O00, cannot all /
three be passed We ought not TO load /
down the present generation. Our sons 1
and grandsons will have more use Of /
these contemplated improvements than /
we have. and 1t is only right and just 1
that they should pay for them We can /
begin the work, it is true, and We ought /
to, but we ought not to erect IN this city /
a single building that viii not last for at
least 200 years.
4 have had some conversation with /
Senators and Representatives and other
public men. and il may be that the plan |
of a bond issue will be taken up and /
pushed through. There is every reason
why members Of Congress should go at /
the question of Improvement in an ethical
and material way of the Nations Capital
with all the vigor at their command
ScOtt's Interest in City.
While answering the questions which /
brought out the above views. Senator
Scott alluded to his wen-known interest
in beautify:ng the city.
Take. for instance" he said the
ground on Sixteenth street, opposite for
mer Senator Henderson's place. This Is
one Of the most desirable sites in the
Capital. and the government ought to OBJ
tain possession Of 1t. now. before specu-
lators get hold of 1t, knowing that the
will some day want It. The
ought to buy this ground
within forty-eight hours. It is an ideal
place for public park, and so situated
as to high slope that it could be turned
into beautiful terraced pleasure ground.
There is perhaps no one thing that
could be done in Washington that would
so materially aid in identifying the CITY
as to take this ground on Sixteenth street
and make it over into gardens. like they
have at the Peterhof. twenty miles out
of St Petersburg. The ground Is more
suitable for this purpose than that at
the Peterhof. because there is a deeper
slope. Eight or ten terraces could he
built. with a long incline. down which
fountains could play, and these could be
made much more attractive than those at
Peterhof
with a bond issue OF $780, OOO, 900 for fu-
ture generations to pay, we could carry
out the growing idea of making this the
most beautiful city in the world. and we
would not be ashamed when we laid down