New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-03
TNCLE SAN, RENTER.

The statement that the United States
government pays an amman rental ioI
land and buildings within the District OF
Columbia of about S46o,oO Will prob
ably surprise most persons, VINO are llheiy
to take it for granted that in Washing
ten, at least. the government owns al
the land needed for its use and has CON
structed all the buildings required TO
house tho executive departments. Inc
Government owns no land in the District
Of Columbia on which public buildings
might be erected, with the exception OF
certain parks. notably that knoWh as
the Mall. and naturally there is oppo-
sition to the use as sites for buildings
Of parks which. in a steadily growing
civ like the national capital, are more
and more needed as breathing places
and for the purposes of recreation.
From time to time Congress author
ICES the purchase Of building sites, al
ways at higher prices than We're asked a
few years earlier. and 1t is dlhicult 10
perceive any wisdom in constantly post
pOnine the acquisition or needed iano
when such postponement lnvarlanly en-
tails greater expense to the government
albeit with greater profit to owners and
SPECTATORS The government can Dor
row money at 21a per cent, and prob
ably when the postal savings bank Is IN
full operation it will have an abundance
AFT its disposal at per cent. Of course,
neither land nor buildings can be rented
at anything like that rate of interest.
Moreover. the rented buildings are al
most invariably inadequate and some
times remarkably announcement, SO much
So that their use entails considerable IN
crea sed EXPENSE in doing business.
Another evil of the rented building is
the ever present danger of the destruc-
ton of valuable government RECORDS.
This phaSe of the situation Is empha-
sized by the fire which occurred on
August ! in the, building occupied by
the Geological Survey. Aside from the
first floor. the entire building is occu-
pied by the Survey, but the List noor
* devoted to stores over which the sur
vev has no control. and in one of which
the latest fire occurred. The chle1 Dusl-
ness of the Geological Survey is the max
ing Of Geographical maps of the thlted
States. The plates Of maps already
made are stored in the building, and all
the vast array Of data, gathered at vast
expense, for the making Of future maps
is also kept there. Its library contains
more than $1,000 volumes OF SeoloSlcal
literature n collection probably unique
in the world There are also some 3D.
calc,1Iahle amount of incomplete ma
teriaI. And yet five times since 1913
this valuable collection has been
menaced by fire. III each instance the
FIRE has been brought under control pc
fore grave damage was inflicted, but the
danger still exists and must continue
IS long as a rented and unsuitable build
ing is employed to house the Survey
Fortunately. Congress at It's last SEES
sion took the preliminary steps toward
the construction Of suitable building,
authorizing the preparation of plans, al
though it will doubtless be some years
before the Surrey is properly, collyeh-
iently and safely housed. The war De
partment occupies, besides part OF the
State. War and Navy Building, long out
grown. Anticipated, unsanitary and, i'll
one instance, condemned buildings. The
Department of Commerce and Labor Is
housed entirely in rented buildings The
Department Of Justice occupies a num-
Ter of old dwellings, i'll suited to us
purposes. and the list might be con-
tinued almost indefinitely.
Certainly no business man In his
senses would continue the penny wise
and pound foolish policy which Congress
employs IN its provision for the mate
rial needs of the executive departments