The Washington herald., 1912-05-05
UNCLE SAM is A PATRON OF GOOD
ARCHITECTURE AND THE FINE ARTS
James Knox Taylor, Supervising Architect
Of the Treasury, Tells of Work
Now Being Done.

I are going ahead regardless OF the local
building regulations. The tower win
really transform the old Greek temple
into q skyscraper.. We also have q
slxyscraper IN Chicago. All Of our other
/ buildings throughout the country are
OF conventional height, though they are
not alike architectunally.f
Doesn't the expense Of maintaining a
building. together with the interest on
its cost make Uncle Sans rent bin
pretty larger
s'Unquestionabiy. As a business propo-
sltion simply. no public building pays
BY way OF illustration. let me give you
little arithmetic concerning supposl-
ticnsi town that has a post-ofhce costing
$4,000. The interest on that sum Of
money at per cent, the government
Light. heat. water, repair. and janitor
service would be from $500 to 1900. At
the lowest reasonable estimate. the build-
ing would cost the government 1850 a
year Ordinarily storeroom large
enough and good enough IN every way
for the post-offiee could be rented for
$500
But you must recollect that public
building is not IA business enterprise, no
matter IL Il Is located m a small city or
IN Washington and is used as 9 meeting
the President Public buildings are
speaking witnesses. OF the power. dignity.
and greatness Of the country. There are
Sc 0o0. 900 Americans. Not more than one
IN every hundred OF our people ever
gets 10 see the city Of Washington. The
|ninety-nine who stay at home, I venture
to say. have only a hazy notion Of the
authority. solidarity, and wealth Of their
own government.
Washington Loses Its Mystery.
ITO them, the government in washing
ton Is far away, intangible and even mys-
terious. It is brought TO their very
doors. however. when. a public building
is located in their vicinity. They see It's
substantialness and likewise they see
the American nag waving daily from its
staR in the breezes. The building. we'll
kept, solidly built. and impressive, be-
comes to them a center Of the national
government They pay taxes. they viii
never get to Washington, as have said.
and the building Is the only visible re-
turn they will ever receive for the money
taken from them for national purposes
'srhen we should remember that there
are millions Of foreigners in the United
States. They have come from countries
where government is constantly observ-
able and where II makes itself felt to
the humblest citizen. They were accus-
toned to public buildings at home and
to officials IN uniforms, with gold braid
on their caps. Coming here and settling
in or near Western town, they find the
United States attorney in shabby room
over a butcher shop. the United States
marshal above a dry goods store. and
the postmaster between a saloon and an
undertaking establishment. This Is
H. Of a country they say to them
selves in their own tongue. The gov
eminent is scattered and meanly housed.
and the immigrant concludes that the
National Capital must be cheap. i'm
clean. weak. and poor.
''Well, the immigrant. let Us imagine.
stays here and prospers- His sons go to
school. They are bright boys. having
been taught that 30 per cent of genius