Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1913-03-13
The Public Building.
(Communicated)
Charles Town, W. Va,


March 10, 1913
Editor The Virginia Free Press,
Dear Sir:-As one of the life long resi-
dents of this city Of Charles Town, l
read with great interest your editorial
last week on 4.The Pork Barrel Upset. :"
in which you discussed the appropria-
ton for a Government Building in our
city.
1t is simply monstrous shame that
money is SO wasted by the Federal
Government, and its Officers. Appro-
prlations of every kind are growing
larger and larger. Senators and Con-
gressmen who at home have never seen
more than a few thousand dollars a
year, vote public money away by the
millions, and the real fact is these men
have no idea what is meant by a mil
lion dollars, or a million population, and
utterly failao comprehend the meaning
of the word million.
Roosevelt while President squandered
more public money than any other man
who ever held the office. He sent the
fleet around the world which cost as
much as small war. He was Assis--
tant Secretary of the Navy when the
Spanish War begun, and did every.
thing in his power to bring about that
war which cost much money, and the
loss of many lives. When he left the
White House he owed $4,000 to one
railroad and 100000 to another for his
junketlng trips around the country,
The Departments recommend, and
Congress appropriates money for river
and harbor improvements in places
where there has been no navigation
for fifty years, and probably never will
be, and as matter of fact the money
is practically thrown away.
The Departments recommend and
Congress appropriates money to pay
such exorbitant rents in Washington
that in a few years the rented build
ings are more than paid for by the
Government. In one notable instance
the Government Is using an old building
at high-yent and has paid for it over
and over again. In fact Government
officers themselves are interested in
buildings that are erected to be rented
to the United States, and in some in
stances it is known in advance that
they are to be rented to the United
States for certain time at a certain
price
But / meant to have written more
directly about our new Public Building
here in Charles Town, and while we
realize that the United States will lose
money on it it every year, the law is
made to give us this building. and now
let us see to it that q sufficient active
public sentiment Is expressed to pre-
vent any real estate or political job
berry in locating the building.
1t should not be located with view
to profits of any particular owners of
real estate, or any adjoining real estate,
OF any particular real estate dealers,
but at place where it will most bene-
fit the largest number of people in
=
general
Some restrictions must be observed.
The building must be 40 feet from any
other building, must be on corner,
and it should be 40 feet from the street.
1t should be as far back from both
streets as the front of the Court House
is, and it should be on ground that is
not so high priced as TO prevent using
all that is necessary.
Let Us hope this building will be To-
Gated right, and that our people win be
unselfish in their views in regard to its
location. Truly yours.
OLD RESIDENT.
We think our Correspondent is rather
unjust to Senators and Representatives
in that they.-are as much the victims
of bad system as the other taxpayers.
If they could voice their own senti-
ments7 against the system IN general we |
think the abuse Would decrease. EIDE