Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-22
Back the Chamber of Commerce

eminent money expended here for the
| purchase OF a site which to provide the
! additional postal facilities the city EFFICIENTLY
| needs. ii must support with unfinching
loyalty. the stand taken by the Chamber Of
! Commerce. In such a case dissension is
| worse than unfortunate--it is ridiculous and
I wholly destructive of every chance of success
1t ought not to be forgotten that this ap-
| preparation is due i'll large part to the initia-
! tive of the officers Of the chamber. When
! the matter was first suggested, other
| course than the extension Of the present
building was contemplated even consid-
cred There was no suggestion from any
one that new postofce should be erected
on some other site. At the instance of the
Chamber Of Commerce. Congressman Monta-
que introduced the appropriating measure
and invited to Richmond the members Of
the House Committee on Public Buildings
They we're entertained by the Chamber of
Commerce and so convinced that the need of
increased postal facilities was, in fact ext
gent that they went back to Washington and
authorized Mr. Montague to report the bill
laVorably, recognizing in the report its strict
~ emergency character. With this backing
and through the efforts OF Mr.. Montague and
Senators Martin and Swanson the measure
was passed through the House and Senate
we cannot help feeling that if the owners
OF the several parcels of land included in the
Eleventh, Main and Bank Street site had
shown more conciliatory dispositions
larger Willingness, in the first place to make
price concessionS-the transfer TO the gov
eminent already would have taken Mace
Men are very human creatures, after ALL and
II 1t was natural for the owners Of this prom
erty to seek to get all they could for their
land IL was natural also for agents of the
government to resent what they regarded as
an effort TO overcharge them.
When lad obtains from his father after
many persuasions, dime with which 10 buy
particular top, and the proprietor of the
toyshop swears he will not part with that
article for less than 3 cents, the boyish i'm
agination turns quite nvountarily to con
slderation of IA possible substitute Mingled
also with the boys desire to crafty his i'm
mediate need is an angry discrimination 70
deprive the too businessike toyman of the
DenehtS or MS custom. Sometimes the pur-
chase of post-ofice site is very like that
and men, after all, are but children of a
larger growth
In this case however, there is a distinction
that is vital, for in the view of the Chamber
or Commerce, deliberately expressed on
many occasions, no other site will answer
Richmond $ postal needs well as that for
the purchase OF which money already has
been appropriated. The chamber stands
neither ior the owner Of the property nor
inc disgruntled agents of government II
mas never approved the price at which the
property first was held, hut which has been
scaled down perceptibly within the last few
weeks It's only thought has been of Rich
= mohd advantage and of Richmonds need
us whole course in this community affords
ample evidence OF its capacity to appreciate
and its unselfish determination TO advance
the communitys real interests
Fortunately, there is a method by which
price differences. if after further conference
they persist may be adjusted The con-
domination courts lie open to the govern
ment, and the owners of the property in cues
hoh nave announced that they would well
come condemnation proceedings That is
the method the Chamber Of Commerce an
proves. The finding of the jury moreover. is
not binding on the Treasury Department for
If ii considers the price fixed too high II still
may refuse to purchase
Senator Martin and Mr.. Montague agree
that no bill. permitting the expenditure else
where or the money appropriated for the
Eleventh and Main Street site can be Dassed
at the present session Of Congress Whether
il can be passed at any session in the imme-
date future is at best highly doubtful
Wherever the money for a site is spent if
VIII be some years before any new building
is erected. If the property adjoining the
| present post office is acquired, the buildings
/ that now occupy it may be used to decrease
congestion until an appropriation can be oh
tanned and work begun.
Everybody In Richmond agrees that this is
'ime when citizens must get together" the
Only difference OF opinion being as to the
place and manner in which that desirable
process shall be contaminated We are for
the Chamber OF Commerce. and a determined
J purpose TO convince the government that
| what the chamber asks is what Richmond
wants. needs and must have
| The New York World says that Woodrow
! Wilson'S denomination is Democracy's only
I hope. Well gentlemen il that is the case
here's hoping,
wonder that some investigator hasn't de-
tected the fine hand of the walters union in
the present vogue of 'Tippcrary"
The Turks seem TO be after the Austrian
defeat record