Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-03

canny Scotsman. Secretary Wilson
asked Congress for an appropriation for the
erection of new structure to house the person.
mel of the department. Congress granted GER
tain amount of money, but the amount appro-
priated for the proposed building did not meet
expectations. But Mr.. Wilson was not to be
outdone by any Congressman. Consequently,
he accepted the money appropriated for the
building, but used it for the construction OF
two large stone wings with great hole between
them Then Congress was forced to go ahead
and appropriate funds more nearly meeting the
wishes of Secretary Wilson for the erection of
a central building now practically completed, 10
fill the great gap that the willy "Tama Jim" had
lefs between the two separated parts of the
Department of Agriculture Building.
Mr.. Wilson was not only clever enough to
Jockey Congress into giving him exactly what
he wanted He has to his credit the accom-
plishment of feat that no other cabinet officer
has ever equaled. Mr.. Wilson holds the record
for cabinet service-16 years. No other Secre-
tary of any department has ever been in the
cabinet that long. MIR. Wilson entered the
cabinet in March, 1897, under President Nc
Kinley, and left in March, 1913, when President
woodrow Wilson commenced his first term.
"Tama Jim" Wilson was Secretary of Agricui-
ture under Presidents Mckinley, Roosevelt and
Taft-for four full Presidential terms.
THE way in which Secretary of Agriculture
James Wilson set about getting what he
wanted in the shape of department building
back in 1905 has characterized the growth Of
the department itself ever since its creation,
when it was taken from under the United States
Patent Office in 1862. Just as the two wings
were first constructed far apart, so the depart
ment had an original beginning chiefly as a
Weather Bureau. Later, similar to the way the
central portion is being placed between the two
wings. bureau after bureau was piled on the
department to bridge the gap between weather
and other matters that affect the welfare of
farmers. 1t Is an aggregation of bureaus and
other units scattered over Washington, and even
the whole United States. The United States
Department of Agriculture at the present time
affects such diStantly related subjects as the
purity of the medicine you buy for your cold
and alterations of the stock market.
And present plans call for adding to the build
ing now being completed in manner resem-
bling the way in which bureau after bureau has
been piled on the stone heap Of governmental
units known in the aggregate as the United
States Department of Agriculture. After the
new central portion is completed, which will
occur sometime in January, 1880, month or
perhaps more ahead of contract time, the de-
partment plans to attach to the main building
an extensible structure to the rear. The ex-
tensible building south of street southwest will
cover three entire city blocks, and will be built
in the same honeycomb fashion as the front
building In other words; first the extension on
one side win be erected in the rear and con-
nected with a bridge at the second story level
across street; and then the extenSible building
on the other side win be constructed Congress
has already authorized an appropriation for the
extensible building, naturalization of which
looms in the future
THE location for the first part of the building,
the two wings, was selected in highly ro-
mantle manner. The then President Roosevelt
and "Tama Jim" Wilson, back in 1905, were
walking over the premises to select spot for
the erection Of the two disjointed wings. While
the two were walking along, President Roosevelt
struck his walking cane on the ground, turned
on his heel, and said, Lay the corner stone
there"
1.-The central structure of the new Department
Of Agriculture Building is the most beautiful