Speech #640208082

I move to strike 6ut the last word. I think the pending bill is a proper bill. so far as that is concerned. The Baltimoe immigration station is an illustration of what seems to be possibly careless methods of the Treasury Department. Under the publicbuildings act of June 25. 1910. we authorized the purchase of a site and .he erection of a building for the immigration station at Baltimore within the limit of cost of $130.000. Two years thereafter. by the act of July 20. 1912. we authorIzed the exchange of the site they had aleady acquired under the act 6f 1910 for this immigration station for another site. to authorize the depamtment to sell the old site and purchase a new one at a cost of $35.000. By the act of March 4. 1913. we Increased the limit of cost of the immigration station at Baltimore from $130.000. theretofore fixed. to $280.000. and authorized the purchase of a site and the erection 6f a building within the limit of $280.000. We also set aside a pirt of the Fort McHenry grounds as a site. authorized the Government to acquire an outlet from that site to thi city streets. and sell the site that had been previously purchase. By the act of July 17. 1914. we increased the limit of cost of $280.000 to $550.000. This immigration station has now had four acts passed and now requires a fifth. It started with a limit of cost of ..130.000 antid winds up with d limit of cost of $550.000. ind in every case we have followed.tie recommiendations of the Supervising Architects Oficein the Treasury Department. Yet every little while that office issues some pronunciamento telling how they. are guarding the inteiests of the Treasury. and that Congress. the profligate Congress. is squandering the money.