Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/868

 700 The Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal. [May, culled, and put together, in an eclectic set of plans, elevations, and sections, by that original genius, who may Lave the " honor" of being their particular pet architect, as pre-arranged by these select men. The prize is his. and the crowd of competitors fall back to medi- tate on their own confiding short-sighted- ness, and the rascality of those, to whom the honor of an honest community is too often entrusted. As j'et, it is seldom those competition delusions are put forth here, to snare American architects ; but, in the few instances they have been temptingly hung out, the amount of bitter dis- appointment, which was the only return to those, who too liberally spent time, money and brains, upon designs, which they each fondly hoped would surely be successful, will leave its indelible mark upon their memories, and cause a bitter retrospect that may j T et prove salutary, when the crisis comes, as come it must, and the profession shall speak out, in fitting indignation against this hypo- critic cheat. This game is generally so adroitly plaj'ed, that, notwithstanding the bri- bery and corruption, which too fre- quently underlie the whole scheme, the surface seems as clear and inviting, as though no monster lurked beneath. The evils of this system, too mis- chievous to be utterly contemptible, were forcibly brought to light, lately, by an investigation in the Illinois State Legislature, at Springfield, connected with the building of the New State House. Whether the whole matter is a mere political muddle, it is not our busi- ness to enquire. But, we are certain there is to be very distinctly seen in it a most reprehensible spirit of unfairness, as far as the competing question is con- cerned. We trust, that the thorough ventilation of the whole affair will have at least the effect of warning those, who would, in future, be inclined to listen to the syren sweetness of those liber- ally disposed " friends of art," who hold out golden apples, rotten to the core, as inducements to them to enter into hope- less competitions. It is some consolation, to see that these schemes by unprincipled politicians and others to enrich themselves on the hon- est efforts of twenty competing archi- tects, involving some thousands of dollars of outlay, not to speak of the mental strain upon their inventive powers — are likely to be fittingly de- nounced, and the perpetrators of such frauds held up to public scorn. Is not this a time, for the profession, throughout the length and breadth of the land, to combine and unanimously resolve not to meddle with such com- petition invitations, in future, no mat- ter how glittering the knavish bait may be. If Building Committees do not think they can procure, from any one archi- tect, all that is requisite to make, what they consider to be a perfect design, let them also employ another and, if need be, another, paying these several gen- tlemen their full professional charges. Let them even select an architect, to work up into a desirable shape the dif- ferent ideas they have thus honorably obtained ; and all will be satisfied. At least no one will feel, that he has been defrauded and fooled. But, cannot Building Committees find one architect, who, of himself, will pro- duce such a design, as can, with due study, be made perfectly satisfactory ? It is not very complimentary, to the present status of the profession, if they cannot ; and we sa3 r, emphatically, that they can, if they will try. But it does not suit them. Every member ap- pointed on a building committee, or commission, has a friend, or a friend's friend, whom it is desirable to oblige ; and each has a certain amount of wire- pulling to do, in order to drag in the friend's " design" without reference to any practical claims, which that design may possess. Not a word about bri- bery.