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.ÿþthe gilded age, 1875 1894 141the bill, describing it as a law that shall place this nation abreast ofother and older nations in their wise provisions for the erectionof public buildings. 86 However, there was disagreement over aspectsof the supervising architect s tenure, the compensation paid to win-ning competitors, and the composition of the board.The aia re-sponded by introducing its own version of the legislation.As a contribution to these discussions, Bell and Rufus H.Thayer,law and contract clerk in the Supervising Architect s Office, preparedthe first published account of the office, History, Organization, andFunctions of the Office of the Supervising Architect of the TreasuryDepartment with Copies of Reports, Recommendations, etc., issued in1886.Among other items, the Thayer publication noted that numer-ous plans had surfaced in recent years concerning the system forprocuring designs for federal buildings.All of them, however:failed to give proper consideration to essential elements peculiarto public works as distinct from private works.It is not, there-fore, safe to assume that the experience of private architects hasgiven them as a body, or individually, the expert knowledge whichfits them entirely for the disposition of this important matter as awhole.87These peculiarities, beyond the control of the supervising archi-tect, included methods of appropriating funds for building projects,the need to make a permanent record of the Office s work, the needto follow government regulations, the temporary status of superin-tendents and draftsmen, and the effects of partial appropriations onthe cost of construction.A simultaneous study of the Supervising Architect s Office, con-ducted by three Treasury Department officials, reinforced the notionthat competitions would be too cumbersome and expensive to ad-minister.The examining committee recommended instead that theoffice employ:a suitable number of architects of the highest standing at what-ever salaries may be necessary to secure their services.TheGovernment needs, and will need for years to come, the continu-ous services of competent architects to prepare plans and designsfor the numerous costly buildings to be erected.The simple busi-ness-like course seems to be to employ by the year the best menthat can be obtained for the purpose.88
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