The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1868-02-27
The state House Again.

of the proposition to build magnifi-
cent State House, modestly put down
at million and a half; but (which will
inevitably bleed the people out Of
three millions, with an alacrity and
zeal not to be considered very re-
markable in heorgan ofa town that
expects to realize the drippings from
this gigantic grab, and whose proper
ty is to be greatly enhanced in value
by the erection of such costly pile.
The statements made by the Reg
lister, and which will be banged into
the ears of members with renewed
violence and chatter, upon their re-as-
sembling, about the inadequacy of
the present building; its danger of
falling down; its shabby character
&c., &c, are in the main grossly exag.
gerated. The comfort Of the Halls,
the capacity Of the Offices, and its
general arrangements, are, Of course,
not Just such as the great State Of
Iowa deserves; neither will such a
building as we would erect now, be
sufficient for our wants, and to graft.
fy our State pride, and vanity, ten
years hence. We venture to predict
that if the present plan is adopted,
and the Commissioners are appoint
ed and they 60 ahead without limit,
and build the proposed Capitol, that
in ten or fifteen pears from now the
same clamor will be set up, about the
cramped up shabbiness Of the propos-
ed building, by the same greedy crew,
whose palms are itching so now for
| their share OF this public plumber.
If the foundation ofthepresent build
ing is about to give away, let an appro-
priation DO made sufficient to put in
| 4 new one, and while they are about
it, let one of the apartments be con-
structed into a fire proofvault, to con-
| tain the valuable archives, and then
let us have thousand or two dollars
appropriated and putintothe hands Of
q committee, to receive plans and
specifications to be laid before the
next legislature, which can accept,
or reject them, after thorough
discussion, and if by that time, we
have got out of the woods on recon-
struction and on to the hard psn on
finances, we can afford to talk about
gorgeous State Houses running up into
millions.
i The building is better and more
comfortable in every respect, than
ninety-nipe out of every hundred of
the people occupy at home, and we
presume the same remark will hold
as against the members, who prob
ably make the most fuss about its
ventilation, and other defects. Mean
time we propose for a nominal consid-
GRAFTON, to take the contract of fur
nishing full kit Of state and legisla-
tive officers, from Governor down to
the humblest scullion about the State
House, who shall be with all due re-
spect to the present occupants) fully
their equals in ability, who will lake
their places, two years from now, and
; who can be induced without much
importantly, to worry through their
terms ofofice in the present "rick-
ETY., shabby building, in considera-
: ton of their per diem, and the honors
: attached, including the usual amount
} of postage stamps, forty newspapers
f per week, or their equivalent, and the
indispensable Supreme Courtreports.
The Republican party has already
: upon it's shoulders the odious burdens
!, of the populations and blunders Of
. the innumerable hosts Of thieves and
skalawags who graduated as first
!. class plunderersin the Democratic'pal
a ty, and who now stick to us closer
!, than death to q dead Niger, for pur'
, poses OF public plumber, and we have
again to assure our party leaders in
the legislature, and elsewhere that
the great public are getting their dan
der up, and becoming FESTIVE under
the weight Of taxation, and that the
; only way to sustain the good health
, and Long life Of the noble old Repub'
lican party, is to kick these pirates
. overheard, and come down on the
, breaks, and set their faces like steel
against allmannes of supsrfuous, and
unnecessary public expenditures, un
: til we see whether we are walking OF
} riding on the great financial and POI
: litical questions Of the hour, and
+ whether we have o government
! among us Or not.
Grants Habits.
a Temperance Republican, on tht
: anxious seat, about Grants habits, or