The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-13
Total Tor the veck...........
Bring the Capital to New York.

The new Capitol i'm course of erection nj
Albany, if it is completed in accordance
with the original plans. will eat up about
seven millions, in addition to the five mil
lions already expended in reaching the
main story. When it is done, if the inten
sions OF the architect are carried out, IL
syill he us costly apile of stone and mortar,
DO put together ms TO secure ugliness and
nvoid beauty. and fail Of adaptation to its
practical uses, rs the history of building in
NIL times can show. Messrs. OLMsTED,
EIDLtTZ, aud RICHARDSON, forming board
of architects to advise the New Capitol
Commission, after modifying and correct
Ing the plans, show how the structure may
be finished by spending about four and
half millions more. and made less ugly and
more convenCnt-in fact, u fair sort of
Capitol after all.
The three architects have done their
work well, and If the new Capitol Mt Al
bany is to be finished, their suggested inn
provements OF the stupid design should
be adopted. But it should not be finished.
The true seat of Government of this
State is the city of New York,
and here should the Capitol build
Ing be situated For the four and a
half millions il will take to complete the
big structure at Albany suitable ele-
giant, beautiful, and sufficient Capitol could
be put up here, where it ought to be placed.
The foundations of the building ut AL
bany. upon which full five millions have
been lavishly spent. could then be put to
their best use, which is that OF stone
quarry from which to get the mate ial for
the Capitol TO be erected III this city.
The arguments III favor of making New
York the State capital are convincing.
This il tie real centre of the State, not
geographically, ii is true; that is u
matter of no account; but morally and
politically, financially and commercially.
Here is the fountain head of the State Of
New York. Hitler tend all its forces, and
hence go the streams of its vitality. AL
bany is town aside, n little inland place
of exile for all members of the legislature.
This circumstance has much TO do with
the lowering of the tone of the senate and
Assembly 1t Is a hardship to pass the
winter at Albany Us legislator. No man
Of consequence but feels II so. Ths result
j. that the better men all through the
State shrk the duty Of accepting legisla-
tive functions, and the Senators and As
semblymen are rs u rule picked out from
among the small fry of village lawyers and
cheap politicians, men us incompetent to
deal with the government of this great
commonwealth rs school boys with the
complicated details of vast moneyed cor
poTation.
Bring the capital to New York. and the
best men in the State will be glad TO be-
come legislators and gain the advantage
~ winters residence. with all the helps
of honorable and powerful official posi-
zion, in the resourceful metropolis. The
Legislature will then he right under the
eye Of vigilant and intelligent press, in
stead of rs now, at suoh distance from
Tie great newspapers which direct popu-
lar thought in the State aud in the nation,
that its proceedings fail of proper atten-
ton from them. The debates in the two
houses will then gain the importance
In the minds Of the public which
they deserve, first because able men
will take part in them; and secondly, be-
cause they will be conducted IN the hear
Ing Of journals competent to oriticise
them. As it now at Albany. the Legls-
lative debates are not much above the dis
cussions Of New England town meeting,
and attract very little attention from the
most intelligent, enterprising, and thought
full men in the State. Bring the capital to
New York and the Legislature will be q
light set ON hill, not lamp hid under q
bushel measure as II is now.
The best use, we repeat, TO which to put
the foundations Of the new Capitol build
ing is that of a quarry from which to get
stone for Capitol building to be erected
at New York.