The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-05-31

liked by the constitution OF 1870, beyond !
which there could be no further appro- |
priations unless sanctioned by vote OF
the people. The recent legislature ap-
propriated the sem of $53l,7l2 for the
COMPLETION OF the structure, subject to
popular approval, and now the building
committee of the senate and the house of
representatives make joint appeal to the
people to vote this money at the next gen.
eral election in November. There are
good many reasons why this appeal will
fail to exert any great influence on the
people, who will be governed in their &C
ton by entirely different considerations
We will enumerate some of them:
|. The committees Of the recent legisla-
ture can command no respect in themselves
| for the reason that they represent body
which deliberately forfeited all title to pub
lie confidence. While this is true in general
1t is particularly conspicuous in the case OF
all appropriations and the action in regard
| to the state house commissioners. The man
agement OF state house affairs had been so
inefficient, to speak within bounds. as to
| become notorious throughout the state
The legislature was forced to appoint
committee of Investigation. The evidence
taken by that committee confirmed the
worst that had ever been charged against
the state house commissioners and the
committee were constrained to recommend
that the board be abolished and the archi-
tect be dismissed. 1t was the least that
could have been done in Justice to the
people; yet, while no one pretended to
dispute the facts or justify the conduct OF
the commissioners, the legislature refused
to abolish the board or dismiss the archi
Cect. but even voted moneys beyond the
constitutional limitation on the plea OF
reimbursing the fund for drafts made
upon it that are alleged to haye belonged
to other appropriations. Such legisla
ature can scarcely hope to command a
very respectful hearing on the state house
matter in any phase.
2 This extra sum of $53l,7l2 will have
to be expended under the direction of the
very men who are responsible for exceed
ing the constitutional limit of expenditure,
md for all the mistakes. changes of I'll n.
!etectiye material, shabby work, and the
'ther abuses abundantly e, tablished IL
he recent investigation. The present
commissioners are now committed to Ger.
ain plans, ccrtain architects, certain
contractors, and their sense OF amour
prOpre is involved iu carrying out the gin
Gerhread style OF architecture and orna-
uentation TO which they are committed
daying been sustained by the legislature
l vote of more money by the people viii
Oe regarded by them as full Warrant
or indulging their own preferences
/ they will proceed with the work iu III,
same loose manner which has character
zed their former management, and which
has probably wasted a million dollars 0
t the public money. The people will hest
r fate before intrusting the expenditure o
any more money to these men,
3. Its exceedingly doubtful whethe
t he sum of $53l,7l2 will be sufficient Il
,. 20 complete the state house. 1t is certain
4 hat il is not enough to finish it and sub
'titute good, substantial work Tor thu
dlmsy AMI insecure work in certai
d alaces; this latter surely ought t
!. oe done before the fnish;n
3 touches are put upon the building. tn
II estimates for the completion of the wOr
y not including the substitution we spea
y Of ran up as high as $700,00O so that tn
= the present appropriation is manifestly il
y sufficient. Besides, the state-house con
q missoners have for years deceived til
s. public as to the moneys being expende
Is upon the building. They have give
q assurances over and over again that
. certain amount which they asked woul
N complete the structure, aud always tina
% It's cost should come within the constitu
10 tiOnal limit of $3,500,000; why shout
30 they be believed now, after their formt
~ receptions?
e f. The Legislature has already appr,
ic priated whether lawfully or not is que
~ tionablej sufficient sum fer protectiu
the building as it stands from the ravagt
Al Ol the weather or any more decay than I'll
:, ordinary wear and tear, 1t aread
If accommodates the state departments. an
10 is not lying idle on account fits unfinishe
condition. This consideration will Drol
20 ably induce the people to withhold tt
~ appropriation of more than half millC
es dollars that are asked for until after the
: San have scientific investigation of I'll
" structure which will show how much
IL the work must be done over to insure pu
te lie safety, and change in the commits
e. IiOners and architects who are to coDtr
&c the expenditure of further outlay
Chicago Tribune.
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If FALSE IMPRESSION. 1t is generally su