Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-07-16

The Governor and the Capitol Contract.
II the capitol syndicate concludes to
accept the amended contract, it will
probably be presented TO the governor
this week for his approval As the
time draws near for this decisive step
intert-. in the course Of his ekcellency
increases. Notwithstanding the all
but positive ASSURANCES that he would
approve the change, made 10 GA
zErrE reporter the evening II was
agreed to, some people still affect to
believe that he will veto il.
Ringing their faith upon his deter.
mined opposition to Indiana stone.
These, however, do not seem 10 under
stand the condition OF the matter, or
the prerogatives OF the e1 ecutive In its
settlement. Although opposing the
new contract, it, approval does not by
any means involve sacrifice OF his
consistency. Az he himself has stated,
custom has established the supreme
authority Of the board, voiced by
majority Of its members, and this Is
not, a. some have supposed through
mere courtesy OF the part OF the exec.
utive. The contract, which Ia higher
than the law in SONS respects, in that
the legislature may change the one but
not the other, provides that II can only
he annulled by the heads Of. the de.
partments. should the governor re-
fuse to approve the new contract and
the syndicate abandon the old one
two events which the msiorlty OF the
board believe insepsrable, the only re-
course OF the state would be In anuull-
Ing the contract, according to it's provis.
Ions. Here the approval OF the majority
Of the board would be necessary, and
under the circumstances il Ia difficult
TO see how that approval could be
given, believing, az they do, that the
contractors have already offered more
than compliance with their agree.
ment. A more deplorable result than
this can scarcely be conlectured leav-
Ing the state absolutely without pro-
lection. In fact, II Is only pictured to
show the excellent reasons which Gov
Ireland might urge for approving
the new contract, even against
his own individual choice.
aud To show that the board is after all
the final tribune in the matter.
1t is not plain even yet that Gov.
Ireland il fully understood on this
subject. So early ~ May II he wrote
u letter to the capitol commissioners
requesting them 10 communicate its
contents to the contractors in which
the following language occurred. a.
published at the time the late resolu.
ton was adopted:
while the state would prefer the
granite 10 any other material. IL IL
shall be found On thorough test that
the Indiana stone IL ognal 10 the
sample on tile aud called for
la the contract, though differ.
Ing somewhat in color, the state
| may accept such nOHr In thus chang.
ing the material however, for the build
ing, the state would require A change
In the construction OF the dome and
interior walls. II would require file
stone 10 be bull, IT. entire height OF
dimenslon stone, and the thickness OF
the Interior walls increased
These suggestions having been
adopted in their entirety in the amend
ed contract and forming. In fact, the
glst of that document, II would appear
that the differences between the
msJoriiy o'the board and the govern.
oHaFs after al, more theoretical than