Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-03-02
Tbs New Capitol Scheme VsTsus the
Present State House. A Square
IaGuA.

The Special Committee on removal Of
the State Capitol has made its report, and
a. everybody expected when IL was seen
how that committee was constituted, 1t
has reported In favor Of new State CAPT
it0l ia Portland. A speeds. committee on
a special and local scheme is always Of
questionable expediency, and lts recon-
mendations rarely carry with them much
weight. The majority In favor
Of the special scherne Is composed Of honor
able men and they are entitled TO their ovn
opinions. But the creating Of this extra
ordinary committee and the extraordinary
character ofits arguments and recommend
ations neeessarily carry with it the weak
meas 81 Its conclusions. Ittrayerses ground
already thoroughly discussed, and con-
tains not single new fact or
argument. The creating Of
this committee was an unjustihable inter-
ference with the duties and respOnsibili-
ties Of the regular Committee on Public
buildings, and a crowding on its preroga-
tives. This may have been an inadver-
lance, pardonable indi-cretiOn- 1t has
been done, and all that sensible and prac-
tlcaI men have now to do, Is 10 meet the
Issue fairly, squarely, and in the interests
Of the State.
The Committee on Public Buildings,
after thorough investigation Of the sub
lect, in all its bearings, have decided, by
an emphatic majority, In favor Of an add
ton 10 the present State House. Thus
the extraordinary report Of the Special
Committee squarely confronts the report
of the Committee on Public Buildings The
scheme Of the removal committee means
a new State Capitol In an extreme corner
Of the State, at an expense Of 81 ,l0O,OOO
to $4,000, 900. The plan Of the Committee
on Public Buildings ia for the improve
ment Of the present State capitol at the
expense Of about 0hc-eighM or oRs-hnh Of
the cost Of the former scheme. And the
latter plan involves not The daRger amt
the great efpsnss NJ rem0rfRg the r1st
number of documents, the great hbrary,
and other caiv0bie property, to a new build
ing In another part Of the state.
The expcdiency, the economy, the wiz
dom Of the plan of the Committee on Pub
lie Buildings IA In accord with the public
sentiment of all the counties Of the State
but two, and OF many thoughtful and pru-
dent citizens In these two counties. The
necessity Of at once providing more ac-
Communications for the invaluable State
documents Ia admitted by all. None
have argued this necessity more strongly
than the supporters Of the removal
scheme. The plan Of the enlargement Of
the present State House has been for
years carefully considered, by the ex-
pcrcnced aud the wisest men of the
State. II IL no scheme suddenly sprung
on the people. The marked and general
opinions in it, favor have finally crystal
lied in this natured and judicious recon-
mondntiOn Of the Committee on Public
Buildings. No,r lei The qpstio" be frtriy
and (,ariessiy met by the Legislature. Let
this bone Of contention he promptly re-
moved out Of the way, and no longer be
allowed to stand in the way of necessary
legislation and the best interests Of the
public. To postpone 1t ia only to traverse
the ground again as it has been traversed
again and again the past twenty years,
leaving the matter Just where it Is to-day