New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-06
THE CAPITOL BUILDING.
WHAT DAMAGE IT SUFFERS EVERY YEAR
FROM LACK OF PROPER
APPROPRIATIONS.
SENATOR SLOAN SHOWS THE GOVERNORS IN
CONSISTENT AND EXPENSIVE OPPOSITION
TO REPUBLICAN, EFFORTS TO CARE
FOR THE sTRUCrURE-CoMMIs-

clearly demonstrated than in his peculiar gyrations
with regard to the Capitol appropriations. For want
Of funds complete it the big building, according 70
commissioner Perry himself. one of the Governors
pet protego, i actually suffering $4,000 worth OF
damage every veal
In the Senate this morning Mr.. Sloan made -
| slashng attack on the Governor for his persistent
! opposition I, the Republican efforts TO repair tins
monstrous abuse; and. in spite of Mr. Cantors
Iaborious defence. he proved conclusivcy that tie
sole responsibility rests with this autocratc enemy
OF the public welfare The Governors reckless in
consistency 1, shown by the fact that while he has
vetoed the appropriations. he has nevertheless siSno
bills giving salaries for their disbursement to d" Boss
Murphy satellites. and Republican attempt 70
correct this lreguarty met with strenuous oOJc'uo"
from the senate Democrats.
Il think 1t will be conceded" said Mr.. sionn' III
presenting a letter from Commissioner Perry setting
forth the true condition Of the Capitol. that com
munication of this character from such source Is
| entitled 10 grave consideration. / IcheVc haVo
had opportunities That justify me In saying That MT
| Perry statements are entirely correct The imphca
ton Is unavoidable that somebody is re- ponslbc oi
/ very grave neglect. If il Is the legislature. that
| should be understood. II il is the Capitol Conri'
sion. the fact should be brought out " II Is inc
/ Governor and If his action has been such as to Law
! him open TO criticism. know OF no reason why ne
should enjoy immunity from his share OF whatever
odium may attach to II.
Now all of Mr. Perry's statements concerning
the diseraceful condition of the building and tho
ruinous loss TO the people through it, deterioration
we're Just a. well known 10 that officer a year ago
as they are to-day. They were Just Us well Known
to the Lcg stature Of lass as they are to many OF
the members Of this Legislature. When the facts
were brought TO the attention Of the Finance COM
mittce last winter a majority Of the committee visiiei
| the different parts Of the Capitol and found com
petc vcrifcdton Of all the assertions reiterated IN
Mr. Perry's present letter They thcrcupon formulated
certain provisions Of bill 10 provide for an "p'
preparation 10 remedy the dcfc + those PROVISIONS
were reported to the senate received It's approval
went 10 the Assembly. approved there. and
! finally went To the Executive Chamber. During all
that time supposed and every member of the com
mittee supposed that going 10 meet pressing
cxiccncv and that we were moving along lines that
had the Governors approval. We had no doubt that
be would sign the bill. | confess that ! was never
80 surprised in all my experience in legislation aS
when | took up my paper morning, after the
legislature had adjourned. and found that the biz
had bcen vetoed | looked with good deal %
curiosity and interest to what possible reasons
he could have assigned and after ] had read them
was a good deal more surprised than hai been
before that the bill should have met with such an
unexpected and, think, exceedingly cruel fatc'
"Thc Governor objected 10 the non partisan com
mission appointed to supervise repairs, insisted thai
Mr. Perry should nave FIJI charge. and declared mat
otherwise pcrncious precedent would be established
The word pcrnclOus l. O. hncd III Inc DICTIONARIES l."
mean evil hearted male ous and wicked Now. Sir
were the committee who recommended the bill entitled
IA these cpithets? What the constitution of the
commission with reference 10 malice and wickcdnes,
and evil heartcdncss II consisted Of the Lieutenant
Governor the president pro ten. OF the Senate the
speaker of the Assembly and this same Isaac g. Perry
whom the Governor recommends a. a,c. espon,iblc
and honest. Pretty nearly the whole control Of the
vorl, was put in Mr. Pcrrys hands by the bill. lie
was subject only 10 a supervisory inspection by the
Others Was that a wicked malicious and evil
hearted proceeding to appoint such commission
when the Capitol was in parts disintegratine and
suffering $4,000 worth OF damage year lor the
want of necessary work.
Il believe the bill was a wise one The names put
in were Of none but state officers and they made the
commission partisan. But aside from us eminent
res speciality, these gentlemen had previously been
tried on an exactly similar commission, in precisely
the same kind Of work. and it Is common remark
among those having knowledge Of the subject that
never the history Of the Capitol has more econom
zeal or more excellent work been performed than Was
performed bv them. The Finance Committee has al
ways taken iustiiabc pride in that commission.
which ii invented. The Governors message. not
withstandng his language, has not changed my
opinion on this matter.
"Whosc is the responsibility for The DAMAGE
say that palf ,anship wa carried far FOR the
Governor OF this state. The Withholding Of III, con
sent has cost the taxpayers already considerable sum
Of money Unless he Will businesskc methods
In the treatment Of th, character lie Will
cost them much more. for / don't believe that this
LEGISLATURE is willing surrender all it, prcrogaiivcs
and humbly admit that all the provision, OF all bills
shall conform as to the Of every IL and the crossing
Of every II to the peculiar view, that the Governor
may happen 10 entertain on the question. II Il time
the people should note how the Governor Is stretching
his preiOgatiyc 70 Kill useful measure II never was
intended that he should exercise IL lie has been and
is now doing ask that Mr.. perry's letter be printed
I in the journal, together with my remarks
Mr. Cantor showed how exclusively political was
his interest in the subject by limiting that the election
Of a Democratic Mayor in Oswceo. where Mr. Sloan
lives was the cause Of his onslaught. His argument.
of course was limited to the hurting back Of the
charge Of paIrsanship against the Republicans, and
was therefore, argument at all. lie ugecd In some
casual references to the ceiling scandal. and chal
lenged Mr. Sloan 10 admit that he doubted Mr.. pcrrys
capacity. "Thc Governor was right he added " In
refusing to set up a dangerous precedent"
Have YOU forgotten ASKED Mr.. Saxtnn, that the
Governor signed the bill creating the commission
for finishing the library room!'
That's Just what the Governor had IN mind"
"Oh, that the precedent he himself had set was
pcrnciOus Onc2"
"Wel, he attached a memorandum to his approval
Of that saying That lac thought the proceeding
| was unbusinesslike."
And that IL shouldn't be taken prcccde.
| said Mr.. LinsOn.
Has there ever been any fault found with the
| work Of that commission :" asked Mr. SaXtOn.
"Thcrc never ha,. But il is the precedent
object TO- You ought to have appropriated the money
| In "a lump and finished the building five years ago.
The Governor bc-,cycs that the Capitol ought 10 be
finished but he thinks the Comms sioner should have
charge of the work"
| 1T was the good work done by this commission
on the brary,' said Mr. sloan, that made Us believe
it would provide solution for this other veXcd qucs
ton Of the completion Of the Capitol generally. Bnt
one year the Governor approves 1t; the next he
doesn't; and whether he was Influenced the second
time by the desire which did not exist the first time
70 pose as a great economist by vetoing appro-
pration Of S372.OoO in spite Of the injury he in
nj tea, something the people can decide as well as
/. We desired 10 bring the question Of economy into
The campaign. This IS Illustration Of his econ
onIy and shall have more Of them later