St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-23
A NEW CAPITOL BUILDING.

Hon. LANE K. STONE, who lives on
Summit avenue, but who does business
in North ST. Paul, is on deck with bill
for new capitol building to cost a mill
ion dollars. Mr.. STONE is nothing if
not broad-gauged in his views and
methods, and paltry matter of a mill
ion dollars is a small sum for him. Our
present state house is not very COM
modious or handsome structure, and
people who visit st. Paul at rare inter-
walls have great difficulty in remember
ing whether the high school is the CAPT
toll or the capitol the high school, be-
cause they are both in one neighbor-
hood and equally unsightly. A great
commonwealth like ours can afford to
own a creditable home for its officials,
and the GLOBE in general is in favor Of
movements which will beautify this
city. 1t thinks that the money which
has gone into court houses, public
schools. bridges and pavements has
been we'll spent. 1t applauds those of
our citizens who build theaters where
pleasant recreation can be found. 1t
would like to have the city own more
parks handsomely adorned, where
the poor could loiter on sum
mer evenings and hear good mu-
sic. while they gossiped with their
nelghbors. 1t would like to have the
city own free swimming baths at suita
bic places On the river and free skating
Kinks, where our children could enjoy
themselves during the winter. 1t be-
lieves that the money would be well
spent which would put statue Of Ed
MUND RICE in one of our public
squares, and one of HENRY ii. SHELLEY
in another. The handsome figures OF
such men presented constantly to pub
lie gaze would be a source of local pride
and stimulus to noble deeds; and we
need to nurture both of these things.
The GLOBE has no sympathy with petty
parsimony. st. Paul is by nature the
most beautiful city in the world, and
man ought to do his share to add to its
comfort and attractiveness. People of
the kind we should enjoy will come
here to live if they find disposition
to supply and maintain the things
which make life pleasant and cheerful.
There ought to be several handsome
churches on Summit avenue. and 9TH
ers on the nights of Dayton's bluff. Tall
steeples and ringing church bells make
for the glory of God as we'll as prayers
and sermons, because they impress the
great mass of people who never go in
side of churches with the greatness of
Christianity, whose votaries deny them
selves and contribute freely for the
erection of its temples. Substantial
court houses teach the onlooker to re-
spect the majesty of the law,and a nota-
BILE capitol building would keep before
our eyes and the eyes of the world the
greatness and the power Of this COM
monwealth. The GLOBE would like to
see such building built sooner or
later. But a million dollars will not do
it. The capitol of Connecticut at Hart
ford, which is very beautiful but very
simple, cost 100000, and Minnesota
could not build one for less. Mr..
STONES limit would start it, however.
The matter is before our legislators,
who are showing themselves wise and
earnest men. If they consider it a
proper time now to undertake such a
work. the GLOBE will be glad; but if
they do not the GLOBE will cheerfully
acquiesce in their decision. st. Paul is
a beautiful place by nature, and hand
some adornments will become it.