St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-02-04
THE MINORITY REPORT.
Senator. Mcclellan States His
Grounds for Differing With the

Senator MCCLELLAN States His
Grounds for Differing With the
Majority.
The minority report signed by Sena-
tor Mcmillan is not SO lengthy, and
clearly states the difference between
the members of the committee. 1t fol-
lows:
A special committee, consistin E of Sen
ators Mcmillan, Dean, La Due, Keller
and Ayers, was appointed by Lieut..
Gov. Ives On the 10th day of April, 1891.
pursuant to a resolution adopted by the
senate on April 8, 1891, and which re So
luton was as follows:
Under This They Acted.
Resolved, That committee of five be
appointed by the president OF the senate, to
serve without compensation, to investigate
and report its findings to the next session OF
the legislature as to what, in their judgment
is the most desirable captyl site. and if the
present location is not OF sufficient size Tor
said capitol building, and also to reportit the
best interests of the state could be better
served by the removal to new location,
where larger and better accommodations
could be obtained, and a capitol building
be erected commensurate to the dignity of a
great ana prosperous state. To the end that
the state at large may be Informed as to the
merits Of the different proposed sites. and
the next legislature may ii thought advis-
able, adopt a site and create a commission,
and Instruct them in an intelligent manner
as to the wants OF the state and the amount
that will be required to erect suitable CAPT
toll building. Also to obtain information as
to size, STYLE material used and cost of CAPT.
tol buildings of other states, if thought ad-
visable, together with a statement of their
estimated cost and the sum total of the COM
pleted building, and all other infor-
nation that may come to them IN
the investigation of this subject with
the view that this state may avoid the errors
and the mistakes of other tate commissions,
who are known to have, in a great many
cases. exceeded their authority and spent
large sums of money in excess of the amount
originally set apart for that purpose land
that commission, when appointed shall
enter knowingly into d contract fora build
ing. complete in every respect. to be built in
a reasonable length of time, and for def
mite sum of money, and also held to strict
accountability and distinct understa nding
that for the sum named aud set apart to be
expended for capitol building. the state eX-
poets completed building, ready for occu-
pancy, and all within the limits of the
amount appropriated for that purpose"
Power Was Limited.
Many interesting and important meet
ings have been held by this committee,
and it is with a feeling of regret that
your luluUillS CUilliHltICc Illus itSOll Uu-
able to agree with the majority upon
report to be presented to this body. The
principal point of difference is upon
question which is OF great interest and
Importance TO the citizens of this state
as we'll as of interest to those within
whose borders said capitol site is to be
located, and is also question which
this committee as a whole entirely ig-
nored and refused to investigate, as
contemplated by the provisions of the
above resolution. AT the beginning OF
this investigation, in fact at its first
session, your minority committee found
itself powerless to act by the adoption
of a resolution limiting the investiga-
ton as to capitol site to the site now
occupied by the present building, or
Of the same. This resolution
was afterwards reconsidered, and the
limit placed at threefourthS of mile
distant. Your committee believes that
such action on the part of the majority
was not in accordance with the spirit
and Interpretation OF the above reSolu-
ton, which specifically stated that the
commission was to present report
based upon an investigation Of the diff
ferent proposed sites, with the end in
view that the state at large might be in
formed as to the merits OF each. Such
an investigation your committee be-
lieves would have thrown much light
upon this important question, and
would have given to the citizens Of this
state large amount of valuable infOr
nation relative to the site, cost and
location of sites III other parts of the
capital city. Your committee believes
that in no sense would the advantages
in favor OF the present site, or sites adj
jacent thereto, have suffered by COM
pariSon with those situated beyond the
imaginary lines drawn by the majority
of the committee. In view of these
facts your committee would dissent
from the report Of the majority, and
would therefore re commend that
No Restriction BE Placed
in the bill limiting the commission in
this respect. And it would further rec
ommend in order that all interested
may be heard upon this question. and
that a capitol site may be selected that
will be OF easy access, commanding in
view and that grounds that in point of
size will be suitable to the future wants
of this great state, and that site may
be obtained that will reflect credit upon
the good Judgment of the citizens as
we'll as the members of the commission,
that said capitol commission when APP
pointed shall be authorized to further
Investigate as to capitol sites, their 10
cation, size, cost, etc, with power only
to report with recommendations to the
next session of the legislature, and to
receive from that body the authority to
designate site for said capitol build
ing.
Your committee would also report that
it has spent much time in seeking in
formation as to the size and location of
grounds occupied by capitol buildings
in other states, and it has been unable
to find single state in which the idea
has been that the state capitol was other
than the home of the state, or where it |
was simply a business building, esDe- |
cially located for the convenience of a |
few who were fortunate enough to live |
under the shadow cast by its great dome;
or did it find state where there was the
remotest possibility that in few years.
at most, the adjoining property would I