The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-02-01
MAKE HASTE SLOWLY.

Two years ago the legislature passed
a bill for the erection of a new capitol
building, and the appropriation of 3d.
600, 900 for it's construction was to eX-
tend over a period of ten years. The
Ramsey county delegation at that
time was entirely satisfied with the
time limit, but it seems that an effort
is to be made the present session to
render the appropriation available at
once, and the school fund is to be
drawn upon for the purpose.
Why this sudden haste is not
altogether clear. That Minnesota
should provide for a capitol common
surate with her rapid development
and commercial greatness is generally,
if not universally, conceded; but that
there is any very great haste for it's
completion does not appear so clear to
the taxpayers residing outside the
corporate limits of St. Paul.
In the first place the capitol COM
mission has been the greater part of
two years in getting suitable plans,
and if I'll information is not at fault
it has thus far met with inglorious
failure. Several dozen plans were sub
mitted in the early fall for examina-
tlon, but up to date no n has heard
that any single n of them meets the
requirements, while it is given out
cold that many of the best architects
of the country refused to enter the
competition owing to certain restric-
tionS in the bill relative to per cent of
cost of construction which architects
demand for their skilled services.
The legislature should make haste
slowly in this matter. If it has taken
two years to secure a batch of I'M
suitable plans, the ten year limit in
which to build the capitol is surely
brief enOugh,an d the effort to shorten
the time should not be allowed to
pass unless better reasons can be
given for SO doing than has yet been
argued.
An unprecedented onslaught is to be
made upon the state treasury this ses-
sion-or at least unusual efforts in that
direction are to be attempted. The
Red River valley wants a hundred or
more Thousand dollars for drainage
purposes; the State University wants
three hundred thousand dollars: an
additional insane hospital with an APP
preparation of two or three hundred
thousand is among the demands; ST.
Cloud has decided to draw for sixty
thousand dollars for an addition to it's
Normal school and ''for other improve
ments;" the present insane hospitals
will demand a hundred or two thou
provements;" and the thousand and
one smaller appropriations will swell
the aggregate asked for to a mil
lion and a half dollars to say nothing
of the money necessary to maintain
our state institutions, and whichmust
be forthcoming in any event.
For the acts of the present legisla-
ture the Republican party must bear
the entire responsibility. There are
not enough Democrats and Populists
combined to make a really respectable
minority, and certainly not enough to
render it possible to attach to the or
ganization they represent any credit
or blame for legislative enactmentS.
These facts should afford ample
grounds for the Republicans to be ex-
tremely watchful of the treasury of
the people, and to guard it with a
watchful eye.
1t is not necessary to be niggardly
or parsimoniOus in appropriating to
those institutions demanding atten-
ton, but it is incumbent upon the
majority to guard against a batch of
~woOdchucks sure to come to the