The Saint Paul globe., 1897-09-09


either fer or against any particular stone.
You also said, during the discussion, that
you could not, under the law, and would
not, while governor, approve any vouchers
that the board might ever pass that should
exceed the total appropriation CT $2,CO0000,
but you did not name any particular stone
in that connection.
Nothing in the nature of an implied
threat or dictation to the board was em-
bodied in any Of your remarks, and any state
ments to the contrary are unfounded and mis-
leading.
We have no desire to avoid the response
bil:ty which rests upon us, as the voting
members of the board, and hence we ad-
dress you this communication. Respectfully,
Charming Seabury,
E. E. Corliss,
-Hs e0FEs W. famberton, be a1l''
&C. H. Graves,
John De Laittre.
Commissioner Lamberton, of Vino
ma, also supplements the letter with
the following interview:
Gov. Clough did not say, If granite was
adopted he would not approve the estimate.
He expressed himself clearly in favor of
Minnesota stone without indicating any varl-
ETY.. He said, further, 'I'll not sign vouch-
er in excess of the appropriation l re-
Piled Governor, with the law before us We'll
not ask you to sign any such voucher. The
statement that there was at no time oppor-
tunity to vote for sandstone or Winona stone
is incorrect. Commissioner Corliss favored
Winona stone first and after that Kettle river
sandstone, when he saw that the sandstone
dscolored he was at loss as to what he
ought to do. He moved for further time to
investigate, stating it was due to me and
Winona that Macarthur Bros. be given an
opportunity to come before the board and
satisfy its members as to whether Winona
stone could be obtained. | seconded the mo-
ton, and it was lost to s. This, in my
opinion, effectually disposed of Winona stone
4 voted against the motion to adopt Min
nesota stone the ground that it was too
broad a proposition. In voting against the
motion TO adopt granite stated that the
architects estimate clearly showed that the
adoption of granite would make the super
structure cost from $4,000 to $50, 900 more
than was available. Nothing said by Gov.
Clough influenced me. The plans contem-
stone, which was admittedly the nearest ap-
proach to marble and the finest stone before
us, was out of the way, l had no hesitancy
in favoring marble.
I'm justice to Col Graves. it should be
stated that his motion for new plans suited
to sandstone prepared before any vote
was taken. The commission addressed
letter to the governor yesterday clearly ex-
onerating him from ali responsibility as to
our final action. A draft of the contract
with the Butler-Ryan company was present
ed to US yesterday and approved. No effort
was made to substitute home stone for mar
ble The execution of the contract is a
mere matter of form. | require no bracing
to my action, having every confidence that
the people of my district and state will ap-
prove it,"
Gov. Clough had nothing further to
say in regard to the matter yesterday,
save to submit the letter to the press.
State Auditor Dunn, who, as indicat-
ed in the G o b e of Tuesday, holds
the key to the situation, while he has
not committed himself to the state
ment that he will decline to issue or
ccuntersign the certificates of indebt-
edness, did express himself vigorously
in regard to what he believed was a
serious error of judgment on the part
of the commission-going out of the
state for building stone. AS for the
signature of the certifictes, he would
not cross that bridge until he came
to it.
Charming Seabury, chairman of the
board, said:
E'There is perfect harmony in the commits
sion There is not the slightest ground for
the story that there is any dissatisfaction on
the part of the governor or any one else at
the action of the commission. The governor
was at the board meeting the afternoon the
contract was let, and was in good humor. He
chatted pleasantly with the board The board
takes the entire responsibility for letting the
contract and, as Gov. Clough was not vot-
ing member. he is not responsible for the
actions of the board. The Minneapolis papers
have been fighting the capitol construction
for three years. They made vicious attack
upon GOV. Ci0ugn, lot Ine purpose Oh
ing political capital out of it. There is no
opposition to the doings of the commission
from any source except minneapolis. Every
thing is going along smoothly, notwithstand-
ing the fact that the Mill City papers are
trying to stir up trouble.
The sole claim is that the law of 1895
by strong implication calls for the use
of home stone in the new capitol.
Some profess to think that the law
of 1897 authorizing certificates of in
debtedness is in conflict with section
5. article 9, of the state constitution,
which says in part:
For the purpose of defraying extraordinary
expenditures, the state may contract public
debts, but such debss shall never, in the ag
gregate. exceed $3.50 000; every such debt shall
be authorized by law for some single object,
to be distinctly stated therein. and no such
law shall take effect until it shall have passed
by the vote Of two-thirds OF the members of
each branch of the legislature, etc.
And also in violation of section 6, article 9,
which says, in part:
All debts authorized by the preceding sec
tion shall be contracted by loan on state
bonds of amounts not less than $500 each, etc.
When the bill was passed, however,
the legislature acted on the assump
tion, based on legal advice from attor-
neys within and without it, that the
debt apparently created by these GER
tifcates was not a floating debt of the
state, being merely the promise of
state DOaru TO ueNote " SUCH pay ilieil
a definitely fixed annual revenue, al
ready provided for in the laws.
TO CURE A COLD IN ONE DAY
Take Laxative Bromo Quinine Tablets. All
druggists refund money If it fails to cure. 25c.
SUPREME COURT GRIsT.
Three Delayed Decisions Are Hand
ed Down.
Justice Mitchell handed down three
decisions in the supreme court yester-
day. The syllabi are as follows:
American Exchange Bank, plaintiff vs. An
drew D. Davidson, assignee, ETC., ct al,
respondents; Flora Smith ct al. appellants.
The cause of action which one defendant
may set I'D against his co-defendant by