The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-12
THEIR ACTION LEGAL
SAID THAT ATTORNEY GENERAL
CHILDS WILL SO ADVISE CAP
ITOL COMMISSIONERS.
-------
He IS STILL CONSIDERING,
AND HAS NOT as YET SUBMITTED
HIS FINAL OPIN-
ION.
MIR. LAsERERToN's POSITION.
Winona Member of the Board
Thinks 1t Will Do as NIr.
Chiid's Suggests.
He IS STILL CONSIDERING,
IR. LAMBERToN's POSITION.

Attorney General Childs has not as
yet written the supplementary opinion
which he has intlmated he will send to
the governor, as to the capitol
marble matter. but it is expected that
he will do so either tomorrow or next
day
1t was learned by the Gil 0 b yes
terday at the capitol, on good author
ity, that this opinion would undoubtedly
be that the action of the commission
is legal, TIE act of 1898, under which
the commission was rrvattssd gave it
full power to act. This was a speeiaI
law. The act Of 1895 was general
law, applying to buildings generally in
the state, and it is understood that the
attorney general will rule that this
could not by implication, at least, re
peal the former special act or limit the
curtail the powers OF the board. This
view of the law would sustain the ac-
ton of the commission perfectly.
Commissioner H w Lamberton, ask
ed yesterday in Winona in regard to
whether or not he had received the let
eaehaone of the capitol commission:
Il have not as yet received any let
ter" he stated land have no opinion to
express further than L did when I vot-
ed" .
What opinion have you in regard TO
this law Of So, as quoted?"
when the commission acted 1 WAS
fully acquainted with chapter 397, Laws
of 1885, referred to cid not then think [
was violating the law in voting as 1
did, nor do | think so now. But the at
torney general is the legal adviser of
the commission, and his opinion in the
matter viii doubtless govern the future
action Of the board
What Go you think Of the discussion
of this matter as made in the Twin
City papers?"
The discussion in the Twin City pa
pers." was the reply, "are a good deal
like country theater sheet iron thunder
and gunpoWder lightning, created be
hind the scenes to win the applause
from the galleries..
What weuld be your choice in case.
the marble hil bad to be rejected after
alp"
AS to my action in such a case, I
will cross that bridge when 1 come to
it."
The Improvement Bulletin. discu: S
ing the agitation, Georgia Mar bic vs.
Home Stone for tie Capitol Building,
says:
Certain parties directly interested in
minnesota stone quarrieS are making a
desperate fight to prevent the carry .ng
/ OUT OF the programme. decidedr upon
by the commission, for the use Of
Georgia marble for facing a portion of
the walls of the building. Other peo-
PIE, and some of the editors, infatuated
with the local trade idea, are urging
tEen on. lnjunctiOnS and all sorts of
horrible things are threatened. 1t is
claimed that the proposed use of ma
ter1al from another state violates a
clause in the legislation authorizing
the construction of the building That
is matter of law, which the lawyers
and courts will have 10 struggle over
lorg and loud, if the parties persist in
their opposition. In the meantime.
EeVerything must be brought to a
rstandstiA, all contracts and sub-ccn-
tracts be hung up. the many who
have been figuring Oh employment this
I winter, will have to whistle while
| longer. and in general it will seriously
Inconvenience large number of peo-
! thing for few lawyers. 1t is d veYy
unfortunate state of things.
1t seems to lie the consensus of op n
| ion among architects and others. whose
judgment is good and upclouded by
/ local or otherNprejudice, that the idea
of the architect and the decision of the
commission were wise. and would give
Minnesota the finest state structure,
d ,r-if1
mistake to assume that Minnesota
stone is given a black eye by this
plan. Minnesota stone will be largely
/ and conspicuCusly used in the st! uct-
ure. It's excellence for general build
| ing purposes is too well known, any
way, to be very seriously effected, if
there did not block of it appear.
Minnesota quarrieS have been fu nish-
/ ing stone for important structures in a
large number of states Of the Union.
! Their opIietors expect to find a con-
tinued and growing market outside the
/ Minnesota state lines. Isn't it a little
dangerous doctrine for these owners
and their friends to preach that the
people of a state ought TO confine their
! purchases to concerns located within
J its boundaries?
This home trade idea is a pretty one,
/ if only it did not work both ways
There are others-otker homes, other
+ trades, other states other cities. Sup
pose everybody adopts the local trade
idea. There are concerns in Minnesota
/ that do business in almost every state
J in the Union. Let all or many of the
! states shut out all outs ders, ard these
I concerns will have to close down at
/ least three quarters of their plants,
+ discharge that portion of their men,
! and come down to a hand-to-hand
j fight with the rest for what bushes
+ can be scared up in Minnesota If this
/ is not the logical sequence of the
policy advocated by the extreme home
traders, why not?
There is another phase of this many
I faced matter. The Improvement Bull
! letin is informed on good authority
that, should Minnesota granite have
been decided on for use throughout
! the building. there arc not anywhere
I near enough skilled stone cutters in
] Minnesota to do the work The result
I would be that stone cutters would have
to be imported CD from foreign (?)
state What a picture that makes to
scare the home trade -fiend out of
eleven years growth!
Home money to loan at lowest rates
! fn,.