The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-10
MALICE RIM MAD.

a Ia
We do not believe that the people OF
this state, or even the people OF N1nne-
anolis will approve or tolerate the pol
lev that is being pursued by most OF
the Minneapolis newspapers on the
capitol question. That policy has now
degenerated into a mere malicious at
tempt to delay as long as possible the
construction Of the new capitol build
ing. There is no other issue properly
before the people, and there is no other
object which can be served by the artl-
cles appearing daily in the Minneapolis
Journal. If there were any possibility
of opening the whole capitol question
afresh and taking it away from st.
Paul, the course of that paper, though
not admirable, would be Ineligible.
Under the circumstances as they are, it
is giving an exhibition of petty local
jealousy that is infinitely discreditable
to any newspaper.
The capitol question is settled. The
site has been selected and purchased.
The legislature last winter went over
the question whether or not it would be
for the advantage of the state to pro-
vide for letting the contract immedi-
ately, and decided in the affirmative.
1t passed law authorizing the issue
of capitol certificates, thus enabling the
commission to go ahead with a con-
tract for the superstructure. The ar
gument by which it was decided which
was valid then and is valid now, was
that by this means the people of Min
nesota would have their new state
house finished from three to five years
earlier than it could otherwise be built;
and that they would save certainly
anywhere from 100000 to 100000 by
letting the contract at once.
All this is matter of history, and has
been passed upon by the representa-
tives of. the people There is, there
fore, no purpose to be served by at
tempting to raise row over the award
of the commission and the letting of
the contract, except to reverse and de-
feat the action of the Legislature, to
postpone the completion of the building
and to so enhance the cost of it that a
much poorer building than is now con-
templated will be all that can be fur
nished within the appropriation limit
of $4,000 COO 1t does not seem to us
that jealousy and hatred of st. Paul are
a sufficient motive to warrant even a
Minneapolis newspaper in attempting to
bring this about. Yet there is no
other.
The Journal first attempted to create
dissatisfaction, and crafty a personal
spite at the same time, by asserting
that Gov. Clough was responsible for
the selection of Georgia marble. The
commission, including those members
who were opposed throughout to the
Georgia stone, have completely and
publicly exonerated him. Such a refu-
tation of its charges would be consid.
cred sufficient to satisfy a newspaper
careful of its reputation for fairness
and truth. Next the Journal endeaY-
ored to make it appear that an injunc-
ton would be issued against capitol
construction by the st. Cloud people.
That bubble, also, has burst
1t is now shouting with glee because
there is a belief abroad that the state
auditor will refuse to sign the certi1-
q Gates, and it is exploiting by the col
umn two hypothesis. One is that the
law forbids the use OF stone from with
out the state and the other is that the
certificates which have been sold can
not be issued legally. OF course, both
of these matters were most carefully
considered before anything was done.
Assurance was given by the best legal
authority that the provision in the law
relating to the use of home material
which authorizes the choice of a ma
terial obtained from without the state
In case it can be obtained at greater
advantage to the state, validates the
action that has been taken. The same as
surance was had that the issue of these
mite source of income to be derived
from tax already authorized, is not
the creation of Indebtedness in a sense
within the prohibition of the law.
Everything brought up by the Jour
nal is stale, fiat and Improbable The
cole reason for raking among the ashes
Of the past for these dead embers is to
prevent. if possible, the immediate
completion of the capitol. The only
motive for that is such malice toward
st. Paul as would be we'll satisfied to
deprive the people OF the state of all
the benefits arising from the construc-
lion of the rev capitol, and to make
impossible the great economy that can