The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-19
USE MINNESOTA STONE.

USE MINNESOTA STONE.
If it be true, as reported, that the
capitol commission is almost evenly di-
vided on the question of material for
the new building between a Minnesota
stone and the Bedford limestone, with
a possibility of some other limestone
from abroad coming in for the prize,
we have no hesitation in saying what
ought TO be done We sympathize fully
with the general feeling, which is an
intense one, that, other circumstances
being at all equal, the preference should
be given to a Minnesota stone. If the
capitol commission and the architect
should decide, for example, that the
building should be constructed of mar
BILE, Minnesota, not being a producer
of such stone, would have to yield. That
we should go abroad, however, to select
a limestone or a sandstone or a gran
ite, all of which are obtainable in Min
nesota of far better quality than the
same variety brought from other states,
would be intolerable.
The people Of the state are vastly
interested in this matter Not only
labor, but capital and especially every
man who contributes through taxation
to the cost of the new capitol, feel a
right in having as much Of this money
as possible expended at home. There
would be such burst of indignation
as has seldom been witnessed in this
community, by which we mean not
merely st. Paul, but every city and viii
lage in the state of Minnesota, if the
great sum of money to be expended on
the superstructure of the new capitol
were to be paid out to foreign con-
tractors to furnish us with an inferior
limestone from another state because
it might be worked at a little lower
cost. The vote of the people would be
thousand to one in favor of using
the native stone, even if it cost a
trifie more to shape it, and the people
would be perfectly right
This is a young state. It's future de-
ponds still, to considerable extent
upon its own energy in advertising it's
resources. It is a state which, accord
ing to competent geological authority,
is richer in a larger number of vari-
cites of native building stone than any
other state in the Union. What, now,
must be the effect upon the general
public of discarding our domestic ma
certainly not superior, and, as we be-
lieve, not equal to our own in quality?
Is it not to say to everybody that Min
nesota has no stone good enough to put
into its new capitol? Is it not to in
jure the state directly, as we'll as by
giving to another commonwealth than
our own whatever pecuniary advan-
tage there may in this contract, and
the supply Of material and the en-
ployment of labor under it?
The G e has been careful, rely
ing as it does upon the excellent judg-
ment of this commission, not to say
dIly IHIuS IUdC would emDardSS 1t IN a,
free choice between different materials,
so that the new capitol might be con-
structed as would best suit it's archi-
tectural design. If, however, the choice
Of materials, owing to the limit Of the
appropriation, is narrowed down to a
limestone or sandstone, then two con-
illusions may be stated positively. First,
limestone should be utterly discarded
as unsuitable to such a structure in
this climate. Second, Minnesota pro-
duces the best, the most wonderful
sandstone in the world; and, if that
material is selected, none other than
our own should be thought Of We be-
lieve that if our native products get
the cold shoulder, because it is as
serted, or even because it might be true
that it would cost trif1e more to work
them, the criticism Of such action bv
the people Of the state would be gem
eral and unqualified in it's severity.