The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-02-24
IT JUST RAISED CAIN
A Sensational Minority Report by
Representative Whiteside
HE CHARGES ROBBERY
The Capitol Commission Gets a
Scoring Which Turns Helena
Up-~ide Down-Comments OF
Citizens Report In Fun.


side of the capitol commission investi-
CATION committee:
To the House Of Representatives of the
fltth Legislative Assembly Of the
state Of Montana;
As member of your committee ap-
pointed To investigate the affairs and
acts OF the Montana state capitol COM
mission, ! beg leave To submit the fol-
lowing minority report
In reaching the conclusions stated in
this report, | have not confined myself
entirely To the evidence submitted to
the committee, for the reason that from
the time the committee was appointed.
certain members OF the capitol COM
mission have been constant i'm their ef-
forts 10 prevent any evidence coming
before the committee. and for the fur
ther reason that evidence that might
have been had. was not secured he
cause of the expense that would have
been incurred by sending TO Los An
geles, Denver. ST. Paul. Chicago and
New York for witnesses, but | have
ample proof OF every statement made in
this report.
Had the law creating the Montana
state capitol commission been drawn by
the men who have administered its
provisions, IL could not have better
suited their ends. considering this fact
and the further fact that II was ncces-
sary Ia resort to bribery 10 secure the
enactment of the law by the Fourth
legislative assembly, II is not surpris-
ing that its chief fruits have been job
berry and fraud of the lowest order.
The chairman of the committee in the
house To which the bill was referred In
the Fourth legislative assembly de-
.I.l
the measure back to the house.
Under the provisions of this law Civ
ing the commission almost unlimited
power. the interests of the state have
been sacrificed and her treasury looted
in the most shameful manner. and the
only circumstance that has prevented
the stealing of much greater sum
has been the inability Of the board To
convert the warrants authorized by law
into cash.
There has been expended by the
hoard since its creation the sum OF
forty-nine thousand six hundred and
twenty-eight dollars and twenty-one
cents Ci9.62s.2D. and to show for this
expenditure the state has a partial set
of plans of very doubtful utility and a
small hole in the ground on the pro-
posed site.
OF the sum expended. four thousand
five hundred and twentythree dollars
and eighty cents lSi,j22.N0l has been
paid to four members of the board for
per diem and mileage. the governor, as
chairman. receiving no extra Compen-
sation. In this connection II Is interest
ing To note that the total expense for
per diem and mileage of the Minnesota
state capitol commission composed of
seven members. was for three years
and eight months hut five thousand one
hundred and sixty dollars and eighty
seven cents S5.l6oS0.
II Is but fair To some members of
the board TO state that their votes were
generally recorded against the PROPOSE
tions that sacrificed the interests OF
the state, but no member OF the board
excepting. perhaps. Mr.. Flowerree, can
escape the odium Of having allowed
without open protest the contract to be
made with George II. Mann, wherein
the only binding provision Is the one
that requires the state to pay fifty
thousand dollars ls50.O00) To- the said
George X. Mann This was done when
there was not the slightest prospect
that the state could utilize the plans
by the construction of the building. and
with two members of the board. viz:
C. f.. Cole and W. NJ. Bickford. have
no hesitation in saying that the chief
motive that actuated them was a di
rect financial consideration. Commits
sioner FlOwerree's name was not sign
ed to this contract. and the record
shows that he voted against its adop-
tion.
In the early part OF 1896 the board ad-
vertised To receive competitive plans
for a state capitol building and in con-
nection Herewith they issued rules and
regulations 10 govern the submission Of
plans and to define the terms and con-
ditions upon which prices and pay
ments should be made to the success
full architects. the conditions relating
To prices and payments were as fol-
lows:
To the architect whose plans should
be adopted. for the building. : per cent.
on the first five hundred thousand dol
lars expended. and four per cent. on al
further amounts expended on the build
ing
To the winner OF second prize. fifteen
hundred dollars.
To the winner of the third prize. one
thousand dollars.
To the winner of the fourth prize,
five hundred dollars.
Under these rules and regulations ey-
cry architect entering upon the compe-
building could only expect payment ~
the fee for first prize upon the money
actually expended upon the building
yet in plain violation OF the rule In lines
is and IL. i'm page I. the board made
contract with George X. Mann which
binds the state to pay seven-tenthS ~
the full fee OF forty-five thousand dol
lars before a single dollar is expended
on the building. They bind the state
To pay him a further price Of five thou
sand dollars II the building Is con-
structed within the limit of cost tsl 000,-
OOOl. and then lest by some inadvert-
ence the state should escape this nay
ment. the contract further provides
that the architect. II necessary. shall
cut down the plans until the cost shall
come within one million dollars. Their.
is further provision Inserted I'm the
contract that To get this bonus Of five
thousand dollars the building must lp
constructed within four years hut this
provision amounts go nothing. fdr any
delay caused by the commission or any
change in the plan would deprive the
state NJ the benefits Of this proviso
In the competition for capitol de-
| signs ffty-nlne plans were submitted
from architects throughout the United
States. and in this number of plans
| there would he at least half dozen
plans Of exceptional merit. each Of
which would excel In some particular
| features. From these plans the board