The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-04-04

Rhode Island prelate once expressed 1t:
The dignity Of the law. the municipali-
~ and the sovereign state should te rep
resented Adequately in their houses just
as the majesty of the church Is expressed
Ia the euifice- dedicated Co the work of
maintaining God empire on esrth. :"
AT no time within twenty five years
has there been GiffeTencs OF OF ipion on
tie necessity Of q new hon g for the state
to replacs the wretched novel which
makes rio oiculous t.e state government,
the Dens III strest quarters. Ale only
discussion hns been the size, design and
cost OF such a capitol SO urgently neecei.
A MODEL BUILDING.
Tie first commission which, by meth
ods which con.lneL ded themselves TO
tie eniiIe country and won tine plaudits
Of architects. business and professional
men and all others qualified to judge. se-
cured the plans now being resolved into
enduring marble OH Capitol hill, anq
turned It's work over to the General AS
sembly after several years OF sincere and,
as 10 appeared, sUcct ssful effort TO secure
for Rhode Island the test TO te had In the
way of home for the government. Its
successor, the pre- sent board II s,ate house
commissioners, was then appointed and
authorized Co pro ccesd with the work.
1he model presented to ths Leopls aud
enthusiastically adopted ty popular
vote autt orixinR the first expenditure OF
funds for its erection has been pictured
and referred 10 all over the land as SUI
prem exam pie OF what such work ought
TO be, artistic and sisnificant In design,
noble In proportions, in every way calcu-
lated to give hhoae Island q state house
seSond to none In the country and emf
nently suited to its demands ns well in
the way OF quarters and facilities for
prosecuting the functions of the govern
ment Of the oom monw ealth.
When conn tied the Rhode Island state
house will stand as monument tU ths
epterprise, public spirit and artistic in
stincts OF the people Of the state. No
other state has Anything Ct the sort any
thing like s, noble or so representative OF
the purpose to which It Is devoted. or
course, larger states have larger and
more costly homes for treir respective
governments. Some OF them have cost
more and are worth far less for the reason
of lack Of care and possible corruption
rs we'll as waste Of money In their bLii1-
ing. But In an artistic sense, as we II as
In proportion to the demands thar will be
made upon 1t, ONLY one pubic buiilinx
In all the land is awarded claim of
equal comparison beside that OF the
hnode Island State House. and that is
the National Capitol at Washington.
a monument that. in all the architecture
Of the world finds nowhere a superior.
Beside that splendid structure. Rhode
Islands capitol stands and invites COM
parison that critical Judgment has already
made so favorable as TO affirm that the
latter rs the equal OF the former.
The natural pride that has besn awak-
ensd In the enterprise by the evidente of
outside endorsement for the work IL
strong among Rhode Islanders Whatever
doubts may have existed from time TO
ftsss. As.~t fl.x. III ..f
gress OF the work have team for long
tire sat at rest. The original appropria-
tion for Its beginning was cordially voted
by the people at large and the Assem- bly,
turned IL over TO tie comm ission, .the
high scSar1cte OF which was guarantee
that the FUNDS would to expended wisely
anu economically. The commission was
authorized "to build the state house in
accorcance with the plans" and the plans
we're familiar to every member OF twQp-
three Legislatures and to thousaDds@of
psopls who had had an object lesson in
the numerous pictures Of ths WORK pub
ilssed from time to time, includiuR
the lithoeraphs distributed by the first
comm ission and the elegant model in
pIsstsr publicly exhibited. Tntre was
10 difference Of orinion on the plans,
and, with ths money availibls, rhe ne W
com m ission set to work to proceed with
the enterprise in accordance Herewith AS
directed by the people and the Assembly,
and so far as tie appropriation made
available might psrmit.
PROGRESS OF A PUBLIC WORK.
It was the universal opinion that when
that appropriation was exhausted, ms
every bouy knew it would be the people
would enthusiastically vote mors funds
from time TO tine TO con plete the
building, finish it as to exterior and
interior and in due season, lay out TIE
proposed park and grounds which the
design contemplated. No one cared to
propose that all this work be paid for In
o month. year OF In half dozen years
but it was confidently assumed that,
when the funds we're needed. they
would be forthcoming. they have teen In
all public work undertaken here In
Rhode Island which was so conducted
as TO command the confidence OF the
people. Here In Providence, especially.
have been afforded frequent evidences OF
such public spirit I'm the planning and
prosecution of great public enterprises.
The water works system, tbe sewer plat,
which cost a matter Of $4,000. c0D. and
boRer Williams Park, which, from time
to Tins, has required new thousands
fori It's developments ell testify TO the
pbrlic approval Of the methods so con-
scientiously employed by the state house
commission In the public interest where
every step In its promotion testifes tnat
every cant is being we'll expended and
tnnt the completed result will rebound
the honor OF tho generation tnat promotes
it and be applauded by successive aener-
altos that are 90 enjoy the fruits OF far
seeing and sagacions public endeavor.
ssoo, 600 Is SUFFICIENT.
10 will DO remsmbercd that Gooa
Government rt preventative In the As