The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1899-01-14

answer as we believe all the ques-
tiun- asked
Another one said
81 wa before the capitol commit
tee thirty four minutes am frank
to say that this time would not per
nit amy architect TO explain one
third of the drawings for n build
ing of that magnitude While | was
not asked 10 retire, the interest the
committee seemed TO take IN my
plans and my explanation of the
same conveyed to my mind the adj
visibility of doing So
Now | submit that these letters
do not bear ont the assertion that
full time was given TO the different
architects 10 explain their drawings,
on the contrary they bear on their
face that they were talking to an
unwilling jury From the letter OF
these architects this committee had
made up their minds ON the Wealth
err plan when these gentlemen We're
talking to them. Seven of the archi-
tects did not sign this letter, What
right therefore did the committee
have TO send their plans back and 10
consider that they were barred from
any further presentation Of their
CLAIMS | know that one of them
Mr. Patton, whose plan, according
to the testimony Of one of the CAPT
tol commission before the senate
committee ON public buildings, pos
sesses extraordinary merit was not
satisfied and refused TO take his
plans away from jackson, and left
them there announcing his inten-
ton of returning to Jackson and
presenting them to the Legislature,
in letter written to Senator Mes
bit, Mr.. Patton writes, that notwith-
standing his announcements and over
his protest his plans were packed up
ana sent back by express to him at
a cost of $500 Further | have
been reliably informed that Mr..
Patton, a young Mississippian and a
thorough architect and who subse-
quently lost his life in the destruc-
ton in the Richardson building in
Chattanooga, had kept these plans
carefully in his Office in Chattanoo-
ga. intending to be on hand when
| the legislature considered the CAPT
tol question and to present the
same, but unfortunately for him and
| believe for the state of Mississippi
he lost his life in the destruction Of
that building
In view of all these facts | ask
where does the governor fin1 war
rant for his assertion that he saved
the state of Mississippi from q" job"
and the people Of Miss ,pi so
agree. No, fellow citizens, major
ity Of the people Of Missis5. pi con
denim him in his action ON this mat
ter and as more and more the truth
is poured upon this whole thing the
greater will become its condemna-
ton The charge of a job il contra
dicted by the personnel eff the com
missioners the legislature selected;
with honest and brave old John NJ
Stone at its head
When the legislature met in 1898
it was naturally expected by the
people Of Mississippi that the govern
or would say something in his mes
sage or in some special message,
giving to the legislature the right
to consider the capitol question
He had said in his message to the
extraordinary session of 1897, that
the capitol building was dangerous.
His opinion was verified by the eX-
pert opinion of two gentlemen who
had examined it. All who are fam
liar with the situation of that build
ing know that at present it does not
protect many of the most precious
archives and public documents of
the state of Mississippi. 1t may fall at
any time according to the testimony
of these architects, and at any time
between 1897 and 1898 it might
have fallen. For some reason, as
often happens with old buildings
they hold on until finally the crash
comes. You will understand that
under the constitution Of Missis-
sippi, unless the governor had re-
commended by message to the leg
stature to consider the capitol ques
ton that nothing could be done
Considering the pronounced posi-
lion that the governor had taken in
calling the extra session, one Of the
purposes of which was the building
Of new capitol, every member of
the legislature naturally expected
that something or other would be
said on the part of the governor
But strange to say the legislature
adjourned without one word from
the governor on this matter. |
leave to you to draw your own in
ference, as there can be but one con-
clusion to be drawn, from this con
duct ON the part of the governor;
that rather than confe IS defeat in
the usurpation Of selecting the plan
and the commissioners, he would
have no new capitol however great
the need.
THE INDUSTRIAL COLLEGE
VETO