The Weekly Tallahasseean., 1901-01-24
SHALL WE REMODEL?
Hon. 7. |. Clarke on NeCeSSi-
ties Of the Capitol
SSEPARATEBUILDING
Cites Cases of North Carolina and
Virginia Where this was Done.

By the action of the Democratic
State Convention and the vote at the
recent State primary, the Legislature
is instructed to provide means for
making such improvements for
State Capitol at Tallahassee as the
needs of the State may require.
The Legislature must determine.
what extensions, repairs or improve
ments are necessary to afford proper
facilities for the transaction of the,
States business, and what reasonable
amount should be so expended in the
present condition of the States finan-
ces. 1t is not ! question of how
much money cOul ID be raised for this
purpose, or how much would be nee
essary or appropriate to be raised if
we had no Capitpl, and were now be-
ginning for the first time to erect
Capitol and Othe Or buildings for the
State, but, what is necessary and ap-
prOpriate under existing conditions to
furnish such additional facilities as
are needed.
1t Is self-evident that much of the,
vote for Tallahassee was based on the
theory that far less would be required
to furnish proper facilities at Talla-
hassee than to erect new capitol
buildings in any one of the other
competing cities. Therefore, there
is neither authority nor justification
for the expenditure of such an
amount as would have been neces-
sary if some other place had been
selected by the people for new
State capital. From the arguments
used during the campaign, and the
vote pOlled, 1t is further evident that
these facilities can, and should be,
furnished from our present resources
without an increase Of State taxes.
The question presented is simply,
t"What is best to be done, with the
money we can afford, without in
creasing the State levy?"
An enlargement anG extension of
the old Capitol building has been
suggested and urged by many, but
no estimate of the necessary cost is
given. To this there are many Sc
riOus objections.
The old Capitol building is a sub
stantial structure, and a completed
architectural design. To add to it
and preserve anything like SYM
metry, the entire ground plan must
be changed and enlarged, the height
of the building increased, and neces-
sarily the interior must be revised
While these changes and additions
are being made the occupants and
the contents of the building must
necessarily be removed. Where in
Tallahassee can suitable quarters for
temporary occupancy be found:
How much, if really any, of the old
building would form Il necessary
part of the reconstructed building:
To the cost of this reconstruction
add the expense Of packing up and
moving out, the rent and equip
, ment of temporary quarters for
State officials, and the loss incident
to the disorganizatiOn in the mean
time of the Supreme Court and
other departments Of the State gov
ernment, and could we expect to
get out with much less than The ex-
penditure necessary to construct and
furnish a new modern State Capitol:
And then, at best, we should have
only piece of 'patchwork, " show
ing cracks and rents wherever tht
! new work Joined the old waIls, and
q mass of inferior architecture dis
prOpOrtionate to the area of the Cap
itol square. Will it pay us to "pu
= new wine in old bottles" or 'neN
/; cloth in old garments
And. then, is it necessary or ex
= pedient that we keep 1all our egg
= in the basket" The 'baSket" i
! good and all right, except as to ca
pacity. Is it the part of wisdom o
economy to take out the eggs, tea
-, up the "Old basket" to enlarge it, an,
replace them? Why not build al
additional '.basket' to acc ,m,nodat
our "increase Of eggs" Why no
< erect new, substantial building O
5 modern design, on a suitable lot ad
Y joining the Capitol square Of SulI
e clent capacity for the Supreme Cour
I. the Railroad Commission and tn
\. Superintendent of Public InStru,
2 tson? There is very creditabI
, postOffice building in Tallahassee
which Is said to have cost abOl
y $4,000. The capacity of such
"a building is ample for the purpos'
it. named, and can be erected WithO