The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-14
CHARGES MADE OF
INTERPRETATIONS
Judge Sherman Declares StaTa Ar
chitect Has Been Allowed
$1G.GG0 Illegally.
INVESTIGATION MAY FOLLOW.
State Board of Charities, |. Is Al
legged. Has Usurped Powers
Vested Alone in the
Legislature.
, CORRESPONDENT.

BY STAFF CORRESPONDENT.
Springfield. ILL.,, March 13.-The reuues
by the Southern Illinois Insane Asylum a
Anna for special appropriation of $500
| with which 20 erect . hospital has sc
| ciptated charges against the conduct o.
| the office of r. Bruce Watson, State Archi
| tect, Judge L. Y. Sherman on the floor OF
| the House this morning. stated that th'
! State Auditors books will show that Wat
! son has drawn in the neighborhood of Sl6,
| coo in fees which should not have heeE
| drawn
| Judge Sherman AYERS that the State
| Board of Charities has usurped powers
vested alone in the Legislature. This board
passed a resolution giving Watson the priv
| ilege of drawing the above amount as eX-
penses. both for travelling and for employ
| Ing craftsmen and assistants On tie
strength of this the Auditor issued warrants
| and the money has been paid.
The charges arose in explanation of
resolution passed yesterday by the House
Appropriations Committee 1t recites that:
Whereas The office of State Architect
was created and Bruce Watson appointed.
and.
Whereas One OF the prescribed duties
of this official is to draw plans and specih-
cations for public buildings.
Resolved, That he be requested to draw
such plans when called upon to do so by
officers or trustees OF the public charities.
Institutions contemplating the erection of
additional buildings are the asylum a An
ma, the Western Illinois Normal School. the
Western Hospital for the Insane, the Asy-
lum for the Incurable Insane and the Home
for Delinquent Boys at st. Charles. These
are named in the resolution.
The resolution would not necessarily COM
pei the State Architect to act. But it is
regarded a slap at him. and as re-
quest that he do what his Office is expected
to do and which he has failed to do.
HEATED DEBATE.
When the resolution was reported to the
House for adoption this morning. it pro-
voked u heated debate, in the course of
which the proposition was raised to 90
away with tine State Architects position al
together. and the declaration was made
that the present system of contracting for
State buildings is loose and extravagant.
Under existing conditions, Judge Sherman
argued requests for appropriations for
State work are but estimates. He cited the
case of an institution which secured s175.-
900 for constructing building last session.
Now two bills are in, one for $l35o0o and
another Tor $SoUuV, Tor the completion OIL
the work.
Mr.. Lynch. trustee of the Anna Asy-
1um,' said Sherman. "and Doctor Bennett,
the Superintendent. when before the COM
mittee. said that they had no money upon
which TO draw for the preparation of plans.
That they might have some manner in
which to proceed, this resolution was in
troduced.
II am getting tired of this gougng of the
State Treasury, and / do not propose to
remain silent any longer. In reference to
the State Architect, desire to say that l
have In my pocket memoranda showing
where he has collected s., 200 from one In
stitution, which. under the law, he had no
ri.ht to collect. An examination of tie
Auditors books will show the collection of
like $4,000 There IL no use min
cling words 1t is grand larceny on large
scale. This is what is known as graft. and |
If it is not checked It will grow larger.
II do not blame MIR. Watson so much. |
but the Board of Charities, which author |
ICED him to do what he had no right to do. !
The power to legislate moneys from the |
Treasury is vested solely in this Assembly, |
and is delegated TO no board or commission. |
This board gave the architect what tina |
Legislature refused to give him. 1t is time /
these practices ceased"
Representative Wheeler of Sangamon /
County was opposed to acting upon the res /
olution Immediately, asking that it go over /
until next Wednesday. Judge Sherman
raised no objection to the delay. Accord
ngly, the postponement was granted. On |
Wednesday the answer Of The Board Of