Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1904-03-22
WANTS CAPITOL
LOCATED HERE
Mayor W. E. Wheelan's Letter
to Milwaukee Sentinel
on This Question.
GIVES MANY GOOD
REASONS FOR OPINION
University and Capitol Should
Not Be in the Same City.
He Believes.

Ine IOllOWlng letter Dy Mayor w. Y.
Wheelan to the Milwaukee Sentinel
on the Removal of the Capitol" will
be Endorsed by the majority of the
citizens of Grand Rapids:
sit seems that the sentiment in
favor Of moving the capitol from the
city of Madison is increasing. There
are many reasons why this sentiment
is increasing. the poor railroad facili-
ties of the city of Madison and it's
location are sufficient in themselves
to justify the feeling of the people of
the state that the capitol should be
moved. But the principal reason now
seems to be the prevailing opinion
that the location of. the university
and the capitol should not be at the
same city. 1t would have a healthful
effect on the legislature and also on
the university to separate them. The
influence of the university on the
legislature is not exactly what it
should be. The temptation of the
different professors and instructors in
the university to become professional
lobbyists and exercise their influence
on legislation is more than they can
withstand at the present time. 1t
may be, and it is possibly true, that
this influence is not felt by the men,
bers of the legislature. However, the
people of the state generally and
especially in the northern part of the
state, have become suspicious of this
influence. The tendency is to lessen
the respect for our state university,
and the support that our university
must receive from the state will
necessarily be effected.
"We think that with the capitol
located at some other city that has
advantages the capitol should have,
and the university remaining at Madi-
son, the university would receive
more support and help from the state
than it has heretofore, which would be
given with much better grace and less
complaining. 1t would undoubtedly
benefit the legislature and the state
university to have the capitol moved,
cat just what city the capitol
should be located is not so important.
Milwaukee is certainly the best
qualified by reason of her population
and industries, the only objection
being her geographical location.
Oshkosh is also we'll qualified, being
about the center OF population. But
everything considered, the city of
Grand Rapids is undoubtedly the
best qualified by reason of her location
practically in the center of the state,
her railroad facilities which excel
every other city in the state, being
located on the four principal rail-
roads in the state: The Chicago &
North Western, the Chicago, Mil
waukee & Sc. Paul, the Wisconsin
Central and the Green Bay & Western.
Then agains, Grand Rapids is a grow
ing city that will eventually become
manufacturing center. 1t is nicely
located on the Wisconsin river, the
scenery being picturesque and the
climatic conditions being healthful
and favorable. The people of the city
of Grand Rapids are willing to donate
forty acres of land, suitable for site,
and more if necessary. While it APP
pears to be the prevailing opinion in
the Wisconsin River valley that the
capitol should be moved to the city of
Grand Rapids on the Wisconsin river,
the river from which the state de-
rives it name, the matter of the
location is not so important as the mat
ter of the removal of the capitol. That
it should be moved is practically
agreed upon, and the legislature
should be called upon to do it's duty