The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1905-01-18
LEGISLATORS WANT
TO MOVE CAPITOL
Chaotic Conditions Threatened
at Frankfort Now.
senator Wheeler Campbell Attempts
To Show That the Governor Cam
not Restrict the Legislature.
BIG GRAFT ~ IN SIGHT

Frankfort. KY, Jan. IS. The de.
sire to prolong the legislature and
grind various axes that need shar-
penlng has cropped out on several
occasions recently.
Senator Campbell Cantrlll, who
had been painfully reticent, broke
loose yesterday. and Senator Wheel
or Campbell OF Paducah, attempted
to show that the governor had no
right to limit the legislature to any
special subject
Senator Campbell Cantrill ad-
dressed the body az to the best site
In Frankfort He urged the erection
of the new capitol on the grounds
owned by the state on the high cas-.
hill contiguous to the Predetermined
Institute. In answer to the argument
that the hill Is beyond water protec-
ton, he thought the feeble minded
chillren. over 1G0 in number, were
being poorly cared for by the state
lie thought a system Of waterworks
should be constructed sufficiently
large to supply water for the peni-
Tertiary. the Institute and the new
capitol. and operated with the s5,-
600 now devoted to buying water
Tor the prison alone.
Senator Cantrill said the sites Of
fcred were not assessed at more than
onc-fifth of the price now asked for
them. and that the legislature ought
lot to be unloaded upon by real es-
tate agents. He further said that
one site, which was really assessed
at $4,000. had been offered to the
Il gislature at $4,000.
Senator Cantrill closed his ad-
dress after strongly urging the Sc
lection of the Arsenal hill site.
Senator Whit offered a resolution
authorizing the appointment of a
Joint committee from the senate and
the house to draft and submit bill
q The next general assembly putting
the capitol question to the voters for
settlement.
Senator Whit said the reason he
offered his resolution was because
the people were asking enormous
prices for their lands. Senator Ferris
made hot speech saying he was in
favor of moving the capitol away
from Frankfort, because the people
of Frankfort had permitted the de-
feat of Senator E. II. Taylor to the
house, the man who has done more
than all others to secure for Frank
fort the location. He thought the
people OF Frankfort were too un-
grateful to be honored with a capt
toll Senator Allen made a strong
speech urging that the Whit resolu-
ton comes under the governors call.
Senator Campbell, of Paducah,
read extracts from the constitution
of Kentucky which he claimed indi-
Gated that the governor had no right
to limit the legislature TO any spe-
cial subject. He further said the leg
lslature is a sovereign body, and
that the governor has no right TO re-
quire It to act upon anything.
President Thorne said the Whit
resolution was the smoothest thing
of the kind he had ever seen and ca
rable OF bringing about the most in
tricate conditions. lie held that the
resolution was out OF order,
II seems that trouble is brewing
among members of the legislature,
ard the settlement OF the capitol site
question is far from closed. The
owners of the Hunt property, on the
South Side, which seems TO be the
most favorable site offered, asked
Originally $4,000 for about twenty
three acres. but to make the site
complete II will take about six acres
more Of the same land, and for this
small additional tract the sum of
SEQ, 900 Is asked. The members have
made an Investigation, and claim to
have discovered that the entire prop
erty is assessed at the Insignificant
sum of $500,
Many of the legislators now claim
that they will not, under any condi-
tiou vote 10 purChase the Hunt land
and a very considerable per cent
have been making Investigations as
to the legality of moving the capitol
To Lexington.
One member has openly declared
that some OF the best lawyers in the
state had Informed him that II