The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-10
WOULD GIVE CAPITOL
COMMISSION CHARGE
Senator Horton VIII Offer Bill
Empowering It to Operate
New Capitol

A bill to provide for the operation
and maintenance of the new state cap
1tol by the present capitol commission
Will be introduced in the senate today
Dy Senator Hiler H. Horton, chairman
OF the committee on public buildings.
Ine Dill will carry an appropriation
Tor the employment of the necessary
employees, for the fuel and lighting. and
VIII enlarge the powers of the capitol
commission to permit that board to
operate as we'll as construct the new
building.
Assurances are given by members
OF the committee that there is no in
tention of transferring the usual pow
ers and prerogatives of the executive
of the state to the commission. and
Chairman Horton said last night that
he would consult with Gov. Johnson
before introducing the bill this morn
ing.
The senators who composed the COM
m1ttee on public buildings in the last
session, and who are expected to con-
sutute the membership of the commit
tee for the session of 1905, met last
night in the senate Judiciary commit
tee room and went over the matter of
the operation of the new capitol, pend
ing It's final completion. Senators Hor-
ton, E. B. Hawkins, r. E. THOMPSON.
Samuel Lord, E. T. Comstock and A.
v. Rleke We're present and spent half
an hour in discussion of the bill to
De presented by the committee today.
To Extend Commissions Scope
1t is proposed to extend the scope of
the capitol commission to the operation
ana maintenance of the new building,
10 give the capitol commission author
1ty to engage the necessary engineers.
fremen, Janitors, police and other en-
ployes required, and to heat. light and
operate the building. The bill will in
clude an appropriation, and it is said
by men in position to know that the
maintenance of the new structure will
require an outlay of from $65, 900 to
$4,000 annually.
The capitol commission will not
have the new building fully completed
ana ready to turn over to the state in
side the next eighteen months" said
chairman Horton at the close of the
committee meeting, "and it is the
proper body to have control of the
building until it is finished. There are
SlOO,000 worth of contracts yet to be
hlled, and the commission must have
control OF the building until it is COM
pleted and paid for. We will give the
commission authority to employ the re-
CURED help and to incur indebtedness
IN the purchase of fuel and supplies.
30 long as it is in charge of the build
ing, 1t is only proper that the commits
sion should have undisputed authority
In the matter of employees
The operating expenses must he met
Dy a special appropriation, for If is.
obvious that the commission cannot
use its building fund to pay for fuel
and labor. l have been told that from
$65,OO0 to $4,000 per year will be re-
qulred to operate the capitol, and the
amount of the appropriation will be
governed by our knowledge of the stu
alton. Our committee will introduce a
bill tomorrow morning covering the
subject matter of our discussion to-
night"
VIII Ask Governors Approval
Senator Horton was emphatic in
disclaimer that the legislature had any
intention of encroaching on the rights
or Gov. Johnson in the matter of the
control and operation of the new capi-
toll
There is no intention to take pat
ronage from Gov. Johnson" he said.
We shall do nothing that does not
have the approval of the governor. I
shall call on him in the morning before
the session begins for the day and
shall be governed by his suggestions.
l understand that the governor agrees
with the legislature that while the cap
1to1 commission is in control of the
building it should have the right to
employ the labor necessary to operate
the building, but our committee will be
veryvcareful that any false impression
cannot be put on its recommendations
in this reSDacf