Oakes Republican. (Oakes, N.D.) 1898-1906, 1905-09-28

those who furnished the materials for
it. In the case of public buildings the
burden too often falls upon the tax
payers. This gives rise to. popular
criticism and often to the most sensa-
tional charges of public corruption, the
charges being varied in intensity only
by the desperate necessities of fac
tional politics.
The commission will endeavor to
do their duty under the law, fully real
izing the responsibilities. They are
willing to be judged by their deeds, but
are not to be disturbed by vagrant or
selfish complaints, made even before
the work is begun.
A fair minded public will readily real
ize the unusual character of the task that
the law imposes upon the commits
sioners. They must complete the
building within the limits of specific
sum. There must be no deficiency
when the work is finished. The federal
government has provided literally for
public buildings at the capital. The
taxpayers of the state must not be
called upon to make restitution for
official delinquencies, and the commits
sioners will strive to avoid every excuse
for final public disapproval. At the
|'same time they are mindful of the fact
that it would be too much for human
ingenuity to contrive against the stud
led efforts of sensationalists and others
who are morbidly inclined to find some
food to feed upon.
Therefore it was that the commits
sioners, with all the legal restrictions
and other moral considerations in mind,
determined that the safest method was
as the law permits, to have the total
cost of the work particularly expressed
in the several bids and the subsequent
contract; that all parties engaging in
the work or any part of it should be
jointly liable under common bond for
the completion of the building, so that
there could be no subsequent shifting
of responsibility from contractor to
architect or from architect to con-
tractor, as is too often the case, with
the inevitable deficiency to be met by
the taxpayers. It must not be forgot
ten that the first duty of the commits
sioners is to the state; at the same time
they hope to have the respect and CO.
operation of the architects and builders.
If the commissioners shall succeed in
this high purpose; if they shall in the
end turn over to the state modern
and enduring building with the means
provided by congress; if in the process
the now idle lands given by the general
government may be utilized by settlers
and their enhanced value added to the
tax rolls of the state, and all this can
be accomplished-as it must lie ac-
complished without cost to the state
or any Of its citizens-t then there
will remain no reasonable doubt that
the object of congress and of the legis-
lative body that passed the law under
which the commission is acting has
been faithfully carried out.
The commission, having no greater
means Of ascertaining the amount of
funds that may be realized from the
endowment lands for capitol purposes,
than the legislature, have accepted the
legislative declaration as expressed in
section IL of the act, restricting the
amount that may be anticipated to
$500, 900, and bidders for the whole
work are expected to consider this sum
as the maximum; the board under the
terms of said section being empowered
to issue interest bearing land grant
certificates Of Indebtedness which may
be sold or offered to the contractor at
the time of letting the contract or at
any time thereafter at par. And the
commission, under authority of the act,
will, in the consideration of proposals,
be guided by the expert opinion and the
work will be prosecuted under the SUI
pervision Of some architect or builder of
recognized skill and ability.
Although the law provides that con-
tracts for construction, etc., may be
let after public notice of fifteen days,
the commission fixed the time at forty
days, and in order that there may be