Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-02-22
STATE CAPITOL LOGIC.


wrong on public policy and Wisconsin
affairs, in its issue of last Thursday
contains sensible editorial on the sub.
ject of state capitol. which we herewith
reproduce.
At the present time the capitol build
| ing is in condition that il may be sa'
to need repair. There is talk of ne.
building to take the place of the old one.
1t is proposed to appropriate s., 500, DOC
for that purpose; with indefinite pros
poets of future appropriations to carry
ont the elaborate scheme that has been
submitted, and over which the archi
tects and their friends are at present
| having merry war
Something has got to be done, not be-
cause there was fire, altogether, but
because before there was a fire there
was urgent need that something be done.
I IS need has been recognized by the
les alature in the appointment Of a cap.
itoi commission, two years ago, author
| lied to consider and report upon the
most feasible plan for providing needed
rooms for the supreme court and, we
believe otherwise putting the capitol in
to such condition as would make 1t large
enough and comfortable to use for many
years to come. This commission inYes-
tigated, and it was ready to report, or
had already reported, when the fire
came, and the old capitol was damaged
to the extent Of about $500, 900
The commission was we'll satisfied
with its work and with its recommends.
tions. A plan for the enlargement and
the improvement of the capitol was pre-
pared, and the state congratulated itself
on having such an opportunity for sup
plying the state government with neces.
sary increased quarters at such moder.
ate expenditure of money.
Then the fire came, and new neces-
saries arose, There was the old build.
ing a good deal dilapidated, but, like
the prizs-fighter, still in the ring There
was damage Of 5000, coo. Call it
$500, 600
The plum of the legislature in appoint.
ing capitol commission two years ago
was to find out what could be done
about apartments for the supreme court
and making some other improvements,
for oe sum Of about 5000 900.
s, roe legislature recognized the fact
tx w;:h the capitol as 1t was before
t. it was possible to make it salts
IL. for tie continued use of the state
by the expenditure of 5000, 600. IL il
could be done by the expenditure of
$500 coo before the fire, it can be done
n ow by the expenditure of the same
amount Of money in addition to what it
will cost to put the building back in
better shape than it was before tire fire.
It can all be done for $500, 900, and done
in manner that will leave the capitol
in better condition than it would have
been in had there been no fire, and the
plans of the legislature to provide rooms
for the supreme court, and the plans of
the capitol commission, had all been car.
ried out
Over against this idea of repairing and
improving the old capitol is the project
of building a new one at an estimated
cost of IS, 500, 600, and a probable ad-
ditionai cost Of half as much more
What will be better for the statel
With the expenditure of $500, 600, the
capitol can be put in satisfactory CON
dition to serve the state for twenty
years. At the end of that time, if it is
deemed advisable, the building can be
taken over by the state university,
which will at that time be the greatest
university in the entire country, and a
new capitol erected at any eItravagant
cost that pleases the legislature to make
The interest on even S., 500, 600 at even
Al per cent. for twenty years, will
amount to s., $50, co., and we should
still have the old building" left for the
university.
| There is more to this thought than the
mere matter of erecting a magnificent
capitol that will be glory and monu,
ment and all that. The state institu,
tons need large outlays of money for
their present requirements. and for the
actual preservation # the property.
None Of the older buildings is Il salts.
factory condition, and some Of them are
rotting down for need of repairs Nearly
all of them are crowded beyond their
capacity for comfort. IL the capitol IL
not built there will be money TO put
these buildings into proper condition
and that work will be better monu,
ment, and will rebound twenty times
more to the glory of the state, than a
white marble capitol at Madison-or
elsewhere.
With the new capitol and all of our
money spent we should be like the
farmer who puts mp a handsome house
at the expense of his fences, and his
barns. and even at the expense of tbs
house ITSELF hs~ing left nothing with
which to furnish it.