Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-03-08

and did business. though the senate
went home. The fact IS this legisla-
ture is slow in doing business The
leaders. however, are now worried.
and after lashing the assembly into
n Saturday session. on threat of call
Of the house-whiCh means that the
sergeant-at-arms would have gone 70
the ends Of the state to bring in mem
bers absent without leave-the DISPOSE
ton is now to take up bills and dis
pose Of them. Some of the committees
are working into the night.
The Capitol Commission.
Sentiment. for the present certainly,
looks toward a comparatively small
outlay on the capitol. And yet there is
n group of men who conceive that,
rather than spend even 100000 on
repairs. it would he wiser to make
start, however small, on a new build
ing. 1t may be well to review til" his
tory of the renovation project espe'
cially as there has been criticism OF
the members, notably the judges,
who have put in an immense amount
of hard work. and about their only re
ward is the denunciation of those who
do not agree with the commission, or
who perhaps do not understand how
their recommendations stand today
The Original Task.
The commission was appointed I'M
der law passed in response to an adj
dress to the governor by the justices Of
the supreme court with reference t.
the needs of their department, md
that Of the law library undev their
charge.
The legislature demand d that he
fore any money should be spent plan
should be settled upon covering all
changes that might be needed in the
future, to the extent of remcdeling the
whole capitol, If found necessary. The
bill required one of the justices IA be
Il member Of this commission rs the
work presently to be done related t.
that part Of the capitol occupied by
the court of library departments.
Judge Winslow was selected accord
ingly and Judge Marshall was appoint
cd according to the wish Of many
members Of the legislature and be-
cause Of his experience in and knowl-
edge Of the subject. The latter had
sketched out plan which contem-
plated utilizing substantially all Of the
old capitol, and this sketch was sub
mitted to the governor and the COM
mittee. The judges consented to act
at first solely because the movement
was started in response to their adj
dress, and the work Immediately to
be done related to their department
Then Came the Fire.
After the fire the Judges consented
to continue to act and broaden out the
details OF the contemplated work to
meet the new situation, because it
seemed that it was thelr duty to do
so. instead Of taking u position that
would probably require a special ses-
sion of the legislature, or d delay of
two years In the work Of providing a
capitol for the state. The commission
proceeded in the ordinary and orderly
way to final conclusion, taking the
advice Of an architect distinguished in
his profession, who was named by the
competitors. Contrary to the ideas
entertained by some members of the
commission, the unanimous sentiment
Of the state MS voiced IN the press after
the fire was a plan that would
sometime provide substantially. at
least, a new capitol. All the architects
in producing their plans worked along
that line, giving it as their opinion
that 1t was the only practical thing
to do.
What Il the Present Situation?
1t is q mistake to conceive that the
commission has committed the state to
an expensive capitol. The commits
sion has only awarded prizes for plans
aud recommended the selection OF an
architect in respect to such work as
the legislature may see fit 10 have
done, 1t is true that the Gilbert plan
'.cntempIates the development Of 4
capitol. section log section, so that a
complete capitol structure can be
created without using but n part OF
his entire plan. the rest to be deve!.
oped from time to time as the future
may demand,
And this may be the wiseSt thing
to do. One wing Of the Gilbert build.
ing may be built for 100000 without
disturbing the present capital A sec.
ond wing may he later added for g
like amount without interfering with
the old building. III short, It may
seem wiser 10 spend any money, even
a small amount, on permanent con
structon rather than on patching VI
the present edi6ce. It looks strong
but planks and tarled paper cover
parts Of 1t and the north wing is said
to he positively dangerous 1t is true
that the Gilbert plan calls for n build
ing estimated 10 cost $3,000000 ans
would probably cost more. but this
for the perfected structure-It could D.,
EIilt In parts and perhaps the fina
parts might not be needed for thirty
years. l have gone into this IN som'
detail, for the commission has really
done good work and thought the thin.
out carefully. It has planned for tb,
future The national capitol is from
time to time expanded. but on line
cast ever century ago. OF cours,
the commission has lab0rcd withou
compensation.
Threshing out Railroad Question.
There has been q series of after
noon hearings On railway regulation
u. FL