The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-01
WILL CAPITOL
EYER Be DONE?
COMMISSION SEEMS DISPOSED TO
HANG ON FOREVER.
Two Years Allowed by Horton Bill will
Be Used, and Will Garry the Commits
sion into Another Legislative Session
Permanent Commission the Ultimate
Aim-Governor May Fill Vacancies.

Is the state capitol finished, and, it
not, will it ever bea
This question has been asked by
good many people since the publication
on the capitol commission. To all APP
pearances the capitol is finished now,
and if the commission is tired of it's
burden it can turn the building over
to the governor at any time. The Hor-
ton act passed a year ago said in part:
''The board of state capitol commits
sioners are hereby authorized, in addi-
ton to the powers heretofore given
them, to properly care for, operate and
maintain the new capitol building and
to prepare, adorn and care for the
such time as said building may be fully
completed, not exceeding two years
from the passage of this act.
4" Two years from the passage Of this
act, or at such earlier date as it may
be completed, the new capitol building
shall be turned over to the governor. -
The law does not say who shall be
the judges as to when the building is
complete, SO it is apparently left to
the commission. It is well known that
the commission, or at any rate Chan
mission to care for the building. If
the commission hangs on for two years
from the passage Of the act, it will
hold until the last of March, 1907. An
other legislature, will then be in full
swing, and there will be plenty of OPP.
portunity to lobby thru another bill
creating the permanent commission.
That, in the opinion Of observers, is
what the commission intends to do.
Technically, the building is not fin.
iished, but for all practical purposes, II
| SC NIL
construction work is done except for 9
few stone steps at one end and a few
odds and ends of equipment. Some
work remains to be done on the grounds
Any capable superintendent could SCI
to the execution Of such work. The re
naming paintings and statuary engaged
do not need commission to accep
them when finished. However, the com
mission is in the saddle. and no one i
going to Dust it. Some think Governo
johnson could assume control at an,
right to such action. He seems wei
satisfied to be free from the response
bility and the patronage of the build
ing, and is leaving the commission
strictly alone.
/ seabury Bill Resting Easy.
There is a good deal of speculation
too, over the famous bill FOR Chann1n
Seabury, which was held up by tn
governor last summer. The bill for pc
diem allowances amounting to 500
was not approved because Of man
items declared by the governor not t
be proper charges. Similar items /
previous bills were criticised in tn
same way by the public examiner, bu
the last bill was not before him. I
still rests in the governor s hands. Nj
Seabury has never asked for hear
ing on the bill, or offered to amend il
He is letting the proposition alone
Apparently he does not intend to tax
! the matter up with the present GOV
ernor, but has hopes Of more libers
: treatment from his successor or frol
the legislature. - 49,
There are two vacancies on the con
mission which the governor has nc
filed, on the theory that the work
=. SO nearly done that new commissions,
; would have nothing to do. He may d
eide, however, if the commission i,
| tends to hang on for full year longe
E to put two Of his own appointees in
I keep track Of thingss> The appoin
: ments will come from tho first distri,
t and the old sixth. The commission W.
, created when there were seven congre
l. sional districts, and consisted Of or
: from, each district. The vacancies a.
< caused by the death Of II. w. Lambe
s ton of Winona and by the removal
l. Colonel c.. H. Graves Of Duluth, no
n United States minister to Sweden.