The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-02-09
S1IOJ1Ju NOT TOUCH THE STATE
CAPITOL.

D1t ~"
destroy the symmetry and per1ectlo''
Of North Cardinals beautiful capi'o'
and put up a botch patch WORK IN It's
place that will be an offense 10 soou
architecture and an eyesore to the PEG
pie who come to Raleigh"
Last year two of the most ulS-
tine,1ished architects in New YORK.
,,ar in Raleigh. The thing that
charmed them most was the Simple
dignity of the State capitol Hear
ing of q suggestion that 1t be en-
larged by two wings, they expresseu
tho hope that no architectural Vandai
sbouId be allowed to mar the stately
beauty and simple dignity OF the most
beautiful old style capitol building IN
America. Their view is shared by
most architects at home and ABROAD.
No man VINO has seen the botch maze
Of charging the old capitol bulldlnS
at Annapolis would permit any hands
To DESTROY North Cardinals perfect
| piece of architecture. OF course
skilled draughtsnen can draw a plc-
ture that would make our capitol q
copy of the modern structures. al
monotonOusly alike and none haNlIS
the unique granduer Of our stately
building But the greatest architect
in the ~orld. With millions at his COM
mand, could not add to the present
building without making an unS.9htly
structure. Il hope said the vtatraplc
I.ex-Governor Jarvis yesterday, that
the State capitol will not be touched
in my day. The needed room Tor
offices and committee room can be
erected without destroying the beauty
Of our capitol That is the opinion
of most men who have given the mat
ter consideration. When the State
has grown in another decade rich and
populous enough to demand larger
chambers for the Senate and House,
land Fan be purchased and Il great
capitol erected to meet the need Of q
future generation, and the present
building can be preserved for the Su-
preme Court and other departments Of
government. But that need Will Iot
come 20 this generation. The duty
Ol tillS StIltI 3t!oi4 - " piCtt !lt liiI \
complement of the vandalism that
would lose t. the State its beautiful
and simple building that has a thous-
and historic associations and that will
fill the need oH the Commonwealth for
q generation Yet nborn
There is need Of n fire proof build
ing TO preserve the records of the
State; to give better quarters for the
Supreme Court. the Library. and the
other departments of government; to
accommodate the applicants who wish
to enter the states educational insti-
tutions. and to care for the unfor-
tunate and dependent classes. All Of
these matters are So vastly more i'm
portant than q larger capitol that even
if anybody desired 10 destroy the
beauty OF the State CO pitOl building, it
woul be the height of folly to make
any one of them wait until Il new
State capitol should be erected. The
last legislature authorized the cxpen-
diture Of $685. 900 within four years
for additions to insane hospitals, and
20 care for detectives and epilcpticS.
The Commission charged with this
high duty has wisely planned for their
are. The next supreme duty is to
provide additional buildings at our in
stitutiOnS of learning so that every
boy and girl knocking at their doors
can obtain admission. This need is
far and away more pressing than any
other public building. The fire proof
building desired by the Historical Com
mission and others and the Agricul--
tural building desired by the Depart
ment of Agriculture. either separate
or consolidated. would fill a need, but,