The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-26
DeplOre the POstpOnement by
State Commission.
Citizens Have Righteous Pro.
test Says Nation.
COburn Says He Believes Legis-
lature Will Act.

There is good deal of talk on every
hand about the delay in the building
of the. Memorial building, most +
which is criticism. Old soldiers ana
citizens generally deplore the fact that
work on the building has been sus-
pended with only the foundation in and
that the progress of the building now
depends upon the action of the next
legislature.
People are talking about the commits
sion in charge of the proposed admin
1stration building for the university fo-
which the appropriation was made at
the same time as that for the Memorial
building. The university building COM
mission is going ahead with the build
ing in their charge. They will let the
contracts next week. The Memorial
commission spent over year in trying
to decide what kind of material should
be put in the building.
Wasted Year.
]. M Nation, state auditor, when
asked today about the status of the
Memorial building, said: ct note that
Governor Stubs and the legislature
did not think that the executive coun-
ell could be trusted or did not have the
ability to handle the matter of build
ing the Memorial building for the old
soldiers. So they created a memorial
commission at an additional expense
to the state to take charge of all af-
fairs in relation to the construction of
this building.
at seems to me that it would NOT
have required much ability to make a
decision in a years time as to whether
the building should be built of stone or
marble. 1t seems to me also that even
the executive council could have had
the foundation put in inside of thir-
teen months.
1.-THE memorial commission has vast
ed a year and then checked the whole
MATTE. hack fn the naXt LEGISLATURES
should think that the people of the
state, and particularly the old soldiers.
have righteous protest to make over
such dilatory tactics. l believe the ex-
ecutive council could at least have done
as well as this honorable and distin-
guished commission.
Gas for the talk about the university
management in charge of the proposed
administration building going ahead
and using the money appropriated for
that building over a year ago, 1 will
say that they had fifty thousand dol
lars to spend before next June and
seventy-five thousand dollars to spend
by June 80, 1911. They will have to
spend this money as by law provided"
Samuel T. Howe, chairman Of the
state tax commission, was optimistic
over the matter when asked today for
lis opinion. Il think it will be a good
thing he said, ''for the foundation to
stand year before the superstructure
is placed upon it. 1 think the best of
material should be used in the build
ing, even if the legislature has to be
asked for an additional appropriation.
Still, l am sorry to see this delay of
a year, and wish that it could have
been avoided. I do not pretend to say
who is to blame for the delay"
Annoying, Says Coburn.
F. D. Coburn, secretary of the board
Of agriculture, and, himself an old SOL
IL i Of hot 70 1oe on
unnecessary delay, but uses a soft an
swer to turn away wrath as follows:
II have been vexed by what seemed
an unnecessary drag to the work, bur
now 1 am rather persuaded it will in
the long run be for the best. If the an
1.oying delay, which surely can be but
temporary, results in a better building
from more carefully digested plans, out
of better and more enduring material
such a memorial as our posterity and
the state can always refer to with
pride, there should be no just cause
for complaint
"I haven't the slightest doubt that
the legislature will generously provide
Cor making and equipping the building
the best possible, whatever the neces-
sary expense may be, and that we shall
all be justifably happy over the out
come"
The memorial commission is compos-
ed of the following members: w. R.
Stubs, governor; w. S. Fitzgerald,
lieutenant governor; J. NJ. Dolley,
speaker of house of representatives;
Charles Martin, secretary horticultural
society; C. S. Huffman of Columbus,
state senator; J. w. Burke of Salipa,
rlennber house OF representatives; j. IS.
| Rickel ex-commander state G.. A. R.
| Present Commander Harmon, of the G.
A. r., has been invited to take part in
| the deliberation of the commission