The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1920-05-05
COMMISSION APPOINTED TO
ADMINISTER COL
LEGE IMPROVE
MENTS.
NOT ACT HASTILY
Approval OF Personnel of Com
mittee - Commission Will
Go Slow; 1t Had Absolute
Authority.

Jackson, Mississippi, May 1.-The
Improvement Bond C ON m S i 0 n
created by the act authorizing the
issuance of some four and half mil
lions of bonds for buildings, equip
ment and repairs, met this morning
pursuant to the call of the Governor.
The Commission consists of Governor
Russell, Ex- Officio Chairman, Attor-
ney-General Frank Robertson, who is
Ex-Officio Secretary, Insurance Com
missioner T. M. Henry, Lieutenant
Governor Casteel, Speaking Conner,
Senators Kyle and McCallum, anG
Messrs. Bailey and Stone. All mem.
bers were present. This was the first
meeting of the commission and was
for the chief purpose of outlining {
mode of procedure for future work.
The most important action of the
commission was the decision to issue
Immediately $25O,OO0.OO of bonds fol
the purpose of making repairs at the
variouse state institutions. This wa,
thoroughly canvassed, and the nee
essity for prompt action developed
during the discussion. 1t was. realized
that if the states property is to be
taken care of and further damage an6
deterioration prevented the issuance
Of bonds to take care of these repairs
was an absolute necessity. 1t Should
be noted in this connection that the
general support funds for the lnstitu
tions this year include nothing what
ever for repairs. When the Legislat,
ure realized the magnitude of the
total of these repair items it very
wisely determined to provide fol
them in connection with the building
program and placed them under the
control of the building commission.
The action taken today speaks the
unanimous decision of the commission
to use their authority in this regard
as their first official action.
1t may be remarked in this connec.
zion that a referendum on this bill
as has been suggested in some quart
ers, would simply render impossible
any such repairs, imperative though
it may be, as we'll as tieing up the
building program as whole.
Your correspondence is now in posi-
tion to clear up some more or less
confused points with reference to the
bill which has excited such general
discussion. Contrary to popular i'm
preston, the bill does not instruct the
commission to enter upon any whole
sale five million dollar building pro
ject." Quite the contrary. 1t does
not even authorize any such hastily
considered action. 1t does not make
mandatory the issuance of any bonds
whatever, nor the letting Of any con.
tracts, not the construction of any
buildings. These items and the ap.
preparations made for them are all
left absolutely to the discretionary
authority of the commission, which is
made the final authority in the premis-
es. The bill, intact, surrounds the
issuance of bonds and the expendturt
of funds with numerous carefully
worked-out safeguards and restric
tions. Under its terms, no contract:
can be let in excess of the funds ap
propriated. Thus every project mus
be completed with the money in hant
and instead of being merely begun
and depending on completion for ap
pcals to future Legislatures for ad
ditional appropriations. The commits
sion cannot even contract for building
until after it has carefully investigat
ed the matter Of the necessity AM
wisdom of its erection.
Nothing was done in the matter o
retaining a supervisor and architec
other than asking Mr.. Theodore Linl
of st. Louis to meet the commission
at some future date.
With a view to future procedur
the commission decided to ask tn
head of each institution in the stat
for a careful statement as to tn
relative importance of the severa
features of each proposed act of i'm
provements. This information will b
used in determining what part of eac
project will be first of the proceed
Of such bonds as the commission ma
issue from time to time and at tn
same time avoiding expenditures no
snAs.I -. n. IT,