Olympia experienced a decided change of sentiment toward Governor Rogers and his family. From that time and until his death he was given more nearly the consideration his position entitled him to.

"Following this, however, there was a great deal of agitation in favor of the removal of the capitol to some more central city and in 1905 a bill was introduced by State Senator Baker providing that the question of its removal to Tacoma be submitted to the vote of the people at the next general election. Wright Park, consisting of forty acres located in about the center of Tacoma, was offered to the state for capitol purposes. The bill passed both houses, but was vetoed by Governor Mead in 1905, and the two-thirds' vote necessary to overcome the veto could not be mustered.

"As the bill simply provided for submission of the question to the vote of the people, it has been the opinion of many that Governor Mead lacked constitutional authority to veto the act. Succeeding governors have taken the position that the constitution does not give the right to them to veto a measure passed by the Legislature for submission to the voters of the state for determination. Had this point been raised and a judicial determination of the question obtained at that time by those interested in the passage of the bill it is probable the question of the permanent location of the state capitol would have been decided by the voters of the state at the general election held in November, 1906.

"Again in 1907 the matter of the permanent location of the capitol appeared to be an unsettled one and State Senator Ruth of Thurston County introduced a bill providing for the construction of an executive mansion and appropriating $35,000 for that purpose. It is known to many of those who were in touch with conditions during the session that Senator Ruth had but little hope for the passage of his bill when it was introduced, in fact, it was presented principally for the purpose of drawing opposition in the direction of that particular measure, and with a hope that it would result in no attempt being made to again pass a bill to submit the removal question to the voters of the state.

"How well it succeeded is shown by the records. Not only was a removal bill not passed, but in the fullness of its heart the Legislature did pass the bill for the executive mansion, a result which Senator Ruth had not dared to hope for when the bill was first introduced. There had been no sentiment in favor of the construction of an executive mansion up to that time and its completion, under expense restrictions imposed, placed another burden upon the state and also upon every man who has or may become the chief executive of the state since that time. It is a building of about twenty-two rooms, contains a large banquet room and ball room, is almost as large as some public institutions and is surrounded by about six acres of lawn. It is located nearly adjoining the old capitol foundation and near the uncompleted temple of justice, and its grounds contain the only portion of the 30-acre capitol site kept in lawn.

"The cost of the mansion and furnishings was approximately $45,000, and at each session of the Legislature appropriations have to be made for fuel, light. water, help, repairs, etc. The last Legislature appropriated $4,500 per year for all expenses incidental to its upkeep, repairs and improvements. It would have been much better for the state to have cared for the housing of its state officers in suitable buildings before undertaking to build an executive mansion, and this undoubtedly would have been the result had not the Thurston County Senator,

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOX

TILDEN FOUNDATION

who introduced the bill for its construction, found a Legislature much more liberal than he had anticipated.

"At the 1909 session of the Legislature the capitol question again became prominent. A bill was passed creating a new capitol commission, its membership consisting of the governor, state auditor, commissioner of public lands, one member of the state tax commission, to be named by the governor, and three qualified electors to be appointed by the governor. This commission was charged with the duty of erecting a capitol building and all sums of money that might be received from the sale of capitol lands were appropriated for the construction of the building. An allowance of $12,000 was made from the general fund to pay expenses of the commission and also to be used in cruising capitol lands. Apparently there was need for prompt action for the bill contained an emergency clause and took effect immediately upon its passage by the Legislature and approval by the governor.

"At the special session of the Legislature held in the summer of 1909, an additional appropriation of $16,000 was made from the general fund for cruising the capitol lands it evidently having been found that the $12,000 appropriated at the regular session would not be sufficient to complete the work.

"Following the provisions of the act passed at the regular 1909 session Governor Hay appointed as members of the capitol commission J. E. Frost, a member of the tax commission; Alex Polson of Hoquiam, A. S. Taylor, now one of the owners of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and F. D. Huestis. On the death of Mr. Huestis in 1909, Mitchell Harris of Olympia was appointed to fill the vacancy and later, when J. E. Frost resigned from the tax commission, Mike J. Carrigan was appointed as the tax commission member of the capitol commission.

"The work of cruising the capitol lands was proceeded with, but no construction work undertaken until after the 1911 session of the Legislature. At this session a bill was passed authorizing the further construction of capitol buildings under a group plan instead of having but one capitol building, and the capitol commission was empowered to issue bonds or warrants which would be a lien against the capitol lands. The commission was also authorized to erect the temple of justice 'for the purpose of providing adequate quarters for the Supreme Court and its officers, and offices for the attorney general and the state law library.' The law further provided that 'the approximate cost of said building be $300,000.' The law made an appropriation of $350,000 to construct such building and acquire such lands as might be needed additional to the property already owned by the state.

"The language of the law, a part of which is here quoted, clearly shows that the intention of the Legislature was that 'the approximate cost of the temple of justice should be $300,000.' The law also provided that plans should be submitted in competition. The call for competitive plans, in referring to the temple of justice, said: 'Exclusive of approaches, decorations, mural paintings, electric fixtures and movable furniture, it is expected that the cost will approximate $300,000. About thirty sets of plans for the temple of justice were submitted. That of Wilder & White, architects of New York City, was accepted and a contract entered into with this firm for plans, specifications and also superintendence of the construction of the temple of justice.

"That the cost of the building constructed under the accepted plans would

be far in excess of the amount fixed by the Legislature, and that the capitol commission was aware of this, is shown in the call for bids on the building. The proposal form submitted to contractors contains thirteen alternative bids, practically all providing for reduction in cost should any one of the alternative bids be accepted. The specifications upon which bids were submitted provided in many places for temporary work and did not call for exterior finish, which should be of granite, marble or stone. The estimate of cost made by the architects for cut stone exterior finish was $300,000 or, in other words, the architects' estimated cost for the stone exterior finish was an amount equal to the total appropriation made by the Legislature for the building complete.

"The estimate of cost for completing the building, as submitted to the capitol commission, of which Governor Hay was chairman, and printed in the report of that commission submitted to the Legislature of 1913, fixes the amount required for the completion of the building at $538,750. In this amount the only items included and not contemplated by the Legislature in the original appropriation are those for metal stack equipment, electric fixtures, and furniture, curtains and hangings, which in this estimate are listed at $48,000. The architects' estimate, therefore, of what would be needed to complete a building upon which already practically $300,000 had been spent or contracted for, and which was the sum appropriated for the complete building by the Legislature, was almost $500,000. In addition to this estimate the architects also include under another heading: Sculptured groups and single figures in main entrance, $25,000; mural decorations in court room and library, $40.000."