Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-10-18
ADVICE TO BISMARCK.

To Come Down From its Lofty Position
and Treat the North Courteously.
Grand Forks Herald: The Bismarck
papers seem to be afflicted with sort of
emotional insanity" The bare mention
of any subject in which tie name of
Bismarck is unavoidably mentioned,
seems to act much as red cloth is said
to operate on the temper of the male
turkey, and they present the same blus.
tering, fussy and ridiculous appearance
whenever they fancy their position as the
capital" is trenched upon. In all the
discussion of the capital matter, there
has not been. so far as We are aware
certainly not in the columns of the Her
ald-at any time any animus shown
against Bismarck, on its merits, as
suitable locality for the capital. That
point has not at all entered into the gen.
eraI comment on the question. We do
not say that Bismarck is by any means
the most suitable place that could be
selected; and we do not say that, all
things being equal, the people of north
Dakota have any serious reason to OBJ
ject to that location as the permanent
capital. What objection has been made
has been OF much more serious charac.
ter-it is the infamous conduct by which
it waa chosen to be the capital
the outrage of every principle of de.
cency and justice constituted in the meth.
DDS pursued by the capital commission
the illegallity of conferring upon ir-
responsible persons legislative powers
from which the responsible body can
not constltutionally divest itself. II
such precedent were to be handed
down as course approved and sane
toned by popular opinion, and per.
mltted by the courts, it would be, in its
inevitable results, as indeed it already
has been, most mischievous influence
for evil. 1t introduced the thin end
and good deal of that end-of the
wedge of corruption into the foundation
of our legislative institutions, which the
interests and welfare and future of Da.
kota require shall be laid in honor and
integrity. Bismarck papers are not
unnaturally willing to condone these
evils for the present, because of the ma.
terial benefits their town receives from
their operation, but it IS quite the re.
verse of good policy fer them to fly in
the faces of the public opinion of the
Shole teri itory, which condemns in the
most unmistakable manner, not BIS.
marck. but the corrupt, immoral and
outrageous conduct of the capital com.
mission. Bismarck is not at this moment
legally the capital of Dakota. If it eve,
becomes so. and expects to remain so, it
will do we'll not to antagonize the
whole OF the balance of North Da
| kota, and to remember that j,
must look for the establishment of its
position to the gift of the people, OF
their representatives, and to not rely
merely on blind and foolish belief il
the supreme autocracy Of Governor Ord
way. and in his power to override th.
functions OF the legislature, the will ol
the majority, aud the authority of the
courts. Mr.. Ordway's present arroganc,
may be but the "pride that goeth befor,
destruction" and the time may soor
come when We shall have al executiv,
who will regard himself as the admin
istrator Of the laws, and of popular will
aud not as the absolute dictator of the
peoples estates. A self.constituted dee
pot may carry high hand in the guber
Material chair of Dakota; but the NOR,
arbitrary his conduct the more certain
and the more effective his downfall, anl
the downfall of all those who lend them
selves to his encroachments upon publ,
rights and constitutional tradition. Bis
marck will find that the people will rule
in north Dakota, and it will do we'll Il
shape its course accordingly.