Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-06-12
THE CAPITAL
Opinions from Some OF the News.
papers Of Dakota.

Opinions from Some OF the News
papers Of Dakota.
The Acts Of the Nine Most Reput-
able Men Seriously
Questioned.
Elk Point Courier.
The capital commissioners. appointed
by the last legislature to relocate the
capital OF Dakota. have, after visiting all
portions of the territory, decided upon
Bismarck as the future capital site for
Dakota. From the first inception OF the
commission bill in the legislature we
have given it our hearty support and
approval. We believed it to be good
bill and that the honorable gentlemen
selected ~ commissioners to carry out
the provisions of said act, would act
wisely and locate the capital in some
central and accessible place which would
give general satisfaction to the people
OF the territory. 1t is useless for us to
state how well the commissioners have
discharged their trust. There is no use
beating around the bush and Disgusting
the fact that the selection of capital
does not satisfy any portion of
southern Dakota, nor large part OF
northern Dakota. In the first place
during the pendency of the bill before
the legislature and after its passage, il
was stated and generally understood by
the friends of the measure, that the cap.
ital was to be located in some central
and accessible point south of the 4Gth
parallel of latitude and in the language
OF the honorable chairman, "wonld be
the capital OF future grand state bound.
ed on the north by the 46th parallel y
After the passage of the bill o tremen.
dous howl went up from Yankton and
some other portions of the territory
charging the whole scheme as fraud
and a swindle. The friends of the com.
mlssioners, however, met this cry with
suchlarguments as we have above init
mated, and quieted the fears of the peo.
pie as TO Its swindling and fraudulent
character. The following statement OF
Chairman Hughes in an interview with
Sioux City Journal reporter on April
6, reflected the true statements and feel.
iags of the friends of the commissioners,
and as We supposed, the commissioners
themselves:
Hon. Alex. Hughes, chairman Of the
capital commission, was interviewed last
evening. He said the executive commit
tee would not meet again until May
AT that time the proposals in hand will
| be opened and considered. He then said
The committee desires it to be under.
stood that the capital is not to be sold al
public auction to the highest bidder but
that locality aud accessibility are to be
taken into consideration. am inclined
TO think that when the capital is located
the people will be satisfied with the woll |
that has been done, and those who are
trying to get up political howl will be
put to shame. The capital will be 10
Gated in such manner that the decen
people will be pleased. The matter o
the site of this capital has never bee,
discussed by the commission. It is
however, unanimously agreed by th
commission that it is to be the capital o
q state that will have the forty.sixtl
parallel for the its north boundary. Th
site is to be chosen with the convenience
of such state in view. As to the site
have never considered that. hav,
not got to that yet
Mr.. Hughes requested us, as frient
of the commission, to publish this inter
view in the Courier which we did in on
issue of April the llth.
As q southern Dakotaian we feel as
we had been "given away badly. An
by whom? We refer you to the vote O
the location and you can draw your ow
conclusions. The following is the vote
Scott, Bismarck; Myers, Redfeld; Mt
Kenzie, Bismarck; DeLong, Bismarcl
Beldine, Bismarck; Spaulding, Redfeld
Thomson, Mitchell; Matthews. Huron
Hughes, Bismarck.
Bismarck, besides being in north d.
kota, where the location of the capits
was not thought of, does not fill the r,
quirements of either Centrally, ""loca
ity" or accessibility"
1t is located on the extreme northwes
border of the population Of the territor.
the, county Immediately mort
and west being vast ira,
of uninhablted territory, and, not b
ing an agricultural country will never b
settled. As to the truth of this stat
ment, we quote the words of one of IL
commissioners who voted for Bismarc
and who recently took a trip west
that town. He said: 81 am farmer.
} know what good land is when 1 see
This is no agricultural country. do NJ
see any good land here" We we
e present and heard this statement. WI
the commission went back on its frient
] and supporters in southern Dakota, Y
do not know. We feel just MS thoul
} we had been struck by lightning; $50
e O dazed like" We presume the commi
] sioners were little too quick for I
e Large bodies move slowly aud we havr
had time to make the necessary flo
and consequently the commissioners a
on one side and we are left on the 9th
with fearful high fence between us.
q Fargo Sun.
A His excellency (?) N. G. Ordway, t
steer calf from New Hampshire, who p
. tends to occupy the executive chair
this territory but who in fact is who
l. sale and retail dealer in county sea
, and general contractor for odd jol
tells somebody in Bismarck that Far
wanted the capital and feels hurt O,
!, the loss of it. All Fargo wanted was
y see his excellency (?) and his cohorts
e ercises good faith toward the people
= this territory. She with all other loc
!, tiles feels badly over the breach of ia
:, = Of which the gang has been gull
= Doubtless the people should not CO
.e plain for their credulence in expecti
~ good faith from such an unholy combi
Is Is ton is surprising from a retrospect
~ ~ view.
Grand Forks Herald.
The great capital agony being over 9