Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-03-02

:
upon the Scheme from an Unprejudiced
Standpoint.
Special Correspondents of the Chicago Inter-
Yankton, D. T.. Feb. 24se9t is asserted
by the agitators Of an immediate remov-
al Of the capital that they have tho peo-
pie on their side. Mere assertion or %.
sumption counts for little, however, and
so far as public expression has gone it
clearly does not voice any considerable
public sentiment in favor of q present
change in the seat Of territorial govern
ment. Z
While it will be q difficult matter to
identify the people who have no town
lots to sell with any scheme of the kind
as proposed, it is easy to see where and
how the public welfare is concerned, and
to find the most excellent of reasons for
believing that the best interests Of this
territory as whole. and of this people
in general, emphatically demand that
the location of q permanent capital be
left for the state itself to determine.
To-day the capital site is almost en-
tireiy speculative consideration, which
is being put to good use in the settle-
ment and development OF the country.
It belongs to the boom. It is the pos.
session Of no one town, but Of the COM
mon property of all ambitious aspirants
for the "frst place." which the coveted
honor is supposed to insure. While it
may be OF little consequence to the pre-
sent territory where its seat of govern.
ment is situated, it is of the highest con.
cern to score or 30 Of thriving young
towns, and to the general welfare of the
coming state that the mooted question
be left an open one as long Is possible.
When the boundaries Of the state are
known, and the lines Of this political di-
vision Of the union are drawn and estab-
lished, it will be time enough to decide
where the state capital shall be. Until
that time it will not be necessary. and
hardly expedient for tho law making
power to pay any attention to the matter
at all. a change Of the capital now
with the view Of fixing the site for the
seat Of government of state which ha,
not yet come into existence, could only
benefit one tewn, to the detriment ane
disadvantage of Q number Of othert
equally entitled to the consideration o
the present Legislative assembly.
Two years hence the capital will no
be the consideration with any of tht
towns now named in connection with il
that it is to-day. The time may ever
come when the capital will have lost its
charm, and its possession prove an empty
hand. In the meantime, however, The
prairies are dotted with eligible sites
everywhere, and the bright young towns
not half way toward their teens yet, arr
animated by anticipation, and growing
with wonderful rapidity.
Population, owing largely to the yer!
uncertainty as to where either the capita
or the center of population is finally {,
be fixed and found, is spreading out il
all directions. It will be we'll and wis,
for this territory, and the state to com,
to give "everybody's boom" the frees
swing and the full benefit of the capital
castle in the nir and to postpone TO
another two years at least the determine
tion Of question which is happil.
becoming less fate and of less conse
quence all the time.
There remain vast areas Of produc
tive agricultural lands to be reached b
the railroads and to be settled and pee
pied in the way they should be in orde
to realize the higher hopes for th
grand commonwealth Dakotaians ar
but beginning to build upon the sol
Then, again, those portions of tn
country which are tributary to the new
er lines of railway, and where the GOV
ernment land has been mostly taken ~
} are vet but sparsely settled. Their
should be eyey encouragement given t
the widest possible distribution of por
ulatiop. Dakota needs general growt
that will bring general prosperity, upo
which the drawing Of the capital lotter
ohN nd IN m, n
boom itself should be made to contribut
Us much as possible.
1t is unfortunate that the question Wa
raised at tins time, and it should b
borne in mind that the question wa
not raised by either Of the two railroad
who are the principal parties interested
and who are devoting themselves to til
building up not of single town on eac
line, but of the country generally. Th
railway companies have taken o broa
view Of things affecting the common ir
tercst and general good of the people c
Dakota. and are pursuing cours
which should command the indorsemen
of every town Oh their various lines, an
which is deserving of the highest con
mendation at the hands of the public.
zYankton, Feb. 27-The proposition t
have the legislative assembly provid
, for commission on the capital site to y
appointed by the governor is general
understood to be the last resort OF th
removal agitators, who failing in ever,
thing else, hope thus to finally scale til
stone wall in the council Those squared
opposed to the capital removal regar
the commission scheme with suspicion
because if the commission is simply
. q = =
: of the legislature TIVE years hence. il
work and expense would be unnecessary
3 with mover To definitely locate the can