Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-04-05

amount OF indebtedness by one. third ~
Lawrence county owes. These two
counties have as assets to show for their
large indebtedness ordinary cOurt-housee
and jails. valued perhaps at $l5, 900 each.
The territory on the contrary, will have
two peDitentiaries, two hospitals for the
insane, two universities. two normal
schools, one school for deaf mutes, and
one and perhaps two agricultural col.
leges, all costing in round numbers $4O0..
OOO. yet worth to the people double that
sum, and 30 located in the east. west,
north and south that one great state or
two smaller ones, can securely and safe
y be placed upon these essential founda-
tions.
This total Indebtedness OF the territory |
could easily be paid and every territorial |
bond retired next year by the assess.
ment OF mill tax upon the $4,000, 600 |
OF nssessable property in the territory,
without the slightest shock to business
enterprise. 1t has been thought. how.
ever. moro Just to defer the payments for
the erection of these institutions until
the public land to be given to the state
under the Burrows enabling act" shall
become available.
The legislative assembly, having made
provisions for the most pressing public
institutions, took up the question of re-
moving the scat of government to more
accessible and central location. A special
committee upon this subject was ap-
pointed, and propositions were received
from several important towns, but none
of these propositions appeared to have
such substantial backing 40 would insure
the erection and completion of commo.
dious capital buildings without cost to
the people Of the territory.
Although I had never given assurances
to any member of the legislature or to
any other person that would approve .
bill for the removal of the seat OF govern.
ment to any particular locality up to the
time the special committee upon the
subject Of removal was appointed, my
position upon the question Of change
had been distinctly stated in my first
biennial message, delivered to the four
teenth legislative assembly, January IL,
1881, as the following extract from page
~ of the message will show:
at occurs to me that there are tive
practical methods to secure the neces-
sary buildings without ultimate cost to
the territory. One would be to
adopt the Nebraska plan of securing a
quantity Of land in oentra! and acces.
sible location, and dispose Of tho excess,
after laying out the public grounds, for
sufficient amount to repay the cost OF
the public buildings. The other plan
would involve receiving propositions
from suitable localities for furnishing
proper capital buildings without cost tC
the territory"
Subsequent to the appointment of thu
special committee upon the capita
question the sentiment in faver OF re
moval before the close of the session
grew 80 strong in the legislature that
became convinced that the only way ii
secure capital buildings suitable for tn
transaction of the rapidly increasing
public business at central and accessj
BILE point, would be through the appoint
/ ment or selection by the governor an
, legislative assembly of commissio
composed OF representative men frol
different portions of the territory, chare
ed with the duty of making change.
The friends of rival towns who had bee
instrumental in bringing the questio
prominently before the Legislature wer
unwilling at first to accept the plan fo
a Commission, believing they wer
strong enough to secure the capital with
out giving ample security for furnishin
accommodations deemed essential fc
the rapidly increasing business of th
territory.
The opinions had expressed in m
, message two years since, in regard to th
/. propriety and duty of the governor an
! Legislative assembly to secure propt
! capital buildings without cost to th
territory, whenever the seat of govern
/. ment was changed led me to refuse m
approval to any measure for perm,
nent change that did not secure suitabl
3 grounds and capital buildings, costiu
not less than 100000. As no guarante,
i were offered to the special committt
: from any locality meeting these requir
: ments, q we'll guarded bill for commi
Q sion of nine members passed the hou
: of representatives by vote lacking bl
8 one of two.thirds of the entire membe
f ship, which measure, after subsequel
7. amendments, providing almost evel
Z, safeguard that even its enemies SUI
It gested, also giving the selection of ii
10 commission to the legislature, with Il
concurrence of the governor, passed Il
l. council by vote of but one less tbs
i two.thirds of that body. The act
d amended was concurred in by the houl
a. with an equally strong majority.
f. That the approval Of this measure,
e thoroughly in accord with the public
n expressed and we'll known views of Il
4. executive, should have been made Il
1t occasion of unjust and indecent cri
,e cism bv "organs" whose managers ha
d been notorious for debauching legisl
q lures and who have fattened upon pu
8, lie plunder and revenues wrung fro
b. honest settlers, ought to prove beyor
Of question the wisdom and justice of Il
act.
st In order to vindicate the members
d the legislative assembly, who support,
IS and voted for the commission bill, whel
ID by the taxpayers of the territory will
q. relieved from the assessment of quart
g of million dollars to secure publ
d buildings when statehood comes.
i Here is given, the capital commissis
u u bill entire, as it has already been print,
a in the Press and Dakotaian.]
ID The provisions of the above act .
n, substantially the same as those und
II which Indiana aud Nebraska proyid
q. for the location and erection of the
e. commodious capital buildings witho
to cost to the Taxpayers. With such e
IL amrley of fores,o|if hefnre than 10 II at ,