Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-04
ORDVAY TO THB Front.
The Governor OF Dakota Thinks He's
Abused and Defends Himself.
HE ISSUES ANADDRESS TO PEOPLE
Wherein He Goes for His Enemies
Right Vigorously.


lengthy address to the people of the terri
tory, wherein he enumerates all the bless
ings he has secured for them while in the
executive chair. He then quotes the new
capital removal law entire, and proceeds
to defend it as follows:
The provisions of the act are substauti-
ally the same as those under which Indi-
ana and Nebraska provided for the loca-
ten and erection of their commodious
capitol buildings without cost to the tax
payers. With such examples of foresight
before them, ID it at all strange that the
governor and legislative assembly in whom
the sole power is vested should utilize this
time of unexampled prosperity in build
ing up new towns to secure suitable CAPT
toll buildings without increasing the bur-
den of taxation?
The statements industriously circulated
through the Associated Press and other
wise from Yankton that the capital remoy-
al bill was rushed through without being
printed or due consideration is not true.
1t was introduced in the hoEse on
the I'd of March, laid over and
printed copies laid upon the desks of the
members before it was acted upon by that
body. When it reached the council it laid
over for its several readings, and was then
referred to committee Of five, two of
whom were its most bitter opponents. 1t
| was reported back to the council, with nu-
merous important amendments, which
were fully discussed before adoption by
the council. The bill subsequently, went
back to the house, where all the council
| amendments were concurred in by two
thirds vote. When it reached the sxecu-
| tive Office, its provisions wera carefully
considered before approval.
| It had been well known all over the
territory, during nearly the entire session,
that the the question of the removal of the
scat of government from Yankton was be-
ing earnestly considered by the legislative
assembly. The statement that nearly all
| the votes for the commission bill came
from north Dakota or districts above the
fortysixth parallel, is also untrue. Of the
| fifteen votes given for the bill in the lower
house, a majority eight came from
southern Dakota, and in the upper house
| of the seven votes given for the measure q
majority -four were likewise from coun-
Gil districts south of the forty-sixth par&l-
lei. The twenty-five members sustaining
the bill represented every council DIS
trict in the territory except
Yankton. Fourteen of the sup
porters OF the commission bill were farm
ers, while all but three or four of the mem
bers IN both houses who opposed it were
lawyers, bankers, merchants, or real estate
spectators.
This full statement of the vote and ayo-
cations of majority of the members sup.
porting the measure ought to satisfy dis
eliminating public, as it has the executive,
that the act was the deliberate judgment
of men who could not be controlled or
hoodwinked by outside pressure, which was
heavily brought to bear against it by pow
erful corporations, as well as by Yankton
people.
1t will be- seen that authority is given
the governor by. the act to issue an order
removing the territorial offices and for
transacting the public business at some
other point than Yankton, pending the Sc
lection Of a site and the erection of public
buildings. This power was never sought
by the executive, or contemplated by the
legislative assembly, until the unrebuked
villifcations Of members of the legislature
and the executive by the mercenary press
| of Yankton raised the pertinent question
whether the territorial Offices should longer
| be continued at such an inconvenient
| point, and where the amenities of official
and social life were so completely ignored.
! 4 change of the seat of government by
the concurrent action of the governor and
the legislative assembly, as provided for
in section 1885 Of the organic act, from
the extreme southeastern portion of ter
ritory nearly 400 miles square to q moro
central and accessible point should not III
any well-organized community, subject
those entrusted by the laws of congress
with the power to make such change to
| diabolical abuse and infamous calumny.
| For myself, as the executive of the terri
| tory, take this occasion to brand as false
and UNANIMOUSLY malicious each and every
accusation put forth by venal press that
there has been any bargain, arrangement,
or improper understanding between the
executive and any member of the legisla-
tive assembly, in any way connected with
the passage of the bill for the removal of
the seat of government, or of any other
bill, or for the confirmation Of an nomina-
ton, during the late session or any other
session of the legislative assembly since
assumed Office.
GENERAL REVIEW.
The differences which existed between