Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1885-08-20

mcnt Of the capita! commission the iank-
ton Press and Dakotaian learned Of the
circumstance aud gave the members a
parting kick, which, however evil in.
tended, will probably he considered the
best compliment that virulent sheet
could pay the much abused and now dis
banded body. Every person who was in
any way identified, either directly or in
| directly, with the removal of the capital
from Yank,on has been, and perhaps
always will be, a shining mark for the
vengeance of the p. and ID. Every
means fair and foul have been invoked
by that paper to obstruct and defeat the
operation and execution Of the act for the
removal of the capital, aud having been
frustrated in all of them, the representa-
tive organ OF this venom has retired into
its hole and gnashes ITS teeth in ,mpotcnt
rage.
Every mode of intimidation known 10
craft and crlminatlon was brought to bear
upon the legislature Of 1883 to prevent
the passage Of the bill, and after its pas
sage, upon the governor to prevent him
from giving the bill vitality and validity
by his signature. These failing, the gen.
llemcn named in the bill as the commits
sion to relocate the capital were indivld-
ual)y and collectively villilied and as far
rs possible obstructed IN the perfor-
nance of their duties. When at last
they per '0rmed the function by locating
the capital at Bismarck on terms that m
sured the construction OF a magnificent
capital edliice without the cost OF cent
to the treasury Of the territory the va
lidity Of their existence as a body and
their act us officers was attacked in court
and all the power Of legal talent was cn-
plOycd TO prosecute The attack in the
form OF quo warranto proceedings. The
case before the district court resulted in
temporary victory for the obstruction
lists but this was of short duration, for
upon a reyiew Of the case by the supreme
court the decision Of the district court
was reversed.
The difference III the attitude of the
respective con,csting parties in these al
ternate conditions Of success and defeat
IS also worthy of remark. When Judge
EIgerton gave his decision against the
capital commission, they together with
Bismarck ard the whole people of North
Dakota accepted 1t as a judicial decision
worthy OF respect, and respected it az
such, though an appeal was taken to The
higher court with the confident belief
Hat the court below had erred, which be-
lssw afterwards justified Jhy the de-
cispu Of the supreme court. Upon the
rcr lerlng Of this decision the z. and d.
va pkton and South Dakota began to
vilfIy the members OF the supreme court
wlp assented in the opinion and TO i'm
puSn their motives on every grounds
fro b prejudice to corruption. This was
the spirit that actuatcd tho cohtesting
pai ities then and 1t is the spirit that actu-
ates them now. The commission is en-
tit ed to the plaudits OF faithful servants
vii lbsc work is we'll done. They have
had thorny path in their official career
bu they have gwen the people Of the
territory good service though they neces-
san ly had to dash to pieces great msny
de(p laid schemes Of townsitc specula-
tors. The masses of the people Of the
territory are well satisfied with the dis
4 II, k,,,
the Dakota capital commission.