Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1901-10-18
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CANDIDATES FOR HALL OF FAME,

CANDIDATES FOR HALL OF FAME
The Greatest Man and One of the Terri
torial Pioneers Unnamed.
At the Louisiana purchase exposition
at st. Louis in 1908 there is to be hal
of fame, in which will be commemor
ated the names of two individuals, de
ceased, from each state within th'
Louisiana purchase area. Nomination.
for this honor on the part of South Da
kota have been made as follows:
Nominated by Charles n Herried
governor of South Dakota-Ex. Coy
ernor Mellette, Ex-Governor Sheldon:
Nominated by President z. II. French
of Huron college, Huron, s. D.-Rev
William NJ. Blackburn, D. D., and
Rev. Joseph Ward, D. D.; Ex-Governor
VIM. A. Howard.
Nominated by President Henry K
| Warren of Yankton college. s. D.
Rev. Joseph Ward, d. D., and ex.Gov'
ernor Howard.
Nominated by Editor F. L. Mease Of
the Normal Teacher. Madison-Judge
Edgerton and Ex-Governor A. G. Mel
lette.
DR.. Ward was founder of Yankton
college and DR. Blackburn was presi'
dent of Pierre university The other
nominees will be recognized by their
titles The Press does not know who
is to finally decide the matter.-Sioux
Falls Press. .. ...a
To this list might be added several
names of distinguished Dakota pioneers
but in our opinion no man did so much
to make Dakota what she is to day as
Hon. Walter A. Burleigh, who died in
Yankton several years ago. His fame
as doctor and lawyer was second to
no man of his day, and we doubt if the
state contains his superior now. It
is very doubtful if the name of Dakota,
as state, would be on the map today
had it not been for the influence and
and masterly effort of Walter A. Bur-
leigh when a delegate 10 congress from
Dakota Territory in 1866. No Senator
or Congressman had greater influence
in Washington than had Burleigh from
1856 to 1868. Acting vice president
Ben Wade had to send page after page,
time after time, to Burleighs rooms to
secure enough senators to make quor-
um. 1t was during the closing days of
the memorable administration of Presi.
dent Andrew johnson that DR.. Bur-
leigh saved Dakota Territory from be-
ing wiped off the map, and few of the
present residents of the state know any
thing about it, and it may not go amiss
to 90 into a little ancient history in
connection Herewith.
Burleigh was tireless worker,
born politician, and never went after
anything for the territory or for the
benefit of the people he did not get.
President johnson and President of the
Senate, Ben Wade, were his warm
friends 1t was during one of Burleigh's
fam us fights to secure appropriations
for the territory that he incurred the jill
will of Congressman Bradley of Ohio,
chairman of the committee on terri
tories. Bradley was an able man and
didn't like to meet defeat through the
powerful influence of delegate from a
territory known best by its being the
home of ten Indians to one white man
was then part of Dakota
territory There were only q few
thousand white people in the territory
of Dakota at that time. Burleigh con-
tended for his rights and appropria-
tions, and a man who couldn't get ap-
preparations in those days was of little
use to the struggling settlers. The
enemity between DR.. Burleigh and the
powerful congressman from Ohio grew
in bitterness, and as delegate from q
territory at that time had no vote, he
was not feared or considered as danger
GUS in final deliberation, but the dele
gate had the right to address congress
in behalf Of any measure or to secure
what he wanted.
Congressman Bradley decided to get
rid of Burleigh in somewhat ingeni.
GUS but drastic manner. Bradley being
chairman of the committee on terri
tories, was powerful in his position,
and his recommendations in this direc-
ton were seldom ignored when backed
by reason and necessity. He introduc-
ed a bill to obliterate Dakota Territory
from the map, by carving the territory
and giving part to Minnesota, part to
Iowa, part to Nebraska and throwing
what was left over into Montana. It
was bold scheme and bore on its face
plausible plea for economy and better
government, stronger government,
which could protect the white settlers
east of the Missouri river, Bradley
felt confident he could pass the meas.
ure and the day came for final vote.
Burleigh had not been idle and was
ready to defend the integrity of his
domain when the time came. Those
in Dakota now who heard him in the
famous campaign of 1870. know that
few men living in any age had keener
tongue or better command of language,
and in sarcasm perfect master, and
as q story teller with annlica,ion to the