Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-03-18

Iafeu Oh equal Terms With the commits
sioners. All the cars were sleepers, and
all became crowded and finally could rot
hold all who clamored for place. 4
Something like four weeks was con:
sumed in visiting the towns. Ali the
members of the commission were good
fellows, and until the capital was actu-
ally located the jaunt was a veritable
triumph. Royalty could not have been
BETTER cared for, for there was constant
surfeit of attention and courtesies and
good things. The spread given by Bis
marck still fingers in memory. The
lieutenants of Mckenzie had neglected
nothing, and the future capital, reserved
for the last, was the best. Nearly all
the countries of the globe contributed
something to this magnificent feast, re-
mote and insignificant as Bismarck
seemed to be in those early days. Straw
berries were brought in by the bushel,
and champagne flowed almost as freely
as the waters of the Big Muddy. An
army band from Fort Keogh, Mont,
brought to Bismarck at an expense of
nearly $500, furnished the music as the
country reporter for the Pleasant Hour
club would say. Mckenzie had reserved
his trump card for this occasion, and he
played it with full assurance that the
rich stakes we're already as good as in his
-
play and the cordiality of the welcome
surprised even the commissioners who
for weeks had been living on the fat of
the land and taking no heed of where
the next ration was to come from, salts
fed that Providence or capital aspir
ant would see that every temporal want
wassupplied. Bismarck's reception was
a fitting climax of a series of magnificent
receptions, and made a palpable i'm
preston upon every visitor. -~
"The final vote of the commission was
taken at Fargo. On the show down Nc
Kenzie's hand was all supreme and those
who were not with him we're found to be
hopelessly divided. Bismarck had five
of the nine votes, the rest being scattered
among South Dakota towns. Ordway,
which by the original plan was to have
had the capital, did not receive a vote
and several others of the aspirants were
in like boat. The rush to Bismarck
set in the same night. Thousands of
boomers we're prepared to start the
moment choice was tipped off, each
proposing to get in on the ground floor
and clean up fortune. Some of them
are there yet-they haven't been able to
get away. Others who put in their
money are still whistling for it and
moralizing on the things which capital
does not do for town on sparsely
settled frontier. No get-rich quick con-
Germ was sooner exploded than was the
popular impression that the mere location
of capital insures metropolis of COM
manding Importance. Pierre, since Bis
marck, has served to dispel many illus
ions in this respect, though speculators
would probably not fail to again jump
at like bait.
"The South Dakota commissioners re-
turned home and were kept busy for
some time trying to explain. No fatted
calf was killed, for there was no Joy in
the southern half of the territory. Those
who remained loyal to their communi-
ties had comparatively easy time of it;
those who did not, never recovered their
popularity and are even now spoken of
harshly.
1.-THE late ex Governor Pierce once pre-
served what Mckenzie wrested by native
shrewdness from predominance of num-
bers. Hot for revenge the South Dokota
membersof the first territorial council to
meet in Bismarck rushed bill through
to take the capital from northern Dakota
and restore it to the southern half. Gov
ernor Pierce vetoed the bill, and the
southern forces led by Pettigrew. Gamble
and others could not muster the necess-
ary two-thirds to pass it over his object
ion. They might have done so perhaps,
had not Mckenzie, the silent man, kept
guard day and night and prevented the
break of single man to the opposing
forces. Friends of removal had large
majority, but were batfied by the Pierce
veto and by the cunning of the big
Scotchman.
"The Dakotas had no more loyal freind
in the Senate in those days than General
Harrison. Quick to see the justice Of the
claims of the big territory, he gave his
voice and influence in it's behalf and be-
came it's champion in congress. With the
same sturdy zeal and persistence that
characterized all the undertakings ne
blazedthe way, for the admission OF the
territory as two states, and though Dakota
had no voice in his election to the presi-
dency, the rights Of citizenship being
withheld by the democrats, it was not
long after his election that he had the sat
IN a - z - L.