The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1904-05-12
When tie capital was located at

toho VIII Tie uOucSt DGll6l tlaG Elle
promises and predictions made by
Plerre would be fulfilled. The the
ories advanced seemed plausible
and the people had faith in them.
But the claims of Pierre for sup
port can no longer rest upon mere
theories. She must now make her
claims upon actual experience and
the manner IN which she has full
tllled her promises.
1t was claimed fourteen years
ago by Pierre that, being near the
geographical center of the state,
she would soon be in the center of
population. Was the prediction
true? In the ten years following
the location of the capital the CEN
ter of population moved west just
one mile, and is now Is miles east
Of Mitchell and 1873 miles east Of
Pierre.
1t was claimed that Pierre would
soon become the metropolis of the
state, and that the country sur
rounding it would develop into a
rich and thickly settled farming
community. Has the prediction
come true? In the decade from
1890 to 1900 Pierre lost one.tbird
Of her population, and the county
in which it is located lost in the
same proportion.
It was claimed that the capital
at Pierre would develop the coun-
try across the river. Has it done
it? In the ten years following the
locating of the capital Stanley coun-
ty, county as large as ten ordi-
nory counties east Of the river,
gained just 313 in population, in
Guiding Indians.
Il was claimed that the capital
would enhace the value of the state
and endowment lands in that part
of the state, and also greatly IN
crease the revenue from rentals.
Has it done it? The only income
received by the state from the sale
of school lands in Hughes county
during the past thirteen years is
the price Of 50 acres, and there is
not a county east of the Missouri
river in which the school lands
rent for less than in Hughes.
1t was promised that new lines
of railroad would be built connect
ing Pierre with the Black Hills,
with Aberdeen, and with other
parts Of the state Are they built +?
Today there is not even a reasona-
Bile prospect OF Improvement in
that particular.
If every prediction made ly
Pierre fourteen years ago has fail
ed what assurance have we that
they will be fulfilled in the future 2
No one claimed at the time IL e
capital was located that under
present conditions Pierre was a
place, but the selection
was made on the expectation of
future development. Fourteen
years have made no improvement
IN the location, and an opportuni-
ty is now offered to change the To-
cation without expense Or sacrifice
in any way, to a place that will al
ways be convenient Of access for
majority of the people.
These statements are made, not
for the purpose of casting rehec-
tions upon Pierre or on the sur
rounding country. Both have ad-
vantages for settlers and the set
tiers will come, just as readily
without as with the capital located
at that place. The facts simply
show that relatively the develop
ment Of that section has been slow
er than other sections of the state,
and the disadvantages Of Pierre as
a capital location as compared
with Mitchell, in spite Of the pre-
dictions made to the contrary, are
even greater today than they were
fourteen years ago.