The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-08-19
BETTER ON ALL POINTS
POstOfflce Inspector Planert
Discusses MitcileIl's LOca-

Redfield Press: In causual CONVEX
sation recently Mr.. Frank Planert,
who is a post Office inspector and who
has been working over the state for
nearly two years, expresses it as his
opinion that Mitchell was certainly
a winner in the fight for the location
Mitchell ana Pierre was settled purely
on the basis of accessibility and
economy, and which, we believe
should be considered in deciding this
proposition. Mr.. Planert said, in
effect:
'Even to the most casual observer
it is very apparent that the conve
fence of at least ~two-thirds of the
people of the state would be subserved
by having the capital located at
Mitchell. That part of the state west
of the Missouri river as we'll as a
material area of that part Immediately
east, while q adapted to grazing, will
never support the population which is
even now found in the southeastern
parts, while the development of the
farming industry from Watertown to
Sioux City and along the Missouri
river as far north as Brule county
indicates that it is not supporting one
half the population which it is capable
Of doing. So far as the Black Hills
district is concerned. the distance to
Mitchell is appreciably less than to
Pierre by the present facilities for
reaching them, and as to encouraging
the building of a railroad across the
plains the people of that section, as
we'll as those in the eastern part of the
state, would certainly not be sc largely
benefited by a road which would
create no ore competition than now
exists, and it would seem that the
securing of a competing line, which
the locating of the capital at Mitchell
would encourage, would be the most
reasonable view Of that feature of the
contest.
GAS regards the site, surroundings,
probable growth of the town, facilities
for accommodating a capital and
having in view the impression made
upon the minds of those who have
occasion to visit it, | would say that
Mitchell is so o~bvisusly in advance of
Pierre that a reasonable comparison
can not be made. True that Pierre
has the geographical central location,
and were it reasonable to presume
that this would, even in the distant
future, be also the center of the pOpu-
lating, than a proposition to move the
capital would seem to me to be absurd,
but do not think thu an appropriated
observer can anticipate such a con-
tingency, or that the danger line will
ever be properly drawn west on the
Missouri river, but am we'll satisfied
that the relative proportion OF pOpu-
latiOn will continue as IL now exists,
but with a slight percentage of in
crease for the now sparsely settled
parts of the state.
son the score of economy, the
time and mileage saved by locating
the capital near the center of popula-
ton is of itself an item of which the
taxpayers are all interested, and the
same time, to those whose personal
business or pleasure causes them to
visit the seat of government, becomes
much larger.
"South Dakota should have a capt.
tai which is accessible and certainly
should have quarters more appropri-
ate and in keeping with its dignity
than are provided, and which the
casual visitor may reach without re-
senting the inconvenience and leave
without the memory Of his visit being
one of surprise and disappointment,
duu VI tAc I"o iCcdtIOuo MllCIlell 10
SO far in advance hat it would seem
that it should have a decision in its
favor SO overwhelming as to be prac-
tically unanimous"
This statement, coming from n
whose training causes him to view a
proposition from the basis of the
facts presented, and not to form an
opinion without careful investigation,
should command itself to those who
will be called upon to decide whether
or not the capital should be relocated,
and the more SO as Mr.. Planert has
an intimate acquaintance with almost
the entire state and is not biased in
his opinion by prejudice OF personal
interest.