Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1904-10-21

we'll known business man and polittcia'
Of Lawrence county, former Governo
Andrew f. Leo wrote the followin
letter expressive Of his views on th
question Of removing the capital from
Pierre 70 Mitchell
vermillion. s, D., Aug. Q. 1904.
| Dear Sir: Replying to your lstte
asking my Views on the advisibility Q
moving the capital from Pierre {
Mitchell. in answer will say II does no
seem 70 me that IL should be . dimcul
question for the voters Of the state I
decide.
Its needless 70 ny that Pierre ca
never bs the center OF population Q
this state owing to IL soil and climat
condition. It can never hope to be cen
trail. for moro than twenty or twenty
five per cent Of the population. Will
Mitchell must, from it, natural location
and agricultural advantages. retail
from sevsnty.fivs % eighty per cent Q,
the population within . radius Of on'
hundred miles square.
Had the voters Of this state investi
gated the natural conditions existing o
Pierre, and compared them with oths'
localities striving for the capital thoJ
would never hsvs located Il there. !,
10 70 be hoped that . similar mistake
will not be made again. s. !.
You were In the Legislature twt
terms and need not be reminded thal
Pierre IL one Of the most isolated town
In South Dakota. having only one rail
way BY which It can be reached. The
high country and deep cuts between
Miller and Pierre render travel sx
tremely difficult In the winter. You
will recall that few mails wsre received
during the session Of 1897 and that she
telegraph and telephone wires were
down most Of the sime. Other YEAR
thave bean nearly g bad.
When lawmakers are assembled ct
point 90 remote they are not In touch
with their Constituents and are subject
TO the constant influence Of lobbyist.
and others representing special inter
eses. The result has ofsen Deen oad
legtslation and extrsvasant appfopfis.
tio0s.
Mitchell u on the swo great lines ot
the Milwaukee road and 10 the termin.
10 OF an important branch Of the
Northwestern, and doubtless the sixty
miles between Huron and Mitchell will
soon be spanned by the Great Northern
thus making Mitchell central from
all points Of the state. !:
You arc doubtless aware that tho
Milwaukee railroad Il ready 70 extend
from Chamberlain 70 the Hills and on
TO the Pacifc coast. costing approx.
matsly one million dollars. You have
many fine summer and health resorts
that would attract tens Of Thousands Of
people were they Of easy access to .
coast line.
During each legislative session for
many years when the question Of cap.
ilal removal has besn brought up It has
been claimed BY the Pierre people that
the Northwestern would be built to
the Hills They have had ample time
in the past fourteen years to fulfill thia
promise. but II any one will stop to
think he Will see that It is not % the M
advantage Of the Northwestern 70 build
2 line mat Would oompese wa'n 'tse'i'
Inc exsensaon .! sne 4AW.uAse :
sne NUS ana On g .ne Tse.nc CO.
would % ol Anes s'msD Dle osnen' = sns
stste, s1v.nK you oessss .nu ouespe1
faollisies ZOE iEeasns snu ens.l
tramc ana ms1inR e 'nsefcn.ns ssso'.
home msiket ZOE vsss qusn'aslss : -
pfodncss snss ste nov JOINS sn'ppsu =
ana from otnef sss'es.
Even undef present. conaislons you .l
can leave Deaawooa q 2 2. - na = = !.
In Mitchell the next evening Wn4ie 1llN y y
requires the greater paEt oI 'nsoe asys
and three nights to reaeh fsef1e: !ae !.
distance from Sioux Caty % Mitcnel' s'll'''i
being only lS miles, while me distance .
from Sioux City to Pseffe ~ .ne
Northw western line y $50 miles. Inc
extra cost Tor mileage and nosel e.
psnses for round trip. 70 ~ notning
sbout q time Lost. is not les than So % @
s5. 4.