Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1904-02-11

t1lh6 pF3Stt&c.
Any one at all llfamiliar with conditions
knows thntthereis nothing prospective
Ia the way of business that would war;
raut another road entering to com pete
at The state capital as located now.
Even with the railroad extended TO
ssThe Hills. !" il should be regarded as
very unfortunate and detrimental to the
prestige Of the state 70 haye its cap.
| ital continue to be located on but one
lline Of communications.
The lands west OF thu Missouri river
viii douhtlessin time be all taken and
occupied, but 1t is primarily . grazing
Iconptry and hence must always, as
Icompared with the eastern half Of the
sta be thinly populated.
ne state capital relocated would
| Igeo raphically compare favorably with
che eapitais Of most Of our neighboring
states. Minnesota's capital IS but so
miles from the east line Of the state.
/ Visconsin,s but so miles from It's south
lime and South Dakota's at Mitchell
will sill BE- further from the eastern
bord of the state than either the
capitkls Of Kansas or Nebraska are
from heir eastern lines .
II more than probable that when
conditions are favorable and the coun-
TRY has developed sufficiently to war;
rant II, that both the Milwaukee and
lths Southwestern will extend their
Ilines 10 the Black Hills. Then with
the capital relocated the people Of the
Hills will have two roads running to
lthe states capital and will be better
lserved; even though the distance be
greater, than iflocated ON but one road
The Northwestern possessing the Black
Hills business with an outlet through
NebraskN there can be no inducement
for crossing the river at It's present
terminus unless compelled TO do SO by
a compe ssscs IN order to retain Its
share. dF the range business. $50
The tAte capital Ii something any
city n lght covet, yetthere IL . limit to
Its benefits. II located al Mltchellw
beliepe 10 Oily or town win need nave
lanythiuR to fear on account Of acquired
presliRu Al ala example II might be
stated that Washington with all the
ad dyanta0a of being the national exp
ital, III T. Assi gaabor Baltimore q COM
mercial and manufacturing city, which
has kept steady pace With 1t In growth
and has about 100000 people though
located but S5 miles away. s
lit has been q custom In the past
with many of the state officers to con-
ltinne to live In their home town0dnrr
ing their term OF Office, leaving the Of
Ace mainly Ii charge OF deputies and
clerks. Making the capital more ac-
cessible we think will have tendAncy
to make II more popular and conyen-
ientto reside there during the term 0f
IofHce. This would tend to give a state
office more dignity and possibly more
leIiciency. Then we have the boards
i charged with the oversight OF our state
finstitutions, boards Of railroad commis-
sioners and other boards and commis-
Isions that meet and do business wher-
ever most convenient. 1t is a wise man
that knows where they all have their
Ioffices. We believe the efficiency oi
the state service suffers on account oi
this loosei ointedness and scattering
and hence. we think they should be
rounded upr This would doubtless pc
an easy matter we're the capital more
conveniently located. When the leg
islature meets It's time is limited and
Iit needs to come In personal touch
with those ia authority In all depart.
ments OF the state. Especially is, this
need imperative with the boards ID
IcharQe OF charitable and educati0nal
institutions. Much is lacking In this
direction in our state. Iowa hasa
board OF control that has complets
authority in matters affecting III
charitable and other Institutions. which
maintains an office tthe capisat; en-
lploying nine or ten clerks besides the
commissioners and is In constant touet
|, with every state institution. The leg
lislature, when II disposes of the per
picking question Of appropriations, Il
able to do so inteliigently and not b
dependent on the knowledge obtained
from formal reports and "say so'' D
interested lobbies. There must Of ne
cessity SONS time ia the not distant fu
ture be erected a capital building be
looming to the state and this capita
question should be settled on broat
o. 4. LAWSON.