Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1904-03-18
Iowa Newspaper Gets Interested,

across the river in Plymouth county,
Iowa, with big list of South Dakota
subscribers, has the following to say
about the capital fight situation in
this state: f..
"Our neighbors over in South Da.
kota are working up on the capital
question surprisingly. 1t is almost the
sole topic of the newpaper discussion
with the exception of the governorship
and will overshadow that az soon as
the state convention for the nomination
of state officers is ont of the way. The
Elk Point Courier came out couple of
weeks since with full page on capital
matters, which was regular broadsids
against Pierre. 1t will produce q
profound effect when ever it is
read. All three representatives from
Union county are in favor of moving
the state capital to Mitchell where it
will be more accessible and convenient
to the great majority of the people of
the state. Representative Lawtsn's
letter to the Courier is one of tn Q
strongest presentations of the remova-
lists that has come to our notice. Edi.
tor Bruce put the question of capital re-
moval in personal letter to Senator
Frieberg and Representatives Lawson,
Ryan and Martin, and the Courier pub.
lished their replies in full. Senator
Frieberg Is rather noncommital, re-
fusing to use his official position to in
fuance the voters one way or another,
but the three representatives showed q
decided preference for Mitchell and are
not at all backward about saying so.
As is known to most of the Register.
Tribune's readers. the capital was 10.
Gated Pierre thirteen years ago last
fall. but no sooner had the people voted
it there than they seemed to be sorry
for it. There has been a constant pro-
test from all parts of she state for the
past ten years or more. The rivalry of
several important cities alone prevented
the question of the capital location be.
ing submitted to the voters years ago.
At the last legislature, Mitchell, Hu-
ron and Redfeld combined their forces
and got a removal bill through the leg.
islature by vote of 109 to 21. In the
caucus to determine which of the three
towns should be selected to fight Pierre,
Mitchell received 81 votes, Huron 10 and
Redfield 7. The vote showed that the
sentiment for removal is not only strong
in all parts Of the state, but that Mitch
ell is the proper place for the capital.
The,result is being watched with in.
terest outside of South Dakota. Pierres !
only claim is that it is located in the
center of the state. 1t was
the geographical center" slogan that |
caught the voters thirteen years ago
1t is extremely doubtful about it doing
10 again. The development of Kansas |
and Nebraska TO the south of this sister
stote shows that the pioneers reckoned
wisely when they located the capitals
Of those two states near the eastern |
line, where the population is much |
greater than farther west, and will al.
ways be The Dakotas are much like
Kansas and Nebraska in climatic fea.
lures, and it il impossible to believe |
that the western half of either of the
Dakotas will ever contain but a small |
per cent of the population. Local jeal.
ousies may prevent an expression of
popular will in the capital fight. but if
The people of South Dakota consult the
interests of the state and the future,
they will promptly embrace the oppor-
tunity to place the capital where it will |
benefit the greatest number"