Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-05-26
TIL CAPITAL QUESTION.

est in politics to the people o
South Dakota up to the time of tn
Sioux Falls convention was whc
would be the nominees, for it was
foregone conclusion that the per
sons named there would be our mex
state officers.
Now that the convention has com
pleted its labors the capital question
is attracting the attention of oul
voters. This is not a party question
1t is n upon which party leaders
are divided. 1t was not permitted
to enter into the fitness of the can.
didates by the republican party al
their convention nor will it be by
the democratic convention. 1t can
have no place in any platform but
must be studied by each and every
voter for himself.
In this county the question has
already received considerable atten.
ton from the newspapers. We are
sorry but it is a fact that the com
ment thus far has been adverse to
Pierre. We are quite reliably
informed that all the newspapers in
Day county-except the Reporter
and Farmer-have made contracts
with the Mitchell people to support
that city for the capital. For this
support the proprietors will receive
a liberal allowance of money. By
making these contracts the boys
have shown hal it is no matter of
sentiment with them. They have
simply looked upon the capital
question as a business proposition.
They look upon all the columns of
their papers as advertising columns,
and they were offered for sale at SO
much and purchased. OF course
their support will do Mitchell some
good. We mention this to let the
people of the county know that the
advice offered them by these news
papers is not a free will offering
but the paid for advice of a news
paper servant. The editorials in
these papers will be simply a case
of Mitchell shouting her own praises
through Day county mouth pieces.
In this campaign the Reporter
and Farmer will uphold the cause
of Pierre. Not for m~ercenary
reasons. We have not been
approached by Pierre. We have
not been offered one cent. We have
no promises of future financial
reward. We will support Pierre
because we believe that she is the
proper place for the capital Of
South Dakota.
In 1889 there was a temporary
contest in South Dakota and
many of our leading cities were can
didates for the honor. In 1890
there was a contest for the perman-
emit capital. This was a contest
between Pierre and Huron. The
'ontest was bitterly fought and
to a finish and when the
were counted an overwhelming
majority had decided in favor of the
present capital. This second cam
cost Pierre a mint Of money.
Her citizens, like the citizens of
spent their all and bonded {
he cities to the full legal limit to
raise funds to meet the expenses OF
heir capital campaign committees.
This vas thought by all the people
Of the state to be the final settle
ment of the capital question, for if
permanent capital meant any
thing it meant the capital for all
time. We believe that the people
Of the state so understood their
votes at that time and that they will
say amen to that vote by voting to
leave the capital at Pierre at the
election in November.
Our Mitchell friends will say that
it was not an honest expression Of
the people that located the capital
at Pierre in the permanent contest,
but that Pierre's money influenced
the voters. That is no argument.
We admit that Pierre used money
In that campaign, so did Huron.