The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-08-12

Will the Mitchell "gumbo"-wnt-
ers ever be able to live down their
sad but glorious assaults on the
west half Of che state? Will they
ever be able to retrieve their for
mer position in public mind?
They should think Of these things.
Neither the GRAPHIC nor it's editor
has SO far found it necessary to add
"gumbo," ''alkali," ;'desert waste"
"prairie dog" "coyote," and the re-
mainder of the menagerie supposed TO
exist somewhere between the "Big
Muddy and the Bad Lands to it's vo-
c%abu!ary, but when it sees a fellow
strutting around with Il chip like that
quoted on his shoulder we want no
better fun than to kick it off. For
the time being we are willing to be
classed with the "gumbo' writer's
just for an opportunity to make a few
remarks of somewhat personal nature.
We have been editing and publish
ing the GRAPHIC for twenty-five
years and oyer and if there is one
thing more than another of which we
are proud it is the position it has
taken on every question which has
come before the people of South Da-
kota and the Territory of Dakota, of
which this young state was once a
part. The files of the GRAPHIC are a
part of the Department of History of
the state and if there is a newspaper
that a show a cleaner, fairer, squar-
er, more manly upright and consistent
course in the building of this common
wealth we'd like to know it's editor
We are not only willing to compare
its record with any newspaper in the
state in this respect. bat we are more
than willing that the GRAPHIC's files
of 1904, when deposited with the De-
partment of History in the capitol
building, shall forever stand as a
monument to the judgment and in
telligence Of it's editor.
We have not for years been Study
ing, reading, clipping and filing away
every conceivable bit of matter and
statistics pertaining to South Dakota
and adjoining states which could add
to our knowledge of this western
country without obtaining something
more than superficial knowledge of it.
We have not for more than a score
of years lived within twenty miles OF
the Great Sioux Reservation and or
one of the only two railway lines lead.
ing to it and in constant touch with
men familiar with every mile of i,
without knowing something OF tina,
part of the state in particular. W.
have not been travelling on railway
trains going to and from the principal
point of filing for these lands daily fol
the past fifteen months without gath.
ering a fair understanding OF the pei
cent OF those filing in good faith and
those who are not. The truth may
be "sad" for some people, but a good
deal of this sadness might be eliminat.
ed ii some others would practice a lit.
tie truth telling themselves. Pierre's
claim for the capital of this state rests
on the geographical center" argu.
ment only. When she has said that
she is all in. The theory that in time
she will become also the center Of pop.
ulation or as near to it OF as accessible
to the major portion thereof as Nit.
chell, Huron or Redfield is not found.
ed on reason and does violence to every
historical fact connected with the
settlement Of every state between the
Missouri river and the Pacific coast.
No newspaper writer believes it. No
intelligent mar believes it. Pierre
doesn't belieye 1T. They can vel
"knocker" until they split their
Threats, but it shall not deter one
writer at least from writing the
truth when challenged to do so, how
evermuch 1T may place him, IN com.
man with others, in a false light for
the time being.
There are undoubtedly those among
the newcomers-and particularly OF
the younger members of the press
who may have imblbed the notion
CAAO i'm Va AlS CAlUOl y COulCCUlCl
with the Mitchell capital committee
accounts largely for much of the mat
ter appearing in these columns. a
reference to the files of the GRAPHIC,
however, will reveal the fact that in
1880 We were using more space than in
these days in an honest unasked
effort to place the seat of government
within convenient reach of the peo-
pie. The predictions the GRAPHIC
then made; the disappointments that
would surely cone, have all been yerl.
fied-as they will again be verified
should the state be blind enough to
its own interests and leave the CAPT.
tai where it IS.
The GRAPHIC stood out against its
partly in the early eighties and labor.
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