The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-08-05
OFFICIAL COUNTY PAPER
FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 1904.
MERELY euNcoMBE ARGUMENT

John LongStatf in the Huron Hur-
onite is %endeavoring to stir up some
strife yer the capital removal ques-
tion by %arousing the towns which
have state institutions, holding that
capital removal will start the legis-
lature to moving colleges or penal
Institutions from u town to an
other. John suggests that it would
be a good idea to have the state uni
versity at Vermiliion located at
Huron.
a year and a half ago Longstaf
was not troubled with any such en-
trayagant notions. AT that time he
was laboring industriously to move
the capital from Pierre to Huron,
and under those circumstances none
of the things he speaks of now were
possible then, so that his reasoning
along that line would indicate that
he was merely blutfing to help out a
mighty weak cause. With Huron
the candidate for capital honors you
would not hear a word about the
possibility Of the removal of other
state institutions, and Mr.. Longstaff
shows a lamentable weakness in try
ing to bolster up Pierre's cause Oh
such false and hopeless ground. 1t
doesn't cost anything TO be consist
ent, Mr.. H%uronite, and for a man
who has had his lever under the
state capital for fourteen years to
offer such argument makes it appear
all the more ludicrous.
The Aberdeen News and the Brook
ings Press, both Of which are sup
porting Pierre for the capital, are
having shiyers along the sans line
simply for capital argument, not
that for n moment do they believe
that they are in the least danger of
having Their state institutions re-
moved to other places. They are
simply trying to rouse a dishonest
prejudice which has not the slight
est bearing on capital removal.
AT each n Of the towns where
an Institution is located tie state
has thousands of dollars invested
and it does not stand to reason that
the state would attempt a thing Of
this character at such a sacrifice as
would have to be made.
at tile state capital the situation
is entirely different. The state does
not own a foot of ground or a build
ing which the city of Mitchell does
not offer to duplicate in goods 100
per cent better, not to mention the
fact that the capital would be more
accessible and save the people of the
state thousands OF dollars eve rY year
in the way of taxes.
The colleges and other institutions
of the state are pretty we'll distrib-
uted in the populous portion and
does not work the slightest hardship
on the people, for there is only a cers
tain percentage of the young people
will 90 to the various institutions of
learning. The capital is a different
proposition. In that every person
in the state is directly or indirectly
interested, inasmuch as they are
called upon to pay their share for
the support and maintenance Of
something that they can go and
visit.
When 1T comes to a matter Of I
ment why the capital should remain
at Pierre there is a shortage, and
you will notice that in ninety.nine
cases out Of a hundred that Pierre
and her newspapers are simply try
ing to create a prejudice in the
minds OF the people by suppositious
things that are of no more possibil-
ity than the world is coming to an
end tomorrow. Skulking behind
such narrow lines as has been set
forth in the Huronite, Press and
News. Pierre displays the weakness
of her campaign with which she has
been credited and which is daily
Splf.avidant