Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-09-20
MlNOT VIEW Of CAPITOL MATTER
Northwestern Part Of the State Anxious For a
Realization Of "MCkenzie'S Dream"

Minot Optic: To illustrate: Great
achievements have always been and
always will be the result of the work
ing of great minds. When Jim Hill
announced to the world that he pro.
posed, some day, to operate and con-
: troll line of railway extending from
ocean to ocean, the people murmurred
among themselves, and, when a little
later on, he told them that it would
only be question of time when the
Great Northern would operate con-
tinuous line of transportation for both
passenger and freight, around the
world the murmurings increased. Jim
Hill kept his word, and today the
world applauds him. The undertake
ing was no greater than the brain that
conceived it. To accomplish the feat
was Jim Hills dream. Other men
possessed of great brain have had
similar dreams, but their realization
remains to be solved by the tickle
hand of destiny. In this connection
the Optic refers to the career of Alex
ander Mckenzie, whose honestly dis
posed efforts on behalf of North Da-
kota have, and probably never will re-
ceive from the public that apprecia-
ton to which they are justly entitled.
Mr.. McKenzie's life dream has evil
IDENTITY been to secure for North Da-
kota a capitol building that would
stand for all time to come as monu-
ment to the credit of the state. This
accomplished, the climax of his lfe's
work will have been reached and his
dream realized. r.. 5
The undertaking, considering all
the entanglements and various forms
of distractions that are almost sure
to confront him, is ponderous one,
and no mind of less magnitude would
have ever dared to. attempt to push
the scheme to successful finish.
History teaches that no great
achievement has ever been accom-
plished that was not conceived by a
great brain. Men of small brain and
untutored minds are generally to be
found occupying front seats in the
halls OF dfssension while men of large
and progressive minds, can, invariably
be found engaged in an unselfsh
struggle for the common good of all
| classes.
| 1t should be remembered that it has
not been Mr.. McKenzie's dream to
own the capitol building, or even to
profit by its construction, as some
would have the public believe, but
have it stand to the credit of the great
state of North Dakota and the early
pioneers who, away back in territorial
days, blazed the pathway to statehood
and laid the foundation upon which
stands thousands of happy homes to-
day. @ ....... r.
When the writer has occasion to
take a retrospective glance over the
pathway leading from territorial days
to the earliest period of statehood. he
wonders how so much could have been
accomplished in SO short a space of
time. There is no doubt but that Mr..
Mckenzie's capitol building dream
had its inception in the territorial leg
islature which convened in Yankton,
Jan. 1, 1882. It was Mckenzie who
conceived the idea of removing the
territorial capitol from Yankton to
some point north of the forty-seventh
standard parallel which feat was ac-
comphshed by the means of a capitol
commission consisting of ten members,
of which Mr.. Mckenzie was chair
man. 1t was during the capitol re-
moVal fight that McKenzies ability,
as general became apparent and
from that time until the present nom
ent the man has not materialzed
who has even sought to wrench the
leadership Of the republican party in
4 North Dakota from his hands. ~
The final location Of the capitol at
Bismarck was another evidence OF
McKenzie's ability to manipulate and
shape the destinies of what time
would reveal to be one of the foremost
| states in the union.
4 The capitol had been located al
Bismarck, but no building had beer
provided. The people OF Bismarck al
that time were comparatively poor
Mckenzie had pledged something like
one hundred thousand dollars If the
capitol should be located at Bis