The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-05-02
Keeping the Record Straight

jamestown capital removal boosters, who are still
~agitating that issue. have become active OF late and arc
circulating propaganda which needs to be answered de.
spite the fact that the people generally in North Dakota
do not look with any favor upon their proposal.
In last Tuesdays issue of the Jamestown Sun, whose
editor is keeping the matter alive through his publicity
pulmotor. Mr. Hansen prints what purports to be a dis
patch from a Pettibone correspondent. Among other
things this correspondent says:
There were nearly $4,000 voters who signed a petition
to let the people vote on the location Of a new capitol
building In North Dakota. 1t had been located by the
Mckenzie gang originally without the peoples say SO,
so the politicians again did the same thing as far as
was In their power"
In the last portion of the statement, the Pettibone cor
respondent refers to the action of the legislature i'll
passing the four-cent gasoline tax despite its prior
rejection by the people. We are not concerned with the
gas tax issue in this editorial, but the misinformation,
deliberate or otherwise. Of the Pettibone comment as it
touches upon the issue of state capital removal Is
worthy of comment.
First Of all, unless a formal contest is started, the secre-
tary of state assumes that the $4,000 signatures in his
office upon the capital removal petitions represent bona
fde voters. When the Pettibone correspondent says that
$4,000 voters signed the petitions. he is taking a great
deal for granted. If 1t were worth the time and expense
probably a very large percentage Of the signers could be
disqualified as petitioners on the simple ground that
they are not legal voters in North Dakota or were not
when they signed the petitions. That is one of the
~~~~
eminent and one hard to combat.
But the most glazing inaccuracy OF the Pettibcne
statement Is that the capital was located at Bismarck
by the Mckenzie gang without the peoples say" Well.
il that is true, the insane asylum was located at James
town without the peoples say"
Neither statement would be true Or fair. The Petit
bon. correspondent has only to read his North Dakota
history to learn that the state capital was located at
Bismarck by . vote Of all the people of North Dakota
just IS was the asylum at jamestown. the University at
Grand Forks and the Agricultural college at Fargo, not
to mention several other institutions located at the same
time by 2 vote Of the people.
II the Pettibone correspondent will read the state
constitution. drawn by . constitutional convention and
ratified by q vote Of the people, he will find that many
state institutions, including the state capital, were located
by q referendum vote Of all the people. The Mckenzie
gang were wise enough politicians to let the people vote
on the location Of these institutions and there were other
gangs from Jamestown, Fargo and Grand Forks who
felt the same way. There were the Winship-Spaldine
and La Moure gangs, for instance, and several others
which were on the Job as well as the Mckenzie gang.
II the Pettbone correspondent will refer to the leg
aslative manual Of 1919, he or she will find that the first
state election was held October 1. 1889, and two issues
were before the people: adoption Of the state constitu-
prohibition. The state constitution passed with q major
ty Of 1884 and stutsman county voted on the issue
~ follows: For, 1884 and Against, Al. Prohibition was
80 popular. It only squeezed through with a margin
~ Use.
Tribune feels that because the statement Is being
49, so frequently in the jamestown Sun and in other
that the people had nothing to say about the
|acSttcn OF the institutions OF the state originally, 1t Is
Hns to keep the record straight.
ueleeates met in Bismarck for q long and arduous con-
convention and did . very good job too. The