The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-10-05
LEGISLATIVE FIGHT
T0RETAIN CAPITAL
KEPT CITY ON EDGE
Measure Providing For New
Structure Had Stormy Pass
age Through House

Never in the history of Bismarck
has there been so large vote cast
at an election or so much interest in
its outcome as was the case last March
when the question Of removing the
capital from Bismarck to Jamestown
was put to vote.
The issue was raised by group of
Jamestown persons before the ashes
OF the old capitol building had ceased
to smoke.
It spread through Jamestown like
vildfire. The cooler heads in the
Stutsman county metropolis at first
ignored it and then were unable to
Go anything about it. What appeared
at first to be wild dream later TOOK
Oil the touch of reality as enough
signatures to an initiative petition
were obtained to bring the matter
before the electorate.
The manner in which these sigma
lures were gotten showed both enthu-
siasn and enterprise on the part Of
the capital removal enthusiasts.
Going out from Jamestown in crews,
they canvassed nearby towns first and
later descended on Fargo where they
claimed to have obtained 5000 sigma
lures.
Encouraged by this success they
widened the scope of their efforts to
points as far distant as Grand Forks,
ignoring the western part of the state
which subsequently was to be CLASH
fled by them as bowling wilderness.
With the legislature in session,
Jamestown enthusiasts descended upon
Bismarck and filed their petitions in
the secretary of states office. at the
same time exerting what pressure they
could to develop enthusiasm among
the states lawmakers.
Met Small Success
In this they met with little sue
cess, only the small bloc of votes from
Stutsman county showing any enthu-
siasm for the project.
During the circulation of the petit
tions, Bismarck took no steps to halt
the movement other than to point out
to the people of the state that it was
obviously unfair.
A committee was appointed through
the medium of the Association of
Commerce and kept anxious watch
upon developments.
Meanwhile legislative leaders be-
gan discussing legislation to provide
for the construction of new capitol
building. At this time some political
jealousy became apparent, Bismarck
seeking to keep political partisanship
out of the situation and some other
persons attempting to inject it to
their own advantage.
One of the first suggestions was to
indicate the un-partisan nature of the
bill by having group of political
leaders, both Nonpartisan and I. v. A.
join in sponsoring it. The arrange
ment had been tentatively made when
it was suddenly upset and it finally
was introduced in the house by the
state affairs committee, headed by L
L. Twichell. /. v. A. leader from Fargo
1t was reported at the time that
Twichell had vetoed the joint-sponsor.
ship arrangement.
AS written and introduced. the bill
contained two controversial points
The first was a specific location OF
the capitol at Bismarck. jamestown
objected to this on the ground that
the matter of capitol location was
then in issue and that the bill should
provide for locating the capital at
such place as the people might decide
It's adherents were unsuccessful IN
this effort, however, and the language
in this section of the measure was
unchanged.
Clause Caused Battle
The second point at issue was the
emergency clause, attached to the bill
as written but needing a two-thirds
vote in each house to carry. If it got
less than the necessary two thirds
vote the emergency clause would lose
Before the 1881 legislative session
Stutsman county had sent sole