USA > South Dakota > History of Dakota Territory, volume III > Part 24
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At this time it was a recognized fact that nearly all the newspapers of the state outside of those cities were purchasable by either Pierre or Huron, so that because any newspaper supported either town it was not an absolutely certain indication that it was best adapted for the capital site. It was true then as now that indi- vidual voters could be induced for small sums to poll their votes for either town. This fact induced both cities-Huron and Pierre-to raise large sums of money with which to buy newspapers, voters, supporters and influence generally. Pierre in this regard possessed far greater means than Huron. The former had many rich men, shrewd financiers, who did not hesitate to supply the means to carry on a strenuous and undeviating campaign. Huron was not so fortunate or unfortunate and soon "went broke."
In July both Pierre and Huron made ample preparations to entertain the editorial excursion from Pierre across the reservation to the Black Hills and return in order to win their support in the capital contest. Pierre's object was to secure favorable notices for the region west of the Missouri while Huron's object was to secure a statement of the defects of the region. Pierre bought at St. Louis twenty-five large tents for the accommodation of the editors on their
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VIEW OF PIERRE IN 1881
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VIEW OF PIERRE IN 1907
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trip to the Black Hills. It also enlisted extra freight wagons to carry the tents, wire mattresses and luggage. A load of ice was taken along to cool the lemon- ade, mineral water and other seasonable, refreshing and harmless drinks. It also provided thirty carriages to carry four passengers each. P. F. McClure had charge of the details. A courier was sent in advance to select the most agreeable spots for the encampments and to make every thing there fresh and attractive. The excursion terminated at Rapid City whence the editors dispersed through- out the Hills. Later all came back as they went out. It was stated that Pierre also paid the expenses of the editors on their return. All of this made Huron very envious and sarcastic.
Four principal points were urged by Pierre why she should be given the per- manent capital, viz .: (1) Two miles of street railway; (2) the Presbyterian University; (3) a large brick packing house; (4) the geographical center. At this time the best business lots in Pierre were valued at about three thousand dol- lars and good residence lots at from one hundred to three hundred dollars. The Pierre Board of Trade stated in September that the city had many hotels with a total capacity of 1,000 guests and that three of them-the Locke, five stories; the Park, four stories ; and the Wells, three stories-were conceded to be the best in the state. Huron charged that Pierre's chief drawbacks were inconvenience to reach and lack of accommodations.
"In the capital fight of 1890 the Pierre promoters carried on the most demor- alizing campaign of debauchery ever known in the West. Their agents were everywhere and bought every man who would sell his influence or vote. It was the most disgusting and degrading slush campaign ever inaugurated, and the vast boodle fund collected by Pierre and disbursed with such brazen impudence did much to give the state a serious set-back in the eyes of honest people. Pierre afterward repudiated her debts and bond obligations and her organs now (1904) charge Mitchell with trying to buy somebody or something. Pierre secured the location of the capital through open and corrupt boodle methods, and boodle alone gave her victory over Huron and the latter went broke trying to match Pierre's corruption. Had the question been left to an honest expression of the people at the polls, Huron would have won out easily and no man will question the truth of the statement. Pierre bought the capital in 1890, just as she is trying to hold it now."-Mitchell Republican, June 4, 1904.
"The great effort Pierre is putting forth at the present time to divert the attention of the voters from the main issue of the campaign is simply amusing. The cry that Huron abuses portions of the state is becoming very musty. Huron says that the State of South Dakota is a most wonderful state, containing within its borders sufficient undeveloped wealth to rival in time the rich states of the Atlantic sea-board. Huron says without fear of contradiction that all portions of the state are not adapted to the same purposes. It has said that the Black Hills was purely a mining country. It has said and says again that the reservation is not adapted to agriculture."-Huronite, 1890.
In 1890 Watertown presented reasons why that city would and should become the state capital: (1) Extensive railroad system; (2) accessibility; (3) soon to be on trans-continental lines; (4) gateway to the state; (5) manufacturing cen- ter; (6) financial advantages; (7) large public halls; (8) unrivaled hotels; (9) excellent public schools; (10) many churches; (II) cultivated and intelligent
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society; (12) pure drinking water; (13) two beautiful lakes near by; (14) sightly location and good drainage; (15) metropolitan conveniences and accom- modations; (16) close relation with all the large trade centers; (17) her location would be suitable for the capital.
"Pierre claims that the glorious account hitherto given of the unfolding wealth of South Dakota is all true. Huron, and the Sioux Falls Press for it, claim that this account is half a lie. Pierre says that the multitudes may be joyous, because there are lands of plenty beyond the Missouri. Huron denies this and proclaims the land beyond the Missouri to be a desert and incapable of sustaining a large population. * If Pierre is right in claiming that the country west of the reservation is rich and fertile, Eastern South Dakota will realize and receive great benefit from proximity of so fair a land. Otherwise she may suffer the result of participation in the gloom of the desert. But Pierre is right and Huron and the Sioux Falls Press are wrong, as is proven by the great incoming tide of population already dashing beyond the Missouri in the direction of the setting sun to shores as fair and fruitful as any in the Land of the Dakotas. * * * West of the Missouri River the great Sioux Reservation has stretched as forbidden ground ever since before Pierre was founded. Now this reservation is open and there are 11,000,000 acres of land ready for settle- ment. The soil is rich and there is room and sustenance there for two million people and more. This does not include the Black Hills country. It is the recently ceded lands which lie west of the Missouri and east of the Black Hills." -Pierre Daily Chronicle, August 29, 1890.
In 1890 so hard was Huron pressed for campaign funds that it sold the city waterworks to a private corporation, but the newspapers there declared that this step had nothing to do with the capital question. In November, 1896, the Supreme Court decided that this conveyance was illegal and the waterworks reverted to the city.
"If the Huronite would devote one-half the space in presenting tangible argu- ments in favor of Huron for capital that it does in villifying and slandering Pierre and other portions of the state it would command more respect of its readers. During the last two years it has made a regular business of slandering different portions of the state under the delusion that it was helping to build up Huron. The result is that its scurrilous articles have been published over the entire East and have affected not only immigration but the values of realty throughout the state. If the editor of that paper can see nothing good in the state he should be pensioned by the Legislature and sent back to Iowa where he came from."-Pierre Daily Chronicle, August 29, 1890.
"The Observer has question before the foresight and judgment of the Huron Capital Committee in pursuing a course of willful and base misrepresenta- tion of sections of the state-notably the reservation-for the purpose of gain- ing votes for the state capital. * Wonder what will be the next piece of infamy to try and gain a few votes by defaming one section of the state to build up the interests of a few realty holders in a selfish town."-Redfield Observer, August, 1890.
"The virtuous howl of indignation from Pierre over the fact that some of the people of South Dakota who believe that the capital will be located at Huron and in consequence of that faith have made investments in Huron property, comes
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with poor grace from a town that encouraged and reaped its reward from the notorious and glowing 'Capital Investment Company,' which succeeded in hood- winking thousands into the support of Pierre last year, but which, realizing that the jig is up so far as Pierre's chances for the permanent capital are concerned, has disbanded and gone out of business at the old stand, leaving their dupes throughout the state in the lurch and not in a very amiable frame of mind, either, as Pierre will learn later on if she does not realize it now. It is very likely that she does realize that the 'Capital Investment Company' was a poor investment for her and for that reason is now vigorously raising the cry of 'stop thief' to deter people from investing in the Huron property."-Bowdle Pioneer, August, 1890.
"Huron is waging a wide open war for the capital, giving reasons why each part of the state should come to her support; while Pierre contents herself with denying imaginary slanders and heaping abuse upon her opponent."-Big Stone City Wave, August, 1890.
"What could be a stronger argument for Huron as the capital than the fact that almost every spontaneous gathering of the people in convention is at Huron. No popular assemblies of the people were called at Pierre. This of itself ought to be conclusive that Huron is the more natural and convenient place for the capital. It would be an unnatural freak to compel people by law to go into an isolated place for public gathering. The almost weekly conventions at Huron is a constant argument for her claims."-Aberdeen News, August, 1890.
"Pierre is trying to patch up broken promises and with them lay a foundation for a campaign. Cute little circulars made of 'loud' paper are floating over the county, telling the dear people that the 'Capital Investment Company,' or the confounded imposition conspiracy, is still on earth and will be ready to do busi- ness some time in the 'glorious approximately.' Of course those who nursed this 'abnormal growth' from well filled purses and for their pains got lots on the gumbo hills seven miles from the Town Pierre, will regard said little circular as a treasure and pay a few more assessments on said gumbo hills that the progenitors of the now defunct movement may live a little longer on the people. Will they? Well, not in this neck o' the woods. One purgative of the above type is sufficient for the average citizen and is more than enough for many who took the bait and got hooked last year in Pierre tackle."-Egan Express, August, 1890.
"There hasn't been a public gathering at Pierre since the adjournment of the Legislature. Why? Simply because the average Dakotan can't raise wheat enough to pay his fare such a distance, and there is barely time between seeding and harvest to make the trip."-Leola Northwest, August, 1890.
"Irrigation or emigration-which ?"-Mitchell Republican. "Irrigation and immigration."-Daily Huronite, August 19, 1890.
"The reason we support Huron's candidacy for the capital is through no hostility to Pierre. What we now say in relation to Pierre's manifestly fraudu- lent census is not said from any hostile spirit. Neither is it said with any rela- tion to the capital contest. The City of Pierre has made a grossly false and fraudulent return of her population. In returning 3,200 she has nearly doubled the number of her actual inhabitants. Of this there is no doubt or question. In so doing she has intentionally defrauded every other community in the state. Watertown, Aberdeen, Mitchell, Redfield, Brookings, and every town that has
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made honest returns are equal sufferers from Pierre's mendacity. Pierre has robbed these towns of their equal representation in the Legislature. * * * Instead of the tenth city, which she is, Pierre will rank third if this fraud goes * unchallenged. * * There is but one way to prevent this fraud: Let rep- resentatives of the defrauded towns meet immediately and by proper representa- tion to the census bureau secure an investigation and recount of the mendacious municipality."-Courier News, Watertown, August, 1890.
"About the middle of September an earnest request in writing was forwarded to the Pierre Board of Trade by one of the most prominent officers of the Farmers' Alliance Company asking for a proposition for property to be donated to that company for manufacturing purposes. The proposition was made in writing and under it the citizens of Pierre guaranteed to the Dakota Farmers' Alliance Company land and dockage on the Missouri River for manufacturing purposes of the value of $200,000, absolute deeds of the same to be placed in escrow and to be delivered to the said Farmers' Alliance Company as fast as required for the purpose of improvement. This offer was declined for the reason-as was plainly stated at the time-that it did not contain a bonus to some of the high officials of the company to work the deal through and we have good reason to suppose that the offer has been absolutely suppressed from the general members of the Farmers' Alliance for the reason that Huron gave the required bonus instead. It is well for any corporate company to know that the officials who are handling their money and doing their business and at the same time pretending to be laboring for the great good of the masses are allowing no opportunity to slip to gather in such inside money as they may be able to put in their own pockets for the sale of such influence as they may possess either to different political parties, or to different capital aspirants. It is fair to infer that that official who demanded 'boodle' from Pierre has in sending out his circulars in favor of Huron been influenced by a personal money consideration to himself. In other words, the Dakota Farmers' Alliance Company and the Dakota Farmers' Alliance gen- erally-both excellent institutions-are being bought and sold on the market to the highest bidders by a few would-be leaders in whom they have confidence. The editor of the Ruralist has the proud satisfaction of knownig that while last year he worked for Pierre on his convictions, he has this year sold his convictions for money and received the pay therefor."-Pierre Capital, October 29, 1890. In this connection the editor of the Ruralist said, "Pierre men are lying to our people in every possible way. They have printed on the back of their map that Pierre has offered to the alliance land to the value of $200,000, which is absolutely and unqualifiedly false."
"It will be remembered that at the opening of the present campaign for the permanent capital the people looked with dismay at the prospect of having three candidates for the honor, neither of which could probably secure a majority over the other two. It indicated a continuation of the contest for two years after the next election-a contest of which the people have had already enough. Afterward, when Watertown very wisely withdrew from the capital race, there went through the state a sigh of relief at the prospect of a speedy termination of the turmoil. With only two candidates in the field the capital question would be settled at the next election. In fact it was very soon after the beginning of the campaign practically settled in favor of Huron by the overwhelming public sentiment every- where apparent.
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"Suddenly the capital sky is murky again. There are signs of a sort of cyclone in the air. Mysterious telegrams in many concatenations appear in papers out- side of the state (curiously one must go away from home to get the news) announcing that a powerful syndicate with millions of money is about to gobble up the capital. It is a kind of a Louisiana lottery 'combine,' with oceans of money to bribe right and left. From all accounts in outside papers (telegrams are easily sent) the North Dakota lottery whirlwind was a gentle zephyr compared with the coming capital boom. What city is to be the child of such good fortune at the hands of so rich and generous a syndicate? Yankton, Mitchell, Sioux Falls, Redfield, Madison or some other place having the necessary facilities for the capital? No, but Wolsey! Some gang of speculators parading in the papers as a rich syndicate is going, so report says, to put Wolsey in the capital race.
"This wild-cat scheme is attributed to Pierre influence. In her desperation to avoid the certain defeat which awaits her with only herself and Huron in the field, Pierre seeks, it is said, to put a third candidate in the field. It is known that she tried hard to persuade and hire Watertown to be her cat's paw, and the present scheme of putting Wolsey forward is alleged to be a dernier resort after the same plan, to bolster waning fortune. If Huron can be prevented by fair means or foul from getting a majority at the next election, Pierre can retain the seat of government for two years more and thus secure an opportunity to reim- burse herself somewhat and gain time to scheme for another trial.
"The plan is too visionary and too desperate to succeed. There is too much trickery and corruption in sight at the outset to give it any standing before the people. They do not propose to have any speculative syndicate, however rich, step in and by corrupt means defeat the will of the people. The extra thousands of dollars it will cost the tax-payers to continue the capital at Pierre and to conduct the extra campaign two years hence can not be put out of sight. Be- sides, the business interests of the state demand that these capital wrangles shall cease, that the people may settle down to work. The new fake will not take."- Aberdeen News, August, 1890.
"Now that Pierre has shown her hand and put Wolsey into the fight in order that she may retain the 'temporary' (capital), all good citizens, having the inter- ests of the state at heart, and wishing to end this whole capital business, should turn in and not only vote but work for Huron. Huron wishes this question settled now. She made great sacrifices to get Watertown out of the race-so that this campaign might end the fight. Pierre bitterly opposed that effort then and did everything in her power to get Watertown into the race. Failing in this she has now made the attempt to foist Wolsey into the race. As her efforts at Watertown failed, so now this one must. Those who wish to see the fight ended now, and they are thousands of the best men in the state, will turn to Huron as their guiding star and vote for the town that in good faith is making every effort possible to end the fight now."-Daily Huronite, August 19, 1890.
"Pierre, with but one line of railroad, is and for years to come will be a comparatively inaccessible place. Located remote from the center of population, away from the bulk of the people, it is an inconvenient location for the people, involving a great loss of time and a large expense of money to reach it. It is therefore a most inconvenient and inaccessible location and should never for an instant be thought of as a proper place for the location of the permanent capital
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of the state. Huron being the most convenient and accessible place in the state is the right place for the permanent capital."-Daily Huronite, August 19, 1890.
"The last faint effort of the now doomed town on the Jim to meet her finan- cial obligations is one of the worst frauds ever attempted to be perpetrated upon the people of the state. Having run short of funds with which to carry on her corrupt campaign, Huron has now had printed an immense lot of scrip, rep- resenting over two million dollars. This scrip has the same appearance as a bank note or any paper money, and purports to be redeemable at its face value if Huron gets the capital. This so-called money is being passed off onto farmers and the uninitiated in consideration for work and votes for Huron. This scrip is not and never will be worth any more than the paper it is printed on-whether or not Huron should be the capital. It is a fraud and a snare to catch unsus- pecting victims. Having failed to float her $60,000 bogus school bonds, Huron is compelled to use some pretext for money and to keep up appearances of meet- ing her obligations in some way. How can she pay up $2,000,000 when her assessed valuation does not now reach that sum? She is now so deeply in debt . that financial institutions refuse to buy her bonds whatever. Will any voter in South Dakota accept payment for his services in Huron scrip when he knows that Huron cannot now pay her debt. Huron cannot even pay the interest on her huge indebtedness and it is common talk among her citizens that Huron will make no attempt to pay up her immense debts after election."-Pierre Capital, October 29, 1890.
"The question before the people is, shall the capital of South Dakota be located in the exact center of the state, with faith that our state will be developed equal to Minnesota and Iowa, or shall we admit that it will not grow any more and locate it with reference to its present population ?"-Pierre Board of Trade, October 28, 1890.
"It is rumored that Huron is about to formally withdraw from the capital race, and the reason given therefore is that the fair village has run short of funds caused by her inability to float her fraudulent school bonds."-Pierre Capital, October 29, 1890.
"Huron's brass band campaign has busted her. A number of her hired bands throughout the state have ceased playing for her because she has not 'put up' as per agreement. But her capital committee is writing the boys that she will get there pretty soon-just as soon as she sells these $60,000 school bonds."-Pierre Capital, October 29, 1890.
"Pierre's campaign will vindicate the rights of South Dakota. Pierre workers have never lost sight of the fact that the whole state is all right and that Pierre, if chosen, will be the permanent capital of the whole state and not a portion only. Under the vigorous and patriotic blows of our workers the 'barren waste' stories were beaten to death so far as the people of our state are concerned. The lovers of justice and fair play from all parts of the United States have commended the manly position taken and heroicly defended by Pierre. The herculean efforts of Pierre and her friends saved our state from the most stupendous calamity that ever befell any state, viz .: The loss of her good name. South Dakota has been saved, but the injury already done by Huron's 'barren waste' yarns will remain." -Pierre Capital, October 29, 1890.
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"The latest railroad news from Huron is to the effect that a company has been formed and the right of way received for a new line of railway running from Huron to the moon. The people of Huron are almost beside themselves with joy over the prospects of their new road. This road has nothing whatever to do with the capital contest. It is purely a business speculation and will be of inestimable benefit to Huron as a suburban resort for the capital boomers after November 4."-Pierre Capital, October 29, 1890.
A critical examination of the above newspaper extracts necessitates the state- ment that they were intensely partisan and shaped in favor of the city they sup- ported. They reveal that both cities in order to win resorted to any and all tactics short of such open and notorious violations of the law as would place them in the courts. However, it must be admitted, as before stated, that their methods and campaigns were no worse nor objectionable than those adopted and put in operation almost every year in the United States by business and political organ- izations. All will admit that it made no serious difference to the state as a whole whether the capital was located at Pierre or at Huron. This fact serves to remove the contest from the charge that a great, momentous and vital issue to the whole state was at stake or was involved, and reduces the contention to a struggle between the two cities and the individuals thereof for their own profit and benefit. Of course, both cities endeavored to make it appear that they were working for the sole salvation of the state, just as parties and politicians try to make the populace believe that their defeat means a dreadful calamity to the county, state or nation. The result of the vote on the capital site question in October, 1890, is shown below :
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