History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 25

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1146

USA > South Dakota > History of Dakota Territory, volume III > Part 25

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Counties

Pierre

Huron

Counties

Pierre

Huron

Aurora

638

304

Hyde

398

Beadle

2,460

Jerauld

371

295

Brown

2,584

1,263

Kingsbury

349

1,678

Brookings

947

1,305

Lake

742

1,00I

Bon Homme

1,399

448

Lawrence

2,776

1,370

Brule

814

429

Lincoln

952

1,072

Buffalo

146

McCook

699

805

Butte

268

McPherson

781

291

Campbell

703

130

Marshall

748

282

Charles Mix

761

231

Miner

466

116

Clark

277

1,499

Minnehaha

2,738

1,945

Clay

921

757

Moody

533

930

Codington

886

801

Meade

1,290

Custer

651

Pennington

1,916

335

Davison

574

770

Potter

535

253

Day

1,038

1,130

Roberts

227

251

Deuel

561

584

Sanborn

30I

723

Douglas

705

362

Stanley

202

Edmunds

861

29I

Spink

537

1,948

Fall River

650

463

Sully

574

Faulk

772

279

Turner

910

1,150

Grant

646

808

Union

951

1,023

Hamlin

362

774

Walworth

480

107

Hand

I,029

400

Yankton

1,346

829

Hutchinson

931

725

Hanson

34I

735

Total

41,969

34,610

Hughes

1,668

174

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

No sooner was the capital located at Pierre in 1890 than the citizens there redoubled their efforts to have the capitol building ready for the Legislature in January, 1891. They erected a substantial frame structure by the voluntary gifts of the people and had it ready on time. It was said to be the only frame capitol building in the United States and was used until the new statehouse was ready in 1910.

The permanent location of the capital at Pierre in 1890 did not satisfy Huron, nor thousands of citizens in the eastern part of the state, as shown by the above large vote for Huron. Thus, immediately after the election, that city and others began to kindle interest in the question of resubmitting the capital location again to the voters. Newspapers recommended submission and at every session of the Legislature attempts to secure the passage of such a resolution or bill were made. The old objections to Pierre, the ambition of other cities and the material interests of real estate and other business concerns, served to keep the fires of capital removal burning while the wounds of the former contest were healing. The expenses had been enormous and the burden was hard to bear for many years. The cities involved, including Watertown, were in the end compelled to go to court to secure relief on their bond issues.

However, as soon as the afflicted cities were convalescent, the tireless, ambi- tious and determined James River Valley again began skirmishing in the direction of the Pierre capital outposts. At the legislative session of 1895 a bill for the resubmission of the capital question to the voters was introduced at the instigation of Huron, but was defeated.

Again at the legislative session of 1897 a similar bill in the interests of Huron was introduced and was supported and pushed by a strong lobby from that city, among whom was R. O. Richards. On this occasion it was involved with the United States senatorial contest and perhaps with other political or business ventures and intrigues. Judge Plowman, a senatorial aspirant, was particularly active in favor of resubmission. It was confirmed that the friends. of Judge Plowman who had supported Pierre in the capital contest of 1890 now worked for the bill in favor of Huron, and that in exchange Huron agreed to furnish enough republican votes to aid the populists in crowding their measures through the Legislature. The removal resolution was introduced early in the session and was at first regarded pretty much as a joke, but when the powerful lobby began action Pierre became anxious, if not frightened. Soon the whole Legislature was excited and alert on the question. On January 16th a majority of the Senate committee recommended the passage of the resolution, while the minority favored a postponement owing to the large amount of other important matters to be con- sidered at that session. On the 20th the resolution came up in the Senate and was supported by Hinckly on behalf of Huron and by Horner and others on behalf of Pierre. There was a keen contest, but finally Senator Fairbanks, of Deadwood, settled the question in favor of Pierre by declaring that the Black Hills would oppose any change in the location of the capital site. In the Senate fifteen votes were cast for the removal and twenty-four against it. Many threats of what would be done two years hence were made.

Fully anticipating that the capital removal question would again come up at the legislative session of 1899 Pierre laid her plans with consummate skill and succeeded in electing A. Sommers, of Grant County, speaker of the House; he

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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

had formerly lived at Pierre and, of course, was opposed to removal. His elec- tion meant that no action on the question would be taken that session unless some combination strong enough to override his dictum could be formed.

Again in 1901, when the removal question was certain to come before the Legislature, the friends of Pierre marshaled their forces and reelected Mr. Som- mers speaker of the House. His opponent was Mr. Wilmarth, of Beadle County. Again it was at first believed that there would be no contest during that session.

"Congressman Burke has taken the capital question out of issue. Sommers was chosen speaker of the House two years ago because of his friendship for Pierre. That was one of the considerations which made him speaker this time. Burke never fails to take care of Pierre and in the division of the spoils which took place at Aberdeen, Burke played for Pierre, which the others conceded, as they usually do when it does not conflict with their plans. The alacrity with which Wilmarth was taken out of the speakership contest is another card in the capital game. Wilmarth lives at Huron."-Cor. Yankton Press and Dakotian, January 10, 1901.

"It is slyly hinted that a movement is on foot among the insurgent republi- cans at Pierre to remove the state capital to Mitchell. No question that Mitchell could offer many natural and acquired inducements for a state capital abiding place."-Press and Dakotian, January 15, 190I.

At this session the Legislature (1901) was so rent by other important inter- ests and contentions that the capital removal contest figured more prominently than ever before since 1890. Suddenly, on March 2d (only a few days before the close of the session by limitation), the chairman of the Committee on Elections and Privileges of the House introduced a capital removal resolution in favor of Mitchell, which at once kindled violent opposition. Thirty-eight roll calls and other dilatory tactics were employed by the friends of Pierre to defeat the measure, but in spite of their utmost endeavors it passed the House by the vote of 57 to 26 and was promptly sent to the Senate. This contest was spectacular in the extreme. The Senate divided itself in three factions-one with 16 members for Pierre; one with 19 or 20 members for Mitchell; one with 7 or 8 members who demanded certain special appropriations and the remaining members inde- pendent. The appropriation members organized and agreed to support the capi- tal removal members providing the latter would agree to their appropriation plans. It was then learned that Pierre was free to do this, but that Mitchell was not, because several of its supporters were opposed to the special appropriation interests. First Mitchell displayed its power in the Senate by defeating the bill for the special appropriations and at this time commanded about twenty-five votes. The nine members from the Black Hills voted solidly against Mitchell's interests. Soon the combination for the capital removal bill went to pieces, owing to the strong opinion among the members generally in favor of the usual appro- priations. Watertown drew out of the affair and announced it would support Pierre, Englesby delivering a strong speech against the removal bill. He declared that the bill had been sprung for the sole purpose of defeating or killing the special appropriations. The anti-appropriation members caucused and deter- mined to continue the fight with the hope of forcing the governor to call an extra session to renew the capital and other contests and they resumed their warfare on the appropriation measures. They were defeated at every angle and finally were compelled to give up, though raging at their antagonists.

176

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

Thus it will be seen that the capital resubmission question had been defeated at four sessions of the Legislature-1895, 1897, 1899 and 1901-by the foresight and adroitness of the Pierre tacticians. They had accomplished this result by studied and systematic maneuvers and by crushing attacks at the right time or by subtle evasions and flank-movements when the enemy was asleep or demoralized.

This contest served to stimulate Mitchell's capital aspirations to a marvelous degree. Huron could not make another fight alone, because it was nearly bank- rupt and lacked the means. On the other hand, Mitchell was flush and hopeful, because its efforts in 1901 had apparently shattered the belief that the capital must necessarily remain permanently at Pierre. From all parts of the state there came to her pledges of support and cheering words of encouragement. But the contest of 1901 had shown Mitchell that it would be no easy matter to change the location of the capital, and accordingly it came to pass that Huron, Redfield and Mitchell determined to unite and support the one of the three that should be chosen in caucus to contest the location of the capital site with Pierre. The three cities, in November, 1902, appointed committees which met and decided on the plans of campaign. This action was more or less secret, and perhaps all the details have not yet been revealed or may never be.

At the beginning of the legislative session of 1903 the State Register, a Pierre newspaper, asked the question why it was not better to discuss measures of unit- ing the two extremes of the state with railroads instead of troubling over the removal of the capital and declared that the same effort that was then being put into the capital removal movement, if put into the construction of the railroads, would settle the whole problem. Instead of bringing the capital back east to the railroads, take the railroads on west to the capital. The Sioux Falls Press said that while the capital of the state was most inconveniently located there were other things of more importance than its removal to the population and trans- poration center, that one of these was the construction of a railroad across the cattle country to the Black Hills, and that there were matters of greater impor- tance than making some town feel good by giving it the capital.

When the Legislature assembled in January, 1903, the capital removal subject was on every tongue and in every mind. Before any other action was taken all agreed that a caucus of the whole Legislature should determine which of the three cities-Huron, Redfield 'or Mitchell-should be chosen to contest with Pierre for the capital site. This caucus was held on January 7th and resulted as follows: Mitchell, 81; Huron, 19; Redfield, 7; the votes being cast by 107 out of a possible 132 members. The victory of Mitchell was so overwhelming that the other two cities at once disappeared from public view and were heard of no more except to grumble or criticize or fight Mitchell. The latter won largely by securing a powerful following in the Legislature and by obtaining the support of the Milwaukee Railroad Company. Hunter and McLeod were the Mitchell leaders, though Gold, Ringsrud and others assisted.

No sooner was Mitchell chosen than Pierre took up the gauntlet and began the battle to defeat the coming removal resolution. Its leading supporters were Cummins, Burke and Stewart. The campaign was really on before the resolu- tion was introduced. Upon receipt of the news of their victory the citizens of Mitchell enjoyed a joyfeast which ended with a celebration at night, in which all participated. The fact is that as soon as it was certain that a removal resolu-

Dotre

VIEW OF PIERRE STREET, LOOKING NORTH

HUGHES COUNTY COURTHOUSE, PIERRE

177

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS. PEOPLE

tion in favor of one of the cities would surely pass there was a stampede of nearly the whole Legislature to support the measure.

The utter inability of Pierre to select the speaker of the House, as it had done at two or three of the previous sessions, was alone regarded as sufficient proof that the measure would pass. Brown, of Aberdeen, was elected speaker, and N. P. Bromley, M. C. Betts, G. S. Hutchinson, A. J. Porter, J. M. Johnston, W. C. Graybill and F. W. Ryan were the House committee that had charge of the removal resolution. At this organization of the House the capital removal element ruled with mighty hand. They played for the support of the Black Hills by appointing the chief clerk-McLamore-from that section of the state. The removal resolution was at once introduced in the Senate by Mr. Abel, the proposed "amendment to the constitution being as follows :

"The permanent seat of government of the State of South Dakota is hereby located at the City of Mitchell, in the County of Davison. This article shall be self executing and in full force and effect from and after 12 o'clock M., on the 15th day of December, A. D., 1904."

On January Ioth this resolution passed the Senate by the decisive vote of thirty-nine to five, on which occasion Senator Bennett made a strong speech in favor of retaining the capital at Pierre. The resolution came up in the House on the 12th. Mr. Bromley, of Spink County, moved a suspension of rules and the adoption of the resolution, but his motion was defeated by a large majority and tlie resolution was placed on the regular call or order. The next day it passed by a large majority. It provided that the voters of the state should decide at the November election of 1904 where the permanent capital should be located. At once the battle was commenced. It was stated that Mitchell had at this session a lobby of about twenty-five of its best business men. Soon after the resolution was passed, Pierre, not to be outdone by Mitchell, succeeded in working up a powerful lobby for the purpose of having the resolution rescinded and by the last of February had secured the promise of many members to support the new movement. For a time considerable excitement and tumult again reigned, but quiet was finally restored when it was learned that Pierre would not get sufficient support to pass the rescinding measure.

"Pierre feels that if the Legislature felt like passing that resolution it was all right to have it passed, but Pierre does not feel that the capital is located at Mitchell as yet, by several rows of apple trees. Without attempting to go into details I can say that Mitchell will be practically alone in her fight for the capital. I mean by that she will not have the assistance of either Huron or Redfield when to comes to removing the capital from Pierre, although these two towns went into the caucus with the understanding that if neither one of them succeeded in being chosen the candidate against Pierre they would turn in and support Mitchell. And of course Mitchell had agreed to do the same thing if one of the other towns was named against Pierre. Both Redfield and Huron are very much displeased with the tactics pursued by Mitchell in the fight to secure the adoption of the removal resolution. Redfield and Huron men who were in Pierre when the resolution was adopted openly said that when the capital removal question gets before the people they will use some of their energy and influence against Mitchell."-(Ivan W. Goodner in Sioux Falls Press, January 14, 1903.)

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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

The capital contest between Pierre and Mitchell began before the Legislature of 1903 had adjourned. The fight was to continue until November, 1904, and therefore each city prepared for the most vital eposide in its career. Complete organizations were effected, large sums of money were provided and every step to win even by extreme procedure was taken during the early part of 1903. During the summer of that year action was well advanced along all promising lines. The newspaper supporters of the two cities fired the early shots; indeed, continued their cannonade until after the election of November, 1904.

The Kimball Graphic and Howard Spirit were very ardent supporters of Mitchell; they accused all newspapers of the state which supported Pierre with being "Pierre contract sheets." The Pierre newspapers charged that the Graphic and the Spirit were the paid servants of Mitchell. Charges and counter-charges flew thick as snowflakes. In September, 1903, Mitchell refused Hughes County a place in the corn palace. The Mitchell News maintained that the reason for the refusal was because the Hughes County exhibit had really been collected in Stanley County. The Howard Spirit made much of the alleged "buffalo hunt from the steps of the capitol" in the fall of 1903 and left the impression that the country west of Pierre was still almost the exclusive domain of buffaloes, coyotes, grey wolves and savages. Both Pierre and Mitchell made an unwise mistake almost from the start, viz .: Pierre left the impression that all the land west of the Missouri River was good or excellent and called all persons or papers "knockers" that disputed this inference and Mitchell left the impression that all such land was fitted for cattle ranges only and would never be suitable for agri- culture. Both were partly right and partly wrong.

"The Mitchell Republican now says that Lyman County is all right even if it is west of the river, but that it is a matter of latitude. Just the same Mitchell was too much of a coward to allow Hughes County exhibit at their corn palace. Didn't want any comparisons to be placed on its statements that most of the state is no good."-Pierre Capital Journal, September, 1903. This was denied by the Republican, which said that lack of space was the reason.

In October Mitchell charged Pierre with attempting to buy up or bribe as many newspapers of the state as possible and printed and circulated a copy of the alleged contract which every newspaper editor was required to sign, and which provided that each should receive his pay by installments.

"The Pierre fellows brought the reservation into the capital campaign and tried to scare the people into the belief that if the capital was taken away from Pierre, it would be a reflection on that part of the state. The only reflection will be through the instrumentality of Pierre in bringing into prominence the reserva- tion as an agricultural country, which up to the present time has never been looked upon in that light. * * * The state has always been referred to as divided into three sections-mineral, grazing and agricultural-the former in the hills, the second on the reservation and the last east of the Missouri River. We do not mean to say that agriculture is not practiced at all west of the river, for it is; but at the same time the great stretch of country is and always has been regarded as the grazing section of the state."-Mitchell Republican, October 16, 1903.

"If there is any virtue in capital location-and there seems to be from all indications-the hills had better let go of its love of fifteen years and work for the interest of number one. In other words, let the rest of the state know that

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SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

the hills country is not tied down to a reminiscence of bull-train days, but wants another railroad if removal of the capital will help bring it."-Sturgis Record, October, 1903.

On October 12, 1903, the Aberdeen News declared that, judging from devel- opments thus far, the newspaper end of the capital campaign was certain to be superheated a long while before the vote on the question would be taken, that already several were so warm that adjectives were done to a "frazzle;" that, as this was the first off-year in the history of the state, it should be permitted to pass without disturbance; that, on the other hand, an issue that was ready and had to be threshed over might as well be settled at once; there was no need to become over-zealous or passionate because after the contest was over all would have to continue to live together in the state; that the contest would be a real benefit because it would settle the capital location and lead to the erection of a suitable capitol building in which to preserve the records. The News said, "Capital removal has been used as a club before every Legislature and has figured in the disposal of many questions upon which it could have only a cor- rupting influence," and therefore it welcomed a permanent settlement of the question.

"The state will be obliged to erect a building of its own or to improve the present one in any event, and the sooner the work is begun the better. Mitchell knows this as well as any one; in fact no sooner had the capital removal reso- lution been passed last winter than one of Mitchell's spokesmen introduced a bill for the construction of a new statehouse. No doubt by utilizing the new city hall and the Carnegie library, Mitchell might be able to house the state govern- ment in some shape for a brief period, but this would only emphasize the neces- sity of the new capitol."-Aberdeen News, November 2, 1903.

"The Huronite says, 'Loyalty to Huron and its material interests compels this paper to fight for Pierre. The Huronite is willing to take its chances in a fight of this kind-defeat would be sweeter than victory at the measureless price of disloyalty to its own people.' There you are! It's that sentiment that prevails everywhere that has brought to Pierre the support she is receiving all over the state."-Pierre Free Press, November, 1903.

"Speaking of this loyalty, what have the Huron people to say of the mass meeting that was held in that city a month or so before the Legislature met, wherein it was agreed to sign the capital removal compact with Redfield and Mitchell and stand by the proposition until the capital was removed from Pierre? At that time Huron believed she had a cinch on the capital, but events that devel- oped later showed the hollowness of her strength over the state and she now claims that it is to her interest to keep the capital at Pierre when for ten or twelve years Huron has moved heaven and earth to pry the capital loose from its location. We wonder if disloyalty enters Huron's mind with reference to the agreement with Huron and Redfield ?"-Mitchell Republican, November 30, 1903.

Late in November, 1903, the Armour Herald stated that in the capital con- test of 1890 Pierre won over Huron because the money of the former was more judiciously placed; that Huron spent cash freely and lost, because both could not win; that the capital should have gone to Huron, the logical loca- tion, but money sent it to Pierre; that location cut no figure; that while it may have cost Huron a large sum, that was the consideration that landed the capital at Pierre, "a hundred and fifty miles from civilization."

180

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

In December, 1903, the Lesterville Ledger stated that Pierre would never be the center of population any more than it was then; that it was very doubtful whether it could maintain the place it then held in that regard; that though much land between Pierre and the Black Hills was being taken up, such fact was no proof that the population there was increasing materially; that many of such filings were taken up by cattlemen and their cowboys; that it was extremely doubtful whether that section would ever have the population that east South Dakota then had; that already the settlement there was sufficient to interfere with the cattle industry, particularly with the large dealers; and that the smaller cattle raisers had thus far not been very successful. The paper further said: "So when the country will not produce much corn and wheat, what is there in it that will make the population grow to compare with that of the eastern part of the state? Could it support a dense population if it had one? If it is all like the country west of the river from 100 to 125 miles between Chamberlain and Pierre there is not much danger that yet for ages the population will become so great as to make Pierre the center of population. We do not believe that portion of the state is useless and a barren desert; far from it. We believe that the time is coming, and not in the far distance, when something will be found that is adapted to that country and will make it valuable. It is a rich stock country and will make a fine dairy district when developed along that line. The Milwaukee road will give to the people of the Black Hills as good or better facilities for reaching Mitchell as any other road will give them to reach Pierre. As a matter of fact, Mitchell will always be nearer to the center of population than Pierre."

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History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 25

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1146

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1146