Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1882-03-29
DAKOTA'S PUBLIC MEN.


AlInslons Complimentary and Oaher
wise, Largely Devoted TO Yanktonians
Correspondence Cincinnati Commercial.
Dakota's public men are as capa
bic as they are ambitious. The,
are generally most successful who ar,
most pugnacious. Western commu
mites like men who are good fighters
pluck is trumps nine times out 0
ten. Your average pioneer wouldn'
be caught dead with a pup tina
would whine when you hold hin
up by the nape of the neck. Da
kota's public men, as a general rule
don't whine when they are held up
Let me tell you about q few Of TIN
gentlemen.
At Yankton, there is Collector ant
Ex-Governor Pennington, who is al
unexceptional gentleman, exceptions
ably on the make. Pennington il
well liked just now, because it is un
derstood that his nature is not por.
cine, and he is politically aware
when he is possessed of u sufli
cheney.
Ex-Chief Justice Peter Shannon
isn't as happy as he was before Sen.
ator Window and Delegate Pettigrew
paid off old debts. In his retiracy
he is followed by respectful com.
misseration. 1t is given up on all
hands shat Shannon is not the
wickedest man in Dakota. His
ability is conceded. Judge and ex.
U. S. Senator Elgerton, Shannon's
successor, is credited with the capa.
bilities of a new broom.
Ex-Associate Justice Brookings
now of Sioux Falls, has enemies
whom he came honestly by. Te
him Dakota owes the beginning Of
of her rail road system. The first
locomotive that ever entered the ter.
ritory was named w. w. Brookings
He is a pushing, driving, public
spirited citizen.
Ex-Governor Faux is a nice man
unfortunately afflicted with the pol
litical jaundice. Some experts pro-
nounce it gangrene. Otherwise the
governor is fine old Pennsylvania
gentleman--one Of the olden time.
Ex-Governor Newton Edmunds Ii
quiet, unotlending banker, who, in
official capacities has done his coun.
try some service. He is the person
iiication of Chesterfeldian courtli
ness. lie is the sort of gentleman
who would take q foreign Mis-
sion or the United Scnatorship, and
not enquire whether the platter was
of silver or of sounding brass, but
who is too digniiied and too much
of a gentleman to pass the politica
hat.
There is Territorial Secretary Geo
II. Hand, who is n thoroughbred
Dakotaian-modest, sterling and
well-beloved.
Hayes showed his hand OH Hand
When the territorial gubernatoria
vacancy occurred, by reason of tht
dcathot the former excellent occupant
OF the chair, the people of the terri
tory, without regard to politics, peti
toned Rutherford b. Hayes to make
Hand their governor. Their pcti
tons were voluminous, and Hand
who had by virtue Of his oflic,
been acting governor quite frequent
iy, moved not a peg in the game
The appointment sought was direct
ly in the line Of civil service promo
tons and was one eminently fit t
be made; but President Hayes ig
nored Hand and sent out gentle
man from New England, to whom
let me devote a paragraph.
Nehemiah G. Ordway. Yankee
dom has much to suffer for. It j
| charged with wooden nutmegs, In
possible clocks, and the iniportatio
of Samuel j. Clemens. Now charg
up Governor Ordway to the sam
account. Coming from eastern pc
itical pastures. without a knowledg
Of the composition of Dakota cha
acter, and presumably with little il
terest in aught save his own persol
al ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, he started viii
the full intention of ruling the enti
roost. Instead, however, the roc
seems to have ruled Ordway. I
vetoed bill after bill, and the intel
J gent legislature just doubled its
up and laughed. Then it pass
bills over his veto with diligen
and dispatch. There wasn't an
thing gaudy about that legislator
! it just sat down OH the govern
neatly, expeditiously and us simp
; as a, b. c. The harder he vetoe
the harder it sat down on him, II
| til it is question destined to ;
sumo grave historical proposition
as to whether or not Ordway at tt
; present writing, III his heart
baarto, ,.nalt,, th;nLc In 4. soc mn,