Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1884-06-14

Webster's definition Of the above
word is as follows:
"A dupe ; the instrument which an.
other uses to accomplish his purpose"
Derived from the fable of the monk
ey who used the paws Of the cat to draw
roasted chestnuts out Of the fire."
We give the above definition Of the
word catspsw for the benefit Of our COM
m~issioners who incorporated it in a
resolution which they were anxious
should appear on the minutes as part of
their Official proceedings, and which is
published as such in the minutes to be
found onthe first page of this issue. A
perusal Of the interesting resolution
(which is undoubtedly al offspring that
can boast of having the united intellect
Of the two commissioners and one other
individual for its father leaves the reader
to believe that their idea Of the word
was this: If they should call the cleo
ton TO organize this school township
according to the instructions of the ter
~ritorial and county superintendent, the
law that governs such matters, and in
obedience to the wishes of nine-tenths
Of the people to whom they owe the
fact that they are officers, then they, the
commissioners, would be catspaws. Such
was their Interpretation Of the word.
Those who read between the lines,
however, after consulting the above
from Noah Webster, will draw another
conclusion, that is, that the men who
disgrace the Office of commissioners,
have pronounced their own obituary,
and used the only word in the English
language that is applicable to them in
this instance. "Dupes, the instruments
which another uses to accomplish his
purposes" Willing tools to be used by
one man, and made I O bite the hand that
feed them or in other words, the
people who elected them.
What are the chestnuts that the
monkey has drawn from the fire with
this catspaw? The empty honor Of
being a member Of a school boardP No,
there is something back of this, but
what is it; there is no compensation Mt
tached to the Office. Then there is only
one explanation there must be some
means Of making money out Of the
| Office which is the chestnut that this
catspaw has saved for one who would
pose before the people as se!tsacrifcing ~
in their interests. Look at the record made:
Who or whom does the animal rep
resent, has he ever been accused Of
working other than for the interest of
self? If SO, we are wrong and are will
ling to be set right; if not, then we are
right in the assertion that a reputation
has been established antagonistic to all
improvements for the benefit Of Custer,
the people, and the children in the dis
trict.
Does the fact that your children are
cooped up in a building that would be
a disgrace to the name Of sch~ool-house
in any Of the states where illiteracy
predominates. and from which your
children have been turned away during
the past year, because there was NOT
ROOM TO educate them, establish a re-
putation for public spirit. This too,
when there is thousands Of dollars on
hand with which to furnish them
with all the comforts and as good
instructors as can be found and is found
in every school district in the Hills
but this. No one can plead poverty as
an excuse for the existing circumstances.
Does u present school facilities offer
any inducement for a man with a family
to locate in our midst? Will It not tend
to drive away eve those who are here ?
Does previous action lead you to be
leiye that a school house will ever be
erected. We have plenty of cash
in the treasury and there is a way to
raise more, 81 that your children can be
accommodated and furnished the best
Of instructors. Do you want it done?
If 80, the people of this district must
cease to sleep on their rights and place
the control o fschool affairs where it will
not be used for the benefit of one or two
individuals, but for the good of the COM
mupity at large. Place men in Office
who have a record for improvement and
the advancement of the districts inter
ests.