Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-04-03
oaowAY's "REpLY."

VVO"us y N6U6bs
An Analysis of the Labored Efort Of the
Executive to Purity Himself.
Special Correspondence of the Chicago Inter-
UceAn.
Mitchell, ID. T., March 24--ln his
elaborate and voluminous reply to the
charges Of his accusers," Governor Ord
way backs up his own statements with
the aftidavits of two of his creatures.
William b. Tebbetts, who made the
county seat deal for the Ordways in
Faux county, swears that he had 10 |
connection with Governor Ordway, aud
that the latter was in nowise concerned
in the location OF the county seat OF that |
county. When Tebbetts lett Pierre for
the east, he told q friend of bis that he
was disgusted with the way the Ordwsys
had treated him, ana that he didn't in.
tend to. periure himself by making an
affidavit to help the old man" out
When the TACT that he was going to make
the affidavit after all became known to
the lew Ordwayites at Pierre, that friend
uf Tebbetts said to me: IF Tebbetts
makes any such affidavit, he will simply
swear to what he knows, know, and YOU
as good as know, to be lie."
But poor Tebbetts couldn't help him.
self. DE had entered the service Of Ord
way, and by SO doing became q servlle
dependent, a creature bound hand and
foot. Aud Tebbetts is q bright, we'll.
spoken fellow, who could make more
money in the long run by an honest
course, even If it did involve a little
harder work than selling county seats
on liberal commission.
u r. Whltcher, one OF the governors
men oi.all-wotk, who was sent out to
Hyde county to work up a scheme to de.
prlve the pioneer settlers Of their just
rights in the organization of that county,
makes an affidavit sustaining Governor
Ordway's action, and denying certain al.
Legations of D. A. w. Perkins. who made
some damaging disclosures when he
turned Estates evidence" against the
i governor.
NOW Of what avail are such afidavits
as these? If Governor Ordway think.
he eau clear himself on the oaths of mer
who are known to be his tools, boaud
to do his bidding, and as ready and ex
pert at false swearing as their master
he 10 almost as much fool as knave.
But the governor is both. Destitut.
of shame, aud hesitating at no wrong t,
others that would aid in his own ad
vancement, he has gradually Aattere,
himself into the belief that by boldi,
branding every enemy as q corrupt ring
ster he could establish and emphas,9
hls own personal virtue aud official II
tegrlty.
1t has thus finally come to pass that
is whole eople whom you are to r.
gard as the ring Of thieves, trickster
ofce.seekers aud shysters, which an hor
Q est executive has to contend with in d.
kota. You must believe that, or els
!, refuse, as Dakotaians generally refuse. I
! believe Ordway on oath. For, takin
Ordway at his word, there is no otht
{ way to account for the situation Of q
). fairs IN this territory.
In his own defense, Governor Ordwa
j. commits himself III q certain partlcula
= just as I thought he would. He speal
b Of the necessity for delay in organlzir
y Faulk county, growing out of his desll
to secure proper location, for the cou
70 ty seat, and save the dear people fro
= the schemes and mauipulations of tow
9 site speculators. That looks fair, q,
= the governor is fond of playing card
the kind. But is it honest?
The law requires the governor, upt
the petition of fifty voters, resident in
II new county, to appoint three commi
!. sioners who are to set in motion the tel
porary organization of the county.
- the next general election the people
n. cate the county seat permanently, or q
q. til such time as two.thirds of the vote
n shall vote to change it, and elect coun
- oficers.e It il desirable that the te
10 porary organization should take place
Id an early date. SO that the people c
,e easily rectify any mistake or right q
~ wrong. The Law plainly contemplat
% as much.
n Under the Law. the responsibility
y. the governor begins and ends with {
10 appointment of commissioners. Th,
20 aud not he. are to locate the county se
.e and fill the Offices. The governor, Q
fs' tainly, should exercise some care in q
er. pointing commissioners. but be shor
contine himself to an honest endeavor
secure men of good character and (
ability.
Dr. Beyond that he should not PER-
IN himself to go, and would not 60 if
N. we're an honest man. When he does
/, farther. he exceeds his authority unl
y the Law, and Justly lays his course a
Intentions open to grave suspicion.
on The history OF the organization
in. every county organized by Ordway 81,
to the war OF press and people began or
We him will show this to be true-tha
nj the governor had respected the Law a
ed complied with it, in the early appoi
IN. ment of commissioners solely "
las reference to their personal, fitness, th
81 would have been no difficulty
lbs the way whatever Of each county . Geo
~ ing good government from the at,
T Instead, there has been inexcusable /
nd Intentional delay, to begin with, vi
Of the governors hired men we're baresp
81. away the county seat and Offices,
th. former disposed Of for cash and lar
has and the latter for political and perso