Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-01-27
A Letter From Doctor Melcher.

y y
ed to give me considerable gratuitous
and as you aI.lras it
somewhat personally to me. it would
naturally be presumed You desired a re-
ply. When yon first came to Jerauld
county, something like Il year ago. in
the tUtl flush OF youthful vigor and |
beauty, and boldly announced as you
took charge.of the Republican, that yon
was connected with no 1ing or clique,
bat should publish a paper in the best
Interests Of the county, ana her tax pay
ers, it was fondiy hoped you really
meant what you protested, and possess
ed the back boz: g to carry it out. You
have continued to profess the same
ever sin ce, but while yau sing the sy
ren song Of peace you have attacked
every other paper in the county on. po-
litical or personal matters and when
any reply has been made YOU have al
most invariably charged them with
lying, misstata or interested
Mytives where they would not agree
with YOU. ~ OH lie is no answer, and
when mixed UP with backing and pull
ing. denying and admitting as II your
very peculiar replies TO the Messenger,
has led many people to the conclusion
ether that you are not the cool-headcd
young newspaper man We supposed or
that you are under certain Influences
y our attempt to lash the Aipena
journal into the adoption or endors-
ment of your easy political views only
resulted in yonr getting harder cuts
| back bian you gave. and the Journal,
in spite Of your conservative, boiling
politics. continues to advise repubii-
cans to he fair in politics and stick to
their regular nominations.
You seem ''to be the dog in the man
ger, so far as the other county papers
are concerned. You have also assailed
citizens and tax payers OF this county.
most OF whom were settled here be-
fore the county was organised, have
paid taxes and have considerable
interest in Jerauld county and her
prosperity. for no apparent reason eG-
: cept they did not agree With yor.
Now my boy, coming from the ranks
Of the democracy SO recently it is un.
reasonable to suppose THAI you can
honestly and safely instruct and guide
life long republicans.
Certainly men who have paid taxes
in Jerauld county for years, and whose
homes and families. are here, would
most likely have full as much interest
in the real welfare of Jerauld county
as you. And it must therefore be az.
mitted that you are either the mouth
piece or the hireling of one or more OF
: the leeches who are fattening on tht
citizens OF cur county, and you are u:l
: der obligations to them, to keep any
body back who attempts to pullthem Of
before they have sucked the last drol
; Of blood.
: You claim there is a vast difference
between my quotations and what yol
did say ;although the words are not
exactly as you had them the substance
: IS the saGle, and no real difference a:
: to your intent whether you are quoted
as saying ''aftcr all the 1886 taxes wer,
col!ected' or latter the 1886 tai is col
lected', either way means no time a
: all, and you Still! claim the count,
4 loses nothing by delaying an inSesti
: gation.
y Now, my young friend, it is general
,. ly considered best to investigate ant
e if possible, rectt'y q wrong us soon d
II discovered and before the parties hay
|, time to cover it up, manufacture evi
dence to suit, or get damaging witness
l. es outoi Che way. no ice you call Nh
Il Williams Il defaHlt!ng treasurer which
G iL dicates you believe he has committee
IS Il crime; that being the case why hav
II YOU not, in the interest OF the tax pay
It ers, urged thai a warrant iorhis arres
h be placed in the hands Of the sheri1
Ii with directions to bring him back. jus
e as If he had stolen Il $1,000 horse frol
o you, or some other citizen II Won ar
e really Independent. as you claim VIII
g do you not urge the arrest Of an OFF
cial who has defrauded every tax pay
er in the county, as quickly as any 9th
er criminal? What is there back Of thi
S that you. Il disinterested new Gomez
J. should from week to week advocat
y delay, or what means TIE same. "a!
e soon as practlcuDle"? Who tell; yo
: to say 50? Who tells you 30 hold tn
+ people back and hit anyone who offer
l. to object? You may designate my re
s marks as you please. tie records of TIL
Il county viii show whether | have an
G interes. iii the welfare OF .)eraul
V county. ! an! not anxious that an
e but the guilty shall beimplicatea b,l
s | do desire the truth plainly told in
p report that any one can unlerstan
y that we may know exactly the financial
~ nnrl.iIt iO.~ IT nI,r cnI i,pt ~